Immigration News
Check out daily roundups of immigration-related news stories, read articles that quote and cite AILA and AILA leadership, and check out analysis from AILA members and leadership on the AILA blog.
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AILA in the News
Browse the Immigration News collection
Resiliency in the Face of Hostile Immigration Policies
AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Law Student Scholarship recipient Anthony Wong urges fellow AILA members to develop resiliency in order to face future challenges to the immigration law community.
The Importance of Filing Proper Tax Returns for Immigration Purposes
AILA member Kara Hart shares why she advises people seeking immigration benefits to seek qualified help to ensure they file taxes correctly, noting that when immigration officials review tax returns, they may be asking several key questions.
AILA Offers Border Solutions Ahead of First Immigration-Related Hearing in the 118th Congress
AILA addresses Congress and urges it to take swift action to update our nation’s immigration system at the border and beyond in advance of a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the southern border.
Some Basics of Business Immigration to the U.S. in 2023
AILA member Stanislav Shamayev walks through some of the basics of business immigration to the U.S., writing that “American immigration law is complex, to put it mildly, but a good immigration attorney can talk through your options and set you up for success.“
New Policy Aims to Expand Noncitizen Worker Protections After Historical Discrimination
In this blog post, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Law Student Scholarship recipient Taylor Flores describes the historical discrimination faced by immigrant workers and the new policy from the Biden administration which aims to expand noncitizen worker protections.
Class Action Filed Against USCIS for Extreme Processing Delays that Leave American Families Stranded
AILA amplifies the filing of a federal class action lawsuit in Seattle against USCIS challenging bureaucratic logjams that have left families in a multi-year limbo as thousands of spouses of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents wait for their unlawful presence waivers to be processed.
The Maggio Law Student Fellowship Can Open Up a New World for You
AILA President Jeremy McKinney urges law students interested in immigration law practice to apply for the Michael Maggio Immigrants' Rights Summer Fellowship Program and highlights six examples of recent fellows as a way to inspire the next generation of law students. Deadline is Feb 10, 2023.
The Toll of Delays – USCIS Allows Nearly 600% Increase in I-601A Waiver Processing Times
Using data from AILA member case examples, AILA Liaison Coordinator Jonathan Valdez describes the ripple effect of USCIS' excessive delay in I-601A processing, noting that the impact “is as profound as it is immeasurable,“ and urging the implementation of reforms that improve processing times
T Nonimmigrant Visas: An Opportunity to Provide a Path Forward
AILA members Helen Tarokic and Jesse Bless describe the current status of the T nonimmigrant visa, created by Congress to protect trafficking victims, noting that given recent updates to the USCIS Policy Manual more asylum and U-visa applicants may be eligible for this often-overlooked visa.
Biden Administration Expands Legal Pathways with Parole Strategy but Deeply Erodes U.S. Commitment to Asylum Protection
AILA responds to an announcement from President Biden that expands humanitarian parole programs for migrants from Nicaragua, Cuba, and Haiti but severely restricts asylum access, including expanding Title 42, to migrants from those countries.
AILA Condemns SCOTUS Ruling Extending Title 42 Border Expulsion Policy
AILA condemns the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that upholds Title 42, a public health expulsion order, for now, and shares recommendations for more fair and efficient border solutions.
New Edition of Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook Released by AILA
The 18th edition of Kurzban’s Immigration Law Sourcebook is now available, filled with expert guidance to help readers navigate the labyrinthine U.S. immigration laws.
The “Doctrine of Consular Nonreviewability” Explained
In a video blog post, AILA Law Journal authors Sabrina Damast and Eric Lee explain what the “Doctrine of Consular Nonreviewability“ is, why it is important to immigration lawyers, and the current state of the doctrine in federal court litigation.
U.S. Government Detention of Asylum Seekers Flouts International Human Rights Law
AILA Law Journal authors Curtis F.J. Doebbler and Elisa Fornalé shared some insights from their recent article, “International Human Rights Law and the Detention of Asylum Seekers“ which focused on the U.S. practice of detaining asylum seekers and relevant international human rights obligation
AILA President Applauds the Signing and Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
AILA President Jeremy McKinney applauds the signing and passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and noted, “Many mixed-nationality couples in the U.S. have obtained life-altering immigration benefits due to the constitutional right to marriage equality, and now those rights are here to stay.”
With More Funding Must Come More Accountability
AILA Policy Associate Paul Stern writes why Congress must provide greater funding and accountability for USCIS to continue addressing its backlogs and processing delays.
The Death to Asylum Regulations Continue to Harm Asylum Seekers Even Though They Are Enjoined
AILA member Victoria Neilson writes about the “Death to Asylum“ regulations and their continued impact on practitioners and asylum seekers ahead of the two-year anniversary of these Trump-era regulations being published on 12/11/20.
We Must Protect Children in Immigration Proceedings
AILA Law Journal authors Lory D. Rosenberg, Susan G. Roy, Paul Schmidt, and Rekha Sharma-Crawford share some insights about their article, “Time for a Child Welfare Approach to Cancellation of Removal“ in which they focused on how the best interests of the child are routinely ignored.
AILA and the American Immigration Council Respond to a Bipartisan Framework of Immigration Reform Compromises
AILA and the Council respond to the news that Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) have reached an agreement on a draft Border and DREAM Act Deal.
RFE – The Acronym that Continues to Confound and Bewilder Practitioners
AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares insights into the confusion surrounding “Requests for Evidence“ (RFEs) and how seemingly extremely similar, if not identical, cases result in different outcomes, urging USCIS to reengage with stakeholders on this issue.
What’s the Deal with the Unlawful Presence Bars?
AILA Law Journal author Martin Robles-Avila shared some insights from his recent article, “At Long Last, USCIS Meets the Moment: A Brief History of the Unlawful Presence Bars“ in which he dives into where things stand on these bars which impact so many individuals.
AILA and the American Immigration Council Respond to Supreme Court Oral Arguments in U.S. v. Texas
AILA and the Council respond to oral arguments heard by the Supreme Court in the case U.S. v. Texas, a dispute over the Biden Administration’s authority to set immigration policy.
Why Everyone Should Care About the “Doctrine of Consular Nonreviewability”
AILA Law Journal authors Sabrina Damast and Eric Lee shared some insights from their recent article on “Consular Nonreviewability: Fifty Years Since Kleindienst v. Mandel“ in which they focused on this important concept and its implications for many families trying to reunite.
I Ran the NYC Marathon and This is What I Learned
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair Evangeline Chan shares her recent experience running the NYC marathon and how it brought hope, that “we can all lean in to that human connection and learn that no matter where you are from, you can find common ground with the person next to you.“
AILA Welcomes Federal Court Decision to End Title 42; Implementation Will Begin in Five Weeks
AILA welcomes the decision from U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan striking down the public health law wielded by the Trump Administration as a weapon against asylum seekers as “arbitrary and capricious.” The decision has been stayed for five weeks.