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
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AILA Urges Support for the HEROES Act
AILA urges support for the HEROES Act which would help protect the health and safety of all communities and provide a plan for this nation to rebuild, ensuring our shared prosperity.
Litigation Works for Clients
AILA Past President Chuck Kuck highlights the H-1B class action litigation and renews the call for plaintiffs, noting “The only way to stop USCIS from continuing to rewrite immigration law through RFE and denial is to challenge them boldly, fiercely, and publicly in the federal courts.“
US: Lawsuit Over ‘Remain in Mexico’ Program Secrecy
AILA joined the American Immigration Council, Human Rights Watch, and the law firm Winston & Strawn LLP in filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Northern District of California to compel the release of records about the U.S. Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program.
Practicing Immigration Law in the COVID19 Era – Post 11
AILA Member Jennifer Schear offers a glimpse into her work and office situation in Tel Aviv, Israel, and shares how during this time she has gleaned some “valuable insights into law firm management, productivity, efficiency, what and who is truly essential.“
Trump Administration’s Continued Disdain for U.S. Asylum Law and Lack of Concern for Vulnerable Asylum Seekers on Display at Border
AILA opposes MPP and the new procedures announced Sunday, May 10, which create more confusion and instability for the thousands of asylum seekers waiting for their U.S. immigration court hearings in violent and dangerous conditions in Mexico.
AILA Supports House Introduction of the “Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act”
AILA commends the introduction of the “Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act” in the House; the bill is companion legislation to a Senate bill intended to help address the critical healthcare shortage in the United States, a weakness that has been evident during the COVID-19 national emergency.
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?“
Complaint Details ICE’s Failure to Protect Those in Its Custody Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Immigration Justice Campaign Director Karen Lucas and National Advocacy Counsel Katie Shepherd detail why ICE’s failure to protect those in its custody during the COVID-19 pandemic demands immediate oversight by DHS.
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.
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
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.
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.