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
An Even Rougher Version of the RAISE Act?
AILA Member John Manley compares the provisions in the RAISE Act (which Congress failed to pass) and the executive actions being taken by the Trump administration during the COVID-19 pandemic and notices some similarities.
Individuals, Employers, and Organizations Join to File First Lawsuit Challenging Entirety of Trump’s Immigration Ban
AILA, Justice Action Center, and Innovation Law Lab, with pro bono support from Mayer Brown LLP, sued the Trump Administration on behalf of 23 individual and organizational plaintiffs to prevent the devastating effects of President’s Trump’s unlawful and unconstitutional immigration ban.
LPR Applicants, Their Sponsors, and Immigrant and Civil Rights Groups Sue Over Law Violations in Implementation of Trump Administration’s Public Charg
Today, AILA and our partners filed a complaint on behalf of a group of applicants for lawful permanent residence, their sponsors, and nonprofit immigration legal service providers, suing the Trump administration for violating the law in its implementation of the new “public charge” regulation.
Fighting for Freedom from Detention During COVID-19
National Advocacy Counsel Katie Shepherd of the Immigration Justice Campaign shares the recent work with pro bono counsel Gibson Dunn that aims to free immigrants from the appalling conditions at Joe Corley detention facility.
The Administration is Weaponizing COVID-19 to End Immigration
AILA Past President Ira Kurzban details how the Trump Administration has weaponized the COVID-19 pandemic to implement long-sought immigration policies, banning immigrants and non-immigrants alike.
Administration Plans Unnecessary and Unconscionable Ban on Asylum Seekers Masked Behind False Public Health Premise
AILA and the Council expressed deep concern about the administration’s soon-to-be-published proposed rule that would allow DHS to ban people from seeking asylum or withholding of removal in the United States solely because they traveled from or through a country under threat by a serious disease.
Trump Administration Makes Immigration Courts an Enforcement Tool by Appointing Prosecutors to Lead
AILA condemns the Trump administration’s recent ramp-up of efforts to turn the immigration court system into an enforcement tool rather than an independent arbiter for justice.
During the Pandemic, We Need H-2A Temporary Workers More Than Ever
In this blog post, AILA law student member Maria Jaramillo highlights the indispensable workers who come to the U.S. on H-2A visas and ensure the U.S. food supply continues, and how employers need to step up and protect them during the pandemic.
USCIS Hypocrisy Reaches New Levels
Asylum experts Dree Collopy and Lindsay Harris highlight the ways in which asylum adjudication inefficiencies have contributed to USCIS' $1.2 billion budget shortfall and urge that Congress hold USCIS accountable, linking to AILA's Take Action on the issue that members of the public can easily use.
Reuniting Mirna’s Family Despite the Immigration Ban
In this blog post, Michael Eatroff shares Mirna's story; she was one of the plaintiffs in the litigation filed by AILA, Justice Action Center, Innovation Law Lab, with pro bono counsel Mayer Brown to protect children from aging out under the April 22 Proclamation.
Stooping to A New Low – USCIS Statement Throws Constitution Out the Window
AILA Member Matt Maiona highlights a recent outrageous USCIS statement in response to the SCOTUS DACA ruling, which showcases the dire need for agency reform, writing, “Perhaps now more than ever, government institutions must strive to restore the faith of Americans in the integrity of government.&#
Children of Permanent Residents and U.S. Citizens Exempt from New Immigration Ban
Representatives from AILA, Justice Action Center, and Innovation Law Lab react to the carve-out exemption in President Trump’s immigration ban expansion for children or child relatives who could be separated from their families if they age out while the ban is in effect.
Advocates Demand Release of Individuals Endangered in Texas Detention Facility
On June 23, 2020, the law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, through their pro bono work with the Immigration Justice Campaign, filed a group habeas petition demanding the release of individuals detained in the Joe Corley Detention Facility in Conroe, Texas due to the conditions at this ICE facility.
Tools of the (Immigration Law) Trade
In this blog post, AILA past president Kathleen Campbell Walker reflects on her path into immigration law, the complicated nature of the field, and some of the reasons she reads and re-reads the INA/CFR.
Administration Expands Ban on Legal Immigration – Pursuing Campaign Promise to Shut Down Legal Immigration
AILA President Jennifer Minear and AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to President Trump’s Proclamation barring access to certain nonimmigrant workers until the end of the 2020.
How Do We Respond to the George Floyd Tragedy?
AILA member Paschal O. Nwokocha calls on all immigration attorneys to take concrete steps to address racism and injustice, writing “We cannot be patient anymore; we cannot wait for racial inequality and injustice to recede. We must be involved actors in the future we seek.“
Fight Back Against Chevron Deference in Asylum and Withholding Cases
In this blog post, AILA member Maureen Sweeney previews her AILA Law Journal article and describes several factors litigators can argue weigh against applying Chevron in asylum and withholding cases “and in favor of robust judicial review of BIA and AG decisions.“
AILA Celebrates Supreme Court’s DACA Decision, Calls for Permanent Protection
AILA applauds the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision blocking the rescission of DACA. The decision underscores the incredible importance of our nation’s foundational principle of separation of powers and the need for accountability in government agency actions.
AILA Elects New Officers for 2020-2021
Jennifer Minear was installed as AILA’s President, and the following officers were elected today for the 2020-2021 term: Allen Orr as President-Elect, Jeremy McKinney as First Vice President, Farshad Owji as Second Vice President, Kelli J. Stump as Treasurer, and Jeff Joseph as Secretary.
AILA Presents Greg Siskind with the 2020 Advocacy Award
AILA recognizes Greg Siskind of Memphis, TN, with the 2020 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA's advocacy agenda.
AILA Presents Alexis S. Axelrad with the 2020 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award
AILA recognizes Alexis S. Axelrad, of New York, NY, with the 2020 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award, in recognition of her outstanding service, over a period of years, in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA for its members and the public it serves.
AILA Recognizes Kathleen M. Gillespie with the 2020 Sam Williamson Mentor Award
AILA recognizes Kathleen M. Gillespie with the 2020 Sam Williamson Mentor Award, in acknowledgment of her outstanding efforts and excellent counsel to immigration attorneys by providing mentoring assistance.
AILA Presents Sidley Austin LLP with the 2020 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award
AILA recognizes Sidley Austin LLP with the 2020 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field.
AILA: Proposed Rule Would Deny Asylum Seekers Fundamental Human Rights
The Trump Administration’s proposed rule seeks to fundamentally rewrite U.S. asylum laws and policies, and remove almost any chance for those fleeing persecution to gain protection. AILA highlights some changes of extreme concern, and we urge the public to comment on the proposed rule.
Recognizing the Commonality of Our Struggles
AILA Website Editorial Manager Kritika Argawal shares insights about the civil rights movement's impact on immigrants and how we must “recognize the commonality of our struggles with the struggles of Black Americans and take concrete steps to support their fight against racism and injustice.“