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.
Are you a member who was quoted in a news story? Contact newsroom@aila.org to let us know.
Are you a member of the press? Visit the Press Room.
AILA in the News
Browse the Immigration News collection
We Must Right the Wrongs Being Committed in Our Name on Our Southern Border
AILA Asylum Committee Vice Chair Lindsay Harris describes the asylum seekers she met with just before the COVID-19 pandemic really began in the U.S. She encourages us all to take action and “right the wrongs being committed in our name on our Southern border.“
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 1
Sandra Feist, Chair of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, shares a glimpse into the life of an immigration attorney during the COVID19 pandemic, ending with a positive note: “My hope is that we all come out of seclusion with greater self-confidence about our own fortitude in a crisis and a greater con
Citing Coronavirus Risks and a New Irresponsible Policy for Immigration Courts, Groups Urge Protecting the Health and Safety of Government Employees,
AILA and the American Immigration Council, with over 100 other organizations, sent a letter to EOIR and ICE calling for the prioritization of the health and safety of government employees, detained individuals, and their legal representatives amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Immigration Judges, Prosecutors, and Attorneys Renew Call for Immediate Closure of All Immigration Courts
AILA, NAIJ, and AFGE #511 (ICE Professionals Union) all say that it is urgent for the public’s safety that DOJ immediately close all 68 immigration courts operated by EOIR. AILA's Second Vice President Jeremy McKinney states, “All live in-person hearings need to be immediately suspended.“
Lawsuit Seeks to Uncover Problematic Board of Immigration Appeals’ Hiring Procedures
AILA and the Council filed federal litigation on March 17, 2020, to compel DOJ to release records about the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s hiring procedures for appellate immigration judges and Board of Immigration Appeals members.
No End in Sight: New Analysis Shows USCIS Case Processing Backlog Keeps Growing
AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson highlights USCIS processing delays, writing, “Even before the COVID-19 virus, backlogs and processing delays were staggering at USCIS. They have continued to grow thanks to burdensome policies and inefficient procedures that needlessly bog down the adjudicati
Business Continuity Planning: Immigration Law Practice In the Era of Covid-19
In this blog post, AILA member Ruby Powers offers some tips she has learned from practicing law through hurricanes and running her practice from half a world away, tips that can be applied in our current COVID-19 era..
When a Phone Call Truly Means Life or Death
In this blog post, AILA member, and Immigration Justice Campaign volunteer with the El Paso Immigration Collaborative (EPIC), Elizabeth Fiechter describes the Kafkaesque labyrinth of obstacles she and her client faced trying to simply speak by phone ahead of an extremely important bond hearing.
My Time in Dilley, Texas
In this blog post, part of the Diversity & Inclusion blog post series, AILA member L. Patricia Ice describes her time volunteering at the Dilley detention center helping families and how the shared bond of being members of the African diaspora helped her connect with one client.
Trump Administration’s Continued Discriminatory and Unlawful Immigration Policies Toward Haiti
In this blog post, part of the Diversity & Inclusion Blog post series, AILA members John Pratt and Kevin Gregg offer insights into efforts to terminate TPS for Haitians, and highlights how “The work of litigators, therefore, is critical in the fight to expose and legally challenge…immigration
New Rule Seems Designed to Halt Valid Immigration Court Petitions By Drastically Hiking Fees
AILA expressed serious concerns about a new proposed rule that would detrimentally impact individuals seeking a fair day in immigration court by drastically increasing fees required for forms submitted to EOIR.
Ninth Circuit Defends Asylum in Two Rulings
AILA welcomed two Ninth Circuit decisions; one again halts the “Migrant Protection Protocols,” and the second ensures that the administration cannot block someone from seeking asylum solely due to where they presented themselves, either at a port of entry or elsewhere within the United States.
Form I-944, Declaration of Self-Sufficiency? More like an Administrative Strip Search
AILA member Kara Hart takes a look at the new I-944 Declaration of Self-Sufficiency required to meet the new “public charge“ rule and considers whether she'd be able to meet the requirements herself.
Bipartisan Legislation Underscores Need for Transparency and Accountability Within USCIS
AILA welcomes the Case Backlog and Transparency Act of 2020 introduced in the House to hold USCIS accountable for severe case processing delays and an ever-growing immigration backlog.
The Bill That Would Guarantee Attorney-Client Access (But Wait, Don’t We Already Have That?)
In this blog post, AILA member Brent Renison describes why new legislation to allow access to counsel for immigrants placed into secondary or deferred inspection upon entry would “allow fairness to have jurisdiction at the borders.“
Defending Freedom Needs More Than Heroes – Governments Must Be Accountable
In this blog post, AILA Director of Government Relations Greg Chen calls for change as he describes the dichotomy with how the Venezuelan opposition leader was hailed at the State of the Union and how vulnerable Venezuelan asylum seekers are treated at the border.
An Inside Look – Tips from a Clinical Social Worker Helping Asylum Seekers
Psychological evaluations can be hugely important for vulnerable clients' cases, but attorneys may have some questions about how best to approach having one done. In this blog post, Jocelyn Dyer shares helpful tips from Aimee Miller, a clinical social worker.
Diversity in Immigration Law Firms
In this post, part of the Diversity and Inclusion blog post series, AILA members John Pratt, David Calles Smith, and Elizabeth Montano highlight the myriad benefits of a diverse and inclusive immigration law firm.
The Truth About our Immigration Court System
AILA Second Vice President Jeremy McKinney describes why an independent immigration court is so desperately needed and shares resources related to his recent testimony before the House Judiciary Committee Immigration Subcommittee about this issue.
AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans Assist Aspiring Citizens Through Citizenship Day Events
AILA, NALEO Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for New Americans, are proud to sponsor the dozens of naturalization clinics in cities and towns across the country as part of the 14th AILA Citizenship Day, taking place on Saturday, February 1, 2020.
AILA Condemns Trump Administration’s Expansion of Discriminatory Travel Ban
AILA leadership condemned the Trump administration’s expansion of its travel ban to include nationals from Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan , Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania.
New Trump Administration Policy Attempts to Turn Consular Officers into Pregnancy Police and Creates a Back-Door Health Care Ban
AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson details several concerns with the new “birth tourism” rule and notes, “Given the limited information provided in the rule and the failure to provide sufficient notice and comment to the public, litigation is almost certainly on the horizon.”
After AILA Attends Tour of the Laredo Tent Court, Questions Still Abound
In this blog post, Greg Chen, Leidy Perez-Davis, and Katy Murdza report back on the recently offered tour of tent court facilities in Texas as well as why AILA remains deeply concerned about lack of due process and urges the administration to “end the use of tent courts and the Remain in Mexico prog
Immigration Judge vs. Passport Agency – the Battle Over Mario’s Citizenship is Finally Over
In this blog post, AILA member Eva Garcia Mendoza describes the lengths she had to go to in order to protect her client Mario after repeated and concerted efforts to deny him the U.S. Citizenship which was rightfully his, noting “Immigration lawyers know that our work changes peoples' lives.“
AILA Disappointed in Supreme Court Stay of Injunction of Public Charge Rule
AILA expressed disappointment and concern at the 5-4 Supreme Court decision to stay the current nationwide injunction of the “public charge” rule. The administration can now, temporarily at least, implement the Public Charge Final Rule everywhere but Illinois, while underlying litigation continues.