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
Reactions to the President’s Joint Address to Congress
Several members of AILA's Executive Committee share their reactions to President Trump's Joint Address to Congress on February 28, 2017: “We agree that we have to restore integrity and the rule of law to our borders, and especially to the agencies responsible for enforcing that law. The record of di
AILA: Ramped Up Enforcement Will Trample Due Process and Harm Families and Communities
AILA condemned the recently released DHS memos that set forth a series of aggressive enforcement tactics to be rolled out on a massive scale. These policies, if implemented as written, will trample due process.
Is ICE Making Us Safer or Less Secure?
What is the mission of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)? Its website states: ICE's mission is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. This mission is executed through the enforcement of more than 400 federal s
AILA: Court Rules in Favor of American Values in Refusing to Reinstitute Travel Ban
AILA welcomed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling to keep in place the temporary restraining order barring implementation of President Trump’s Executive Order banning Muslims and refugees from entering the United States.
Standing Firm Against Discrimination
The past 100+ hours have certainly been the most tumultuous we as immigration practitioners have seen in a long while. I could write another article or blog post about how many concerns we as lawyers have with the Executive Orders (EO) or how they were abruptly rolled out but that just keeps us stuc
AILA: Targeting Muslims and Refugees Betrays American Values and Will Not Make Us Safer
AILA denounced President Trump’s Executive Order targeting Muslims and refugees, calling the policies antithetical to core American values.
AILA: President’s Border and Immigration Enforcement Policies Will Undermine Rights and Weaken Public Safety
AILA condemns President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders on border security and immigration enforcement and calls for an end to these divisive policies that undermine rights and weaken public safety.
Running a Marathon Every Day
I journeyed to Dilley, Texas, in December to volunteer at the South Texas Family Residential Center, where up to 2,400 women and children seeking asylum in the United States are detained. Each day, we arrived at the facility before 8am and stayed for more than 12 hours, and my heart was broken ove
Change in Policy for Cuban Immigrants
I started working in the nonprofit sector in 2008, where I witnessed and helped a slow trickle develop into a healthy stream of Cubans on the West Coast needing representation. They refer to me as “la Chinita.“ The Cubans, just like any other immigrant community, disseminate news amongst each
Complaint Filed as Customs and Border Protection Turns Away Asylum Seekers
AILA and other immigrant and civil rights groups called on the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the DHS Office of the Inspector General to investigate reports that asylum seekers were denied entry despite having asserted a fear of returning to their home countries.
Why All the Worry Over Senator Sessions as Attorney General?
The veterans among us know all too well the vast power that the Attorney General of the United States (AG) has in immigration matters, but for those who are new to the practice of immigration law, or just interested members of the press or public, here is a primer on the power of this office […
AILA: Ending NSEERS Closes Dark Chapter in U.S. History
AILA welcomed the rescission of the regulatory framework for the discriminatory National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS), with AILA President William A. Stock noting that it “wasted millions of taxpayer dollars and caused unnecessary harm to thousands.”
We Cannot Turn Away from Mesa Verde
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies force hundreds of asylum seekers into detention in the Central Valley, one of the most rural parts of California. In March 2015, ICE contracted with GEO Group, a private prison company, to re-open the Mesa Verde Detention Facility in Bakersfield, Ca
Lawsuit Seeks Transparency in CBP Admission Procedures
AILA, represented by the American Immigration Council and Foley & Lardner LLP, filed a lawsuit to compel U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and to request release of the CBP Officer’s Reference Tool (ORT).
Asylum Backlogs Wreak Havoc with Our Clients’ Lives, Part 2
(This is part two of a two part blog post; the first part can be found by following this link. Please note that all client names are pseudonyms) As of October 31, 2016, there were more than 521,000 cases pending in our nation's immigration courts - the most ever. By comparison, just 10 years ago, [&
Asylum Backlogs Wreak Havoc with Our Clients’ Lives, Part 1
(This is part one of a two part blog post; to read part two, please follow this link. Please note that all client names are pseudonyms) Sitting across the conference room table from Imani, we broke the bad news. “We are so sorry, but your hearing tomorrow is cancelled. It's been rescheduled to the e
AILA Welcomes Bipartisan Bill to Protect DREAMers
AILA welcomed the introduction of the “Bar Removal of Immigrants who Dream and Grow the Economy” or BRIDGE Act, a bipartisan bill authored by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) intended to offer temporary protection from deportation and a work permit for DACA-eligible individuals.
Business Community: Speak Up on DACA!
What if someone told you that by the stroke of a presidential pen, the United States was set to lose at least $433.4 billion from the U.S. gross domestic product over the course of a decade? Would that be a good policy, or even a prudent economic decision? According to a recent study from the [R
Offering the Community Your Expertise Post-Election
There is fear in our communities. In the days following the presidential election, I heard from a lot of people who want to help, but aren't sure exactly how. Though there are many ways to get involved, I want to offer an example of how a fellow AILA member and I volunteered a couple of […]
Rage Against the Extreme
Remember the days when reasonable people could sit down and rationally discuss opposing views on immigration policy or other issues? The dividing line tended to fall along things like, “How workable is E-verify?“ or “What is a crime involving moral turpitude?“ or “What is a reasonable wa
The World is Watching
By now, it is no longer a surprise to learn that many immigration lawyers, and the clients they serve, live in certain “hostile jurisdictions,“ where it is almost impossible to win an asylum case no matter the facts. In places like Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, people seekin
Concerns Raised Regarding Attorney General Nominee’s Positions
AILA raised concerns about the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions for Attorney General, with AILA President Bill Stock noting that the role “has a tremendous impact within our justice system, including responsibility for administration of the immigration courts throughout the United States.”
Where Does Family Detention Stand Now?
During the contentious presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton's immigration platform included a promise to end the detention of immigrant families, while President-elect Donald Trump has never specifically addressed the issue of family detention at all. Instead, Trump's website broadly states that a
Avoiding a Practice-Attack
Solo practitioners and small law offices know that understanding the law and knowing where to find the law is only 50% of practice. The lawyer must also be the marketer, the paralegal, the accountant, the auditor, and the customer service representative, all of which involve skills that are not tau
The American People Have Elected the 45th President
We, the American people, have elected our 45th president. Today, as we all go on with our daily routines, a new era is beginning. Today we must search deep within and find a renewed commitment to our nation, to unity, and to the belief in the wisdom of our founding fathers who established our nation