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
DOJ Reverses Course on Legal Orientation Program, For Now
AILA and the American Immigration Council welcomed the news that the Department of Justice will not halt the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) for now; AILA and the Council again highlighted the LOP’s benefits to the efficiency and effectiveness of the immigration court system.
DOJ Ignores Set of Recommendations to Strengthen Immigration Court System Efficiency and Effectiveness
In response to a FOIA request, AILA and the American Immigration Council received a partially redacted report written by Booz Allen Hamilton and commissioned by EOIR which offers recommendations to ensure efficient proceedings and due process. The administration, however, has done the opposite.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill Heard from AILA Loud and Clear, but there is More to Do!
AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish reflects on AILA's National Day of Action and shares how AILA members and the public can continue making their voices heard on important immigration law and policy issues that matter to them.
Highlighting the Real People in the DACA Stories
AILA member Christopher Kerosky shares an update on the MyAmericanDreams Film Project and asks for help reaching out to stations who can show the documentary which informs viewers about the importance of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its impact on people's lives.
AILA: H-1B Numbers Show America is Losing Out on Talent
AILA responds to the news that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received 190,098 new H-1B visa cap-subject petitions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, down from approximately 199,000 in FY 2018.
Dispelling Four Myths about the H-1B Visa
In this blog post, AILA Member Sweta Khandelwal addresses and dispels four myths about the H-1B visa program, writing “We need a better system, one that responds to actual supply and demand and acknowledges the fierce global competition for talent.“
DOJ Cuts Immigrants’ Access to Counsel in Latest Attack on Due Process
AILA and the American Immigration Council responded to the recent news that DOJ was halting the Legal Orientation Program despite the program’s success and congressional directives to maintain it.
Questionable Statistics Used to Shore Up “Urgent” Need for National Guard on U.S.-Mexico Border
As the Trump administration claims an urgent need to deploy the National Guard to the southern border, AILA Member John Manley digs into the statistics used as a basis for those claims and raises some important questions.
AILA: Outdated Immigration Laws Locking Out Job Creators
AILA responded to the USCIS announcement that the agency has received more than enough H-1B petitions within the first five business days of the FY2019 filing period to reach the annual H-1B cap.
Stopping State Bills that Attack Immigrants – A How-To from Georgia
Tracie L. Klinke, chair of the GA/AL AILA Chapter lifts up the concerted and coordinated community effort that led to blocking SB. 452 in Georgia, writing that immigration lawyers must “stand together and stand up for smart, fair, and just immigration law and policy.“
DOJ Strips Immigration Courts of Independence
In a joint statement, AILA and the American Immigration Council responded to the imposition of strict quotas as part of immigration judges’ performance evaluations, a shift that strips away the independence held by judges who are making high stakes decisions about whether a person will be deported.
John Oliver on Immigration Courts
HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” aired a comedic yet powerful segment on injustices in U.S. immigration courts. Several AILA members were consulted about the piece and helped shape it.
Coming Full Circle
Ally Bolour, AILA's 2018 Annual Conference Committee Chair, reflects on his first AILA AC and what it means to him to come full circle 18 years later to chair this year's conference in CA; he also previews the conference and some of the unique features of this year's AC.
ICE Formalizes Inhumane Detention Policies for Pregnant Women
In a joint statement with the American Immigration Council, AILA responds to a recently released ICE directive that formalizes the agency’s practice of detaining pregnant women.
An Insider’s Look at the Immigration System Under Attack
Dagmar Butte, member of AILA's Board of Governors, shares insights into the family immigration system from her personal experience, highlighting why family reunification benefits us all as an integral part of America's past, present, and future.
Behind the “Waiver” Camouflage, A Closed Door Policy for Travel Ban Countries
AILA member Sima Alizadeh shares her experience with the lack of clarity around the waiver process for “Travel Ban 3.0,“ writing that “the majority of individuals who may be eligible for a waiver have been denied one, and in fact, have not been able to properly submit a waiver request“ a
AILA’s “Invisible Wall” Report Sheds Light on Trump Administration Policies to Restrict Legal Immigration
AILA’s new report, “Deconstructing the Invisible Wall: How Policy Changes by the Trump Administration are Slowing and Restricting Legal Immigration” highlights the broad array of policy and procedural changes that are harming U.S. businesses, American families, and the national economy.
Dismantling the “Invisible Wall” Against Legal Immigration, Brick by Brick
In this blog post, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish shares information about AILA's documenting of the Trump administration's “Invisible Wall“ of policies against legal immigration and how AILA members and the public can work together to tear the wall down.
Congress Set to Approve Funding Deal, Leaves Dreamers Out in the Cold
With Congress set to approve billions of additional funding for immigration enforcement as part of the spending package funding the federal government through September 30, AILA President Annaluisa Padilla noted, “It is absolutely shameful that there is no solution for Dreamers in this legislation.”
When Fear Is Just the Beginning
AILA member Ruben Reyes shares how the AILA community came together to try and determine if specific inquiries from USCIS were local or national in scope, writing “National trends are often revealed when local experts start talking and comparing notes. These days, doing so is even more important.
AILA Report “Cogs in the Deportation Machine” Shows Massive Escalation of Immigration Enforcement
AILA released a new report detailing how the Trump administration has systematically increased enforcement, using harsh, indiscriminate methods to deport thousands of families, asylum seekers, and people who have lived and worked for years in the United States.
The Deportation Machine Destroys Lives
Kate Voigt, chief editor of AILA's new report, Cogs in the Deportation Machine, highlights how “the administration has gone to great lengths to deport as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, with little regard for the financial cost or the impact upon American communities.“
Government Shutdowns Hurt Americans and Ultimately, America
In this blog post, AILA Media Advocacy Committee member Katie Sarreshteh shares the anatomy and impact of a government shutdown from the immigration law practitioner's perspective.
Civil Rights Report Describes Legal Liabilities for Local Police that Detain Immigrants for ICE
AILA and four other organizations issued a press release about their new report detailing the illegalities inherent in each of the U.S. government’s attempts to enlist local law enforcement authorities to arrest and detain people on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Helping DACA Recipients Renew
In this blog post, Sheila Starkey Hahn, chair of AILA's National Pro Bono Committee, highlights how helping with DACA renewal clinics and advocating for the Dream Act can change lives, writing “Let's show everyone again that #AILAStandsWithDreamers.“