Blog: Think Immigration
We believe that immigration law is an integral part of America’s past, present and future. We also know that immigration law is complicated. Here you’ll find experts writing in an accessible way about immigration issues, from big, broad ideas down to specific cases. Our members bring knowledge they’ve gleaned from the daily practice of immigration law to this space and offer their expertise to readers.
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A Victory for the Arizona DACAmented
In Arizona, a high school student that has been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA“) can create an award-winning underwater robot from Home Depot parts, but can't legally drive to school (more about that below). Thanks to a mean-spirited August 15, 2012 executive order from
Fireworks: A Beacon in the Sky for the World
Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. My husband and I like to spend it with friends and “America's Favorite Pastime“ at Nationals Park. After the ballgame comes more time with friends and family, grilling and a table full of food, juicy watermelon, red, white, and blue décor galo
Let’s Dance
This blog post is adapted from the speech I gave when I was installed as AILA's President for the 2014-15 term. I was thrilled to be able to reflect at the Annual Conference hosted by my home chapter, the New England Chapter of AILA. New England is where I found immigration and, if I hadn't […
Turning Our Backs on Our Own History
The humanitarian crisis involving the arrival of thousands of unaccompanied minors at our borders has brought out diverse opinions within our government and country. Some politicians would like to send these minors back to Guatemala on a bus. Before we become too critical about the future of these
Getting a Little Serious about the Need for Immigration Reform
This is a post adapted from my speech last week in accepting an award from AILA for outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law. While the occasion was a happy one and I was honored to receive that award, I took the opportunity, as I do here, [
Responding to the Increase in Child Migrants: We’ve Managed These Crises Before
In my first week as an immigration lawyer, 286 Chinese migrants waded ashore in Queens, and a significant number were detained at a county prison near me in York, Pennsylvania. In 1993, there was no significant infrastructure for handling those hundreds of cases in the Northeast - no detention faci
Re-Inspired by the Unafraid and Undocumented
Last week, as a representative of AILA, I joined Jose Antonio Vargas for two post-screening panels after his film “Documented.“ Vargas has been a lightning rod since he, a Pulitzer Prize winner, revealed to the world that he was in fact unauthorized. The fact that one of the nation's most ce
The Good, the Not-so-Bad and the Ugly: USCIS Announces DACA Renewal Procedures
Today, USCIS published long-awaited guidance for renewals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program, including a new Form I-821D for both initial and renewal applications. The guidelines should mean a streamlined process for most renewals, but the agency missed a real opportu
What the Tony Awards Can Teach Us About Immigration
This year's Tony Awards will be presented on Sunday, June 8 in New York City. I've always been a fan of the ceremony and, having seen a fair number of the nominees, I was struck by the strong intersection between Broadway theatre and immigration this year. Take for example, A Raisin in the Sun, nom
Cities and Counties Stand Up for the Constitution
Cities across the country have been following a federal policy that law enforcement officials increasingly describe as harmful to public safety and that courts now call unconstitutional. I'm glad to know that Philadelphia is no longer one of them. My mayor, Michael Nutter, signed an executive order
The Sorry State of Our Detention System
Saluja Thangaraja was tortured, beaten and held captive in Sri Lanka, her homeland. She was lucky and managed to escape before she was killed. When she arrived in the United States - the land of freedom she was seeking turned out to be the exact opposite: she was imprisoned in a federal detention ce
H-4 Work Authorization: A (First) Step in the Right Direction?
On May 6, 2014 DHS announced proposals to “attract and retain highly skilled immigrants.“ Along with my other business immigration colleagues, I was thrilled when the news broke. While it isn't comprehensive information reform, it is a step in the right direction. Let's look at the issue of
What’s Happening to Florida?
Last week, the Florida legislature passed two bills that are heading to Governor Rick Scott, who has stated that he will sign them. One grants in-state tuition to undocumented “Dreamers.“ Another will allow Jose Godinez-Samperio, a DACA recipient and law school graduate, the ability to be a li
LGBT Rights and Attitudes in Ukraine: the Immigration Perspective
As immigration lawyers, we know that global conflict affects immigration law and policy. I wanted to take a closer look at what is going on in and around Ukraine as it affects LGBT individuals since persecution and fear may drive people out of that region and toward asylum in the U.S. Amidst the tur
Face-to-Face Meetings Make a Difference with the Media
Talking on the phone is great. E-mail can be incredibly convenient. But nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. That's the motto Leslie Holman and I were living by as we went from one meeting to another at a pretty rapid fire pace this past Monday and Tuesday during the press tour that AILA National
The Revised Credible Fear Lesson Plan: Enough is Enough!
This is not just a blog post, but a call to action. Over the past six months, we have seen dog-and-pony hearings by Congress and a series of administrative changes to our asylum system that have deviated from the United States' longstanding obligations under domestic and international law to the de
The Agents of [Operation] S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Federal Protective Service has a heavy responsibility. Their mission is to keep federal properties safe and secure for employees, officials and visitors, alike. One such property is the newly renovated Byron G. Rodgers Federal Building in downtown Denver. Among other tenants in this otherwise
Governor O’Malley Moves Baltimore City Away from Secure Communities
At a time when Federal stalemate and local hostility prevents us from giving practical help to the 11 million souls in our midst without a country, I am proud to live and practice law in a state led by a governor who practices what his faith preaches. Governor Martin O'Malley took a strong stand on
Could Religion Be the Common Ground for Immigration Reform?
The Catholic Church is no stranger to the headlines. As a Catholic I am often disappointed by its focus in the media and its presentation and stance on many issues. However, since the selection and inauguration of Pope Francis, much of the conversation in and around the Catholic Church has changed.
America’s April Fools’ Lottery Is No Laughing Matter
Today thousands of U.S. employers large and small are buying lottery tickets hoping they will win the right to employ a highly skilled, well-educated professional. This is not an April Fools' joke. Unfortunately, this is the system under which the nation that sees itself as the world's leading econo
Shifting Pressure, Shifting Strategies – Whose Move Will Be Checkmate?
Chess is a two-player strategy game. Each player begins with 16 pieces: A king, a queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. Pieces are used to attack and capture, with the objective to ‘checkmate' the opponent's king by inescapably trapping him. Strategy, however, is the key to ea
Top Ten Similarities Between March Madness and the U.S. Immigration System
As a native Hoosier and Indiana University graduate, I have always loved March Madness - the idea that any team could find a place and then potentially win or, at the very least, upset, the tournament is exciting and inspiring. Additionally, I love lists. Competition and the fast pace of both the
Another Kind of March Madness
For many immigration practitioners, no matter how devout a college basketball fan they may be, another type of March Madness overtakes their lives to the exclusion of all else: H-1B season. We're in the midst of it right now and it's going to be a brutal year; experts in the field expect the 85,00
The Long-Awaited and Vitally Important PREA Rule is Imminent
We heard today that the long-awaited and vitally important Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) final regulations will likely be issued next week by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The importance of these regulations cannot be overstated. The PREA Commission found that immigrant detainees a
No, It’s Not Over
Last week I came to Washington and met with House leaders about immigration reform. I heard a lot of pessimism and I certainly understand where it's coming from. After the high of the Senate bill passage, during AILA's Annual Conference of course, we've descended into the lows of inaction. There w