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.
Browse the Blog: Think Immigration collection
Efforts to Restore Asylum at the Border Hobbled by the Courts and Congress
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel Amy Grenier shares insights on where things stand with Title 42, and the new interim final rule on asylum and credible fear, noting that “both face challenges before the federal courts and Congress.“
AILA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Work
AILA 2021-22 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair Ban Al-Wardi shares insights into the committee's accomplishments this year and how the AILA community can engage on various DEI Committee efforts, including the 21-Day Invitation starting June 1.
Detention Ombudsman Reports 52% of Complaints Were About Living Conditions
AILA Policy Counsel Jen Whitlock writes about the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) including the office's history, the data it has shared so far, and some key questions that remain; she urges everyone to use AILA's advocacy tool to tell Congress immigration detention is inhumane
With A Gun To Their Head
In this video blog post, AILA Law Student Member Nathan Hall describes why he decided to dig into the issue of the “serious nonpolitical crime“ bar and its impact on asylum seekers when he wrote his piece for the April 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal.
Fast Tracking Asylum at the Border will Undermine Due Process
In this blog post, AILA's Amy Grenier walks through the significant due process concerns that have been expressed about the Interim Final Rule on asylum processing from the Biden administration and why having sufficient time, to seek counsel and pull together a substantive claim, is so important.
Tackling Jurisdictional Questions
AILA member Geoffrey A. Hoffman shares insights on the article he wrote for the Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal focused on the issue of jurisdiction and how the defective NTA-jurisdictional question could play a crucial part in resolving and reducing the 1.6 million case backlog. AILA me
Broadening the Reach of Pro Bono Through Virtual Clinics
In this blog post, AILA Pro Bono Committee Chair Adonia Simpson and Sarah Burrows, Director, Pro Bono & Partnerships at HIAS, share insights into how AILA South Florida successfully pivoted to virtual pro bono events and how you can replicate this effort.
Fan Letters to AILA Members’ Favorite Resources
As we continue to celebrate AILA's 75th anniversary year, we asked members to share a fan letter to their favorite AILA resource, in two or three sentences, or haiku form. Read about five favorites in this blog post on Think Immigration.
The “SS EOIR” is Changing Course; Encouraging Winds Ahead
AILA member Stacy Caplow reflects on her Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal article entitled “The Sinking Immigration Court: Change Course, Save the Ship“ in this blog post and why readers should take heart given a recent shift in EOIR hiring.
How Legal Ethics Has Evolved in Immigration Practice
In this blog post, AILA members Michele Carney and Beth Persky reflect on the changes to legal ethics over the last 75 years, and encourage colleagues to learn more about those changes as a way to look down the road to more changes that may come.
Knowing the History of “The Huddled Masses”
In this blog post, AILA member and Law Journal author John Medeiros introduces his piece featured in the recent special edition of the AILA Law Journal celebrating AILA's 75 years; his piece “Huddled Masses“ chronicles the history of U.S. immigration and the development of U.S. immigration la
A Special Edition of the AILA Law Journal Celebrates #AILA75Years
In this blog post, we walk through the Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal which features an interview between editor-in-chief Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia and AILA President Allen Orr, along with special and substantive pieces from AILA members as we celebrate AILA's 75 Years.
Reopening America’s Doors to Immigration Requires Addressing the Visa Backlog
AILA member Dominique Pando Bucci shares insights into the backlogs facing businesses trying to bring foreign talent to the U.S. and families trying to reunite due to Department of State backlogs and highlights AILA's recommendations for reopening America's doors.
Why We Need an Independent Immigration Court System
In this video blog post, AILA President-Elect Jeremy McKinney joins Senior Director of Government Relations Greg Chen to discuss the need for immigration court reform and the prospects for the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act which will be marked up by the House Judiciary Committee this week.
AILA Members’ Favorite AC Memories – Part 2
As we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, and look forward to the Annual Conference in June, we asked members to share their favorite memories from Annual Conferences in the past. Today we share memories from three members in the second part of this blog post series.
Fulfilling America’s Promise: Helping Immigrant Service Members Naturalize
Margaret Stock shares insights into challenges facing military service members seeking to naturalize and offers information about key resources, including an upcoming webinar, designed to ensure AILA members have the tools they need to help these heroes become citizens.
Collateral Damage: The Consequences of Delays in Immigration
AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares insights into what backlogs and delays at USCIS mean for clients, communities, and our economy, while highlighting the recent AILA policy brief which has concrete recommendations for USCIS to right the ship.
AILA Members’ Favorite AC Memories – Part 1
As we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, and look forward to the Annual Conference in June, we asked members to share their favorite memories from Annual Conferences in the past. Here are three memorable moments to start us off.
Highlighting Inequities: How the U.S. Treats Refugees Varies Widely
AILA Board of Governors member Ally Bolour calls our attention to the disparate treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, comparing the recent experiences of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Haiti and urging us all to “end the discriminatory treatment of refugees.“
AILA’s Most Popular Practice Success Tip
In this video blog post, AILA PPC leaders Reid Trautz and Charity Anastasio share the most popular practice success tip as a way to celebrate the myriad resources developed to help members run a practice during AILA's 75 years.
Raising the Bar: Reflections on International Women’s Day
As we celebrate this International Women's Day, AILA Immediate Past President Jennifer Minear shares her gratitude for “the women of AILA and for the role they play in our lives and our community.“
Let’s Give a Hand to AILA Members Doing Amazing Pro Bono Work!
AILA's Practice and Professionalism Center works with AILA members to help them engage in pro bono activities; this Think Immigration post is an opportunity to learn and get inspired by three of our recent Pro Bono High Five videos.
Generations Later, Another Evacuation Effort Stalls
AILA member and volunteer Spojmie Nasiri shares a recent experience when she met a Vietnamese refugee whose story strengthened her resolve to help Afghan evacuees and reminded her of the interconnectedness of all our lives.
Immigrant Women are Entrepreneurs
In this blog post, part of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion series, AILA South Florida DEI chair Tarsila Talarico explains the data showing how important a force immigrant women entrepreneurs are and the resilience and strength they bring to bear as they start businesses and benefit the U.S. econ
“Wait, But Isn’t Pot Legal?” – Immigration Law and Cannabis Present Traps for the Unwary
AILA 2022 Border Issues Conference Co-Chair Scott Railton describes the current landscape where cannabis legalization and immigration law collide, highlighting how complicated it is and the need for Congress to act.