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
Think Immigration: Reflecting on AILA’s 2024 National Day of Action
AILA New England leaders Miki Matrician and Anthony Pawelski describe how their chapter participated in AILA’s National Day of Action and highlighted the need to build relationships with congressional offices to ensure they understand the importance of immigration to the economy and communities.
Think Immigration: Well-Being Tips for Paralegals
As part of our #AILAWellBeingWeek series, Clarissa C. Andersen shares insights into how she ensures that despite every day being a new challenge, she is able to survive and thrive in her career as an immigration law paralegal.
AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Shares Insights on Asylum Rule Notice
Greg Chen responds to the advance copy of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would give authority to asylum officers to apply existing security and terrorism related bars during the initial screening process for credible fear.
Think Immigration: Why Law Students Should Focus on their Well-Being (By a Law Student Who Has Not)
As part of our #AILAWellBeingWeek series, AILA Law Student Member Cristina Garcia shares insights on her efforts to focus on well-being as a law student with competing priorities and what she plans to do to incorporate techniques into her daily and weekly life.
Think Immigration: Why Well-Being Week in Law Is So Important for AILA’s Members (Psst, It’s Next Week!)
AILA Practice and Ethics Counsel Charity Anastasio shares details of all the opportunities the AILA Well-Being Committee has created for AILA members to help us find balance during #AILAWellBeingWeek next week, including a way to win at AILA Bingo!
Think Immigration: Ten Lessons for Autism Acceptance Month and the Rest of the Year!
AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Member Lilia Alcaraz and Chair Allen Orr share ten essential insights that underscore the importance of Autism Acceptance Month and urge readers to use this knowledge year-round.
Think Immigration: How the Immigration Court System Pits Immigration Lawyers Against Each Other for the “Good of Clients”
AILA Ethics Committee Chair Cyrus Mehta explains how under Matter of Lozada, immigration attorneys, unlike any other type of lawyer, must file a bar complaint in order to help a client seek to reopen a case based on ineffective representation and why AILA urges that requirement be removed.
AILA President Welcomes Biden Administration’s Moves on Ethiopian TPS as well as DED and Special Student Relief for Palestinian Nationals
AILA President Farshad Owji responded to the Biden Administration’s recent actions to extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia and to introduce additional measures for certain Palestinian nationals.
Think Immigration: Judge Dolly Gee Upholds Necessary Protections of Migrant Children in Recent Court Ruling
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair Evangeline Chan highlights the recent ruling by Judge Dolly Gee who again reminds the government that the Flores Settlement binds them to ensure that children are provided with a certain standard of care when detained.
AILA: Automatic Extension of Work Permits Will Help American Economy, Workers, and Families
AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Sharvari Dalal-Dheini welcomed the news that USCIS will modify the period of automatic extensions of work permits for up to 540 days; this change was one of the ten policy recommendations AILA recently made to the Biden Administration.
Think Immigration: Texas-Sized Whiplash
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel Amy Grenier describes why many are feeling legal whiplash regarding the controversial anti-immigrant Texas state law SB 4 and its implementation; she explains where the law stands, the factors involved, and potential next steps.
Think Immigration: No Matter Where You Are, You Can Make a Difference During National Day of Action!
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson urges members to share their insights with legislators, whether they are in D.C. for National Day of Action, or through in-district visits, writing that the stories shared “can be what brings a complicated issue or idea home to a member of Congress.”
AILA Executive Director: SCOTUS Wrong to Allow TX SB4 Implementation
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the U.S. Supreme Court allowing Texas to implement SB.4, saying it "threatens to create chaos."
AILA Executive Director Urges Biden Administration to Offer Haitians Safety in this Time of Turmoil
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson urged the Biden Administration to take immediate action as Haiti faces immense challenges and use “all of the tools in the executive branch’s toolbox” to help offer security and safety to those affected, including extending and redesignating TPS for Haitians.
Think Immigration: A Look Inside DHS’ Family Expedited Removal Management Program
AILA Law Student Member Araceli Garcia describes how University of Texas Law students were able to help families in the expedited removal program and how the expansion of the FERM program has meant the need for counsel has only grown.
AILA Executive Director Responds to Release of President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to the release of the FY2025 budget from the Biden Administration, noting that in addition to what is included, “more funds could and should also be directed to improve the entire immigration system.”
GMS E-Bulletin, March 2024
The March 2024 GMS E-Bulletin presents a regional spotlight highlighting the East Asia region.
Think Immigration: Customer Service Chronicles: Tracking USCIS’s Implementation of AILA’s 2021 Recommendations
AILA’s Paul Stern and Jonathan Valdez share insights into the new policy brief they developed to track the status of AILA’s 2021 recommendations for the Biden Administration to improve USCIS customer service, the impact on members and their clients, and the work remaining to be done.
Think Immigration: Magic Mushrooms and Psychedelics are Still a Bad Trip for U.S. Immigration Purposes
AILA member W. Scott Railton discusses the potential consequences of possession or use of “magic mushrooms” for foreign nationals, writing that “Magic mushrooms and psychedelics are moving to the mainstream in some places, but the immigration laws are unlikely to catch up any time soon.”
AILA Releases New Edition of Immigration and Crimes Resource
AILA proudly releases the 10th edition of Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted the resource is “packed full of analysis” and is “vital for anyone whose practice touches on the intersection of immigration and criminal law.”
Think Immigration: Add that to the Tab – Rising Costs to Tour the United States
The new fee schedule, taking effect April 1, 2024, will have an impact on visas and applications, including those for musicians and artists as Anthony Pawelski shares in this blog post for Think Immigration in which he highlights concerns about the chilling effect higher fees may have.
Think Immigration: The New Beneficiary-Centric H-1B Registration Process – Good News for Employees, Mixed Bag for Employers
AILA Supervisory Policy and Practice Counsel Michael Turansick breaks down the new H-1B visa registration process which has been significantly updated as USCIS tries to ensure the integrity of the system and a level playing field.
House Republicans Vote to Impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary
AILA’s Ben Johnson and the American Immigration Council’s Jeremy Robbins responded to the vote held February 13, in which House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a vote of 214-213 following a failed attempt last week.
Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace
AILA member Maurice “Mo“ Goldman shares insights into why it feels the country is moving away from valuing its history as a “nation of immigrants“ and emphasizes the need for immigration attorneys and their clients to share their stories and shift the narrative.
25 Years Ago the State Department Recognized How Visa Consul and Immigration Counsel Can Work Together in the Visa Application Process
AILA member Liam Schwartz reflects on Department of State cable 99 State 21138 which was spearheaded by the late Stephen K. Fischel; the cable highlights the importance to the visa application process of the working relationship between consular officers and immigration attorneys.