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
When the World is on Fire, Exceptions Should be the Rule
AILA member Amy Myers shares why USCIS should proactively address non-immigrants' (such as students on OPT) concerns about falling out of status, writing “When we are already in a recognized crisis situation, why should discretionary post-situational relief be the only available remedy?“
Bipartisan Effort Would Help Foreign Doctors, Nurses, and All of Us
AILA's Director of Government Relations Sharvari Dalal-Dheini highlights the bill Congress can and should consider quickly to address the physician and nurse shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and the integral role AILA and its members played in urging Congress to take this important issue up.
New Documents Reveal Immigration Judge Hiring Plan Designed to Stack the Courts, Prioritize Politics Over Justice
AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson and American Immigration Council Executive Director Beth Werlin react to documents obtained by the organizations via FOIA revealing DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review’s updated hiring plan for Immigration Judges and Appellate Immigration Judges.
Ninth Circuit Panel Prevents Trump Administration from Implementing Health Care Ban
AILA and our partners welcomed the Ninth Circuit 2-1 panel decision today to refuse the federal government a stay pending appeal of the preliminary nationwide injunction in Doe v. Trump; the government had sought a stay of the injunction granted by the U.S. District Court in Portland, OR.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 10
AILA Member Sabrina Damast shares lessons learned over the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of practice management, writing “I've learned that as prepared as I thought I was for business emergencies, there are still contingencies that I did not think to address.“
AILA Supports the “Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act”
AILA welcomes the announcement by Senators Perdue, Durbin, Young, and Coons that they will introduce bipartisan legislation which would help address the critical healthcare shortage in the United States, a weakness that has been evident during the COVID-19 national emergency.
Plaintiffs Will Continue Fight to Halt Dangerous and Unconstitutional Practices by EOIR and ICE
The decision denying the emergency TRO in NIPNLG, et al., v. EOIR, et al., is deeply disappointing; the lawsuit against EOIR and ICE was brought to protect the health of attorneys, immigrants, and the public from the impact of dangerous and unconstitutional policies.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 9
AILA BOG member Rekha Sharma-Crawford writes about a silver lining to the lockdown on the blog which “has allowed us to be able to think of ways to use technology to enhance our practices and…may have also opened the door…to finally contemplate work life balance in a way we have never be
Latest AILA Law Journal is Live – Take a Look!
In this blog post, Danielle Polen, AILA's Director of Publications & Online Resources shares some highlights from the latest edition of the AILA Law Journal, hot off the presses this week with articles by leading experts on a wide array of issues affecting immigration law.
Civil Rights Coalition Files Emergency Motion to Halt Implementation of President Trump’s Immigration Ban
Litigators from the Justice Action Center, AILA, and Innovation Law Lab are filing an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Trump Administration’s recent immigration ban; the TRO would protect underage children protected under Doe v. Trump.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 8
AILA Member Hudaidah Bhimdi shares a bit about the whirlwind of home and work responsibilities facing her as an immigration attorney and single mom during COVID-19 quarantine, and how hope has reentered her life as she finds new perspective on the day to day necessities.
President Focuses on Irrational Policy Instead of Choosing to Strengthen America
AILA denounced President Trump’s decision to temporarily block access to immigrant visas with some exceptions, with AILA President Marketa Lindt noting, “We don’t need to suspend immigration, we need to strengthen and improve our immigration system to respond to the challenges of our times.”
The “CARES Act” Is Misnamed for Immigrant Taxpayers and Their Families
AILA member Jennifer Walker Gates highlights how the CARES Act harms American mixed-status families by denying stimulus funds and the efforts underway to address that negative impact.
AILA Urges Rational Response on COVID-19 and Immigration Policy; Condemns Divisive Presidential Tweet to Suspend Immigration
AILA responds to President Trump’s tweet announcing his plan to suspend immigration by urging the White House and agencies to implement rational, policy-based measures that promote the public health and economic interests of our country rather than resort to distraction and political theater.
“Specialty Occupation” Litigation – A Rundown of the New Lawsuit
AILA member Jeff Joseph gives a rundown of the recently filed lawsuit challenging USCIS' pattern and practice of arbitrarily denying H-1B nonimmigrant employment-based petitions for market research analyst positions filed by businesses in the United States.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 7
Ally Bolour, a member of AILA's Board of Governors, shares his recent difficult client interaction and highlights the need for self care in an extremely stressful time, writing “We will survive this together and come out stronger at the other end.“
Class Action Lawsuit Seeks to Challenge USCIS’s Unlawful Denial of H-1B Petitions Filed by American Businesses
AILA joined the Council and the law firms Van Der Hout, LLP, Joseph & Hall P.C., and Kuck Baxter Immigration LLC in filing a nationwide class action lawsuit today challenging USCIS’s pattern and practice of arbitrarily denying H-1B petitions for market research analysts positions.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 6
AILA member John Manley offers some practical advice as he finds himself shifting from office-based work to home-based work for the foreseeable future and the many adaptations he will need to make.
Temporary Restraining Order Requested to Stop Dangerous EOIR and ICE Policies During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AILA and our partners moved for an emergency Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against EOIR and ICE to protect the health of immigration attorneys, immigrants, and the public from the impact of dangerous and unconstitutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 4
In this blog post, AILA Board of Governors member Neena Dutta muses on the COVID19 pandemic, the varying impacts on peoples' lives and livelihoods, and her personal experience, reminding everyone that in this time, socially distant though we may be, we are not alone.
AILA Files Lawsuit Against USCIS Seeking Maintenance of Status for Nonimmigrants, Extended Immigration Benefit Deadlines
AILA Director of Federal Litigation Jesse Bless and AILA President Marketa Lindt detail the importance of AILA’s complaint against USCIS seeking the immediate suspension of immigration benefit deadlines and the maintenance of status for nonimmigrants in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 3
AILA Second Vice President Jeremy McKinney shares his plans to apply for assistance through the Small Business Administration during the COVID19 crisis to help his law firm stay in business; an update on how he navigates the process is forthcoming.
Immigrants Are Behind the Wheel of Detroit’s Revival
AILA member Aaron Kochenderfer shares the positive impact that immigrants have had on Detroit, Michigan as the city orchestrates a comeback from bankruptcy only a few years ago, writing “Detroit's history was written by immigrants and I firmly believe they will help author its future as well.“
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID-19 Era – Post 2
Alma Rosa Nieto, AILA Media Advo Committee member, offers some details from her day-in-the-life of an immigration attorney amid the COVID19 pandemic, writing: “This too will pass and we will all have learned new ways of doing things, skills we can use later.“
Lawsuit Seeks Halt to Dangerous and Unconstitutional Policies Endangering Immigration Attorneys, Clients, and the Public During the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, AILA and our partners demanded that DOJ EOIR and ICE take immediate necessary actions to prioritize the health and safety of attorneys and clients at risk from the COVID-19 pandemic.