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
Afghanistan – Two Years Later, an Immigration Attorney Reflects
AILA member Mariam Atash reflects on the two years since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and urges everyone to take action and advocate for passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act to protect the many still waiting for safety.
Quick Member Survey Aims to Highlight Some Key Issues Hampering Immigration Courts
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel ManoLasya Perepa urges AILA members to fill out a quick survey to help us better understand EOIR's specialized dockets; the information will help determine whether policies are helping address the backlog while upholding due process.
Immigration Reform Can Protect Our “Golden Years” from the “Silver Tsunami”
As America's population ages and the economy faces the “Silver Tsunami,“ AILA member Aaron Kochenderfer reflects on immigration reform that could help offset coming workforce challenges and help ensure our “Golden Years“ are prosperous.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (or the Economic Impact of Immigrants)
AILA Media Advo Committee Member Anthony Pawelski shares some key insights into the economic benefits of immigrants in New England states, and how the data shows how our “nation immensely benefit from our immigrant population“ using data from the American Immigration Council's Map the Impact t
AILA Executive Director Responds to Harmful and Deadly Texas Border Actions
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to reports regarding the harmful actions taken by the Texas Governor, urging the Governor to reconsider and “Texas state employees and residents to join in the call for these inhumane and deadly tactics be immediately halted.”
A New Way to Offer Immigration Law Expertise to Service Members
Margaret Stock describes the immigration concerns facing many service members and how the new Morgan Lewis Military Immigration Fellow Joanna Kloet will be able to offer help hand in hand with volunteer attorneys assisting via the AILA Military Assistance Program (MAP) effort.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Digging into the Ombudsman’s Take on the USCIS Backlog
AILA's Paul Stern digs into the recently released USCIS Ombudsman's Report which highlights continued backlogs and processing delays, urging readers to take action to help “ensure the agency has the resources needed to chart a course forward where progress is not just a promise, but a reality.“
The Immigration and Nationality Act’s Lost Appellate Rights Warnings
AILA Law Journal author Christopher Boom shares some insights into his recent article, noting that “Taking away appellate rights from noncitizens for not going to their hearings without warning them of this possibility first“ is unjust and contrary to the will of Congress.
State Courts Affect Applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
AILA Law Journal author Madelyn Cox-Guerra shares a bit about her recent article which focused on state court treatment of families as it relates to children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status; she hopes the article will spur more research and advocacy.
AILA Elects New Officers: Farshad Owji Installed as President of Association
AILA installed Farshad Owji as the association’s president for the 2023-24 term and elected officers to its Executive Committee.
Visalaw.ai and AILA Unveil Gen, a Groundbreaking AI-Based Solution for Immigration Lawyers
Today, Visalaw.ai and AILA unveiled Gen, a groundbreaking AI-based solution for immigration lawyers; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted the technology’s potential impact to empower AILA members and to “expand their capacity to meet the ever-growing need for legal advice and representation.”
The PERM Process in the New Age of Remote Work
AILA Law Journal authors Da'Niel Rowan and Eddie Corona share some highlights from their article in the Spring 2023 edition of the journal, noting that outdated regulations aren't meeting the needs of employers and employees given the shift toward remote work.
AILA Presents Ira Kurzban with the Founders Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Ira Kurzban with the Founders Award, which is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy.
AILA Presents Palma Yanni with the 2023 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Palma Yanni with the 2023 Susan D. Quarles AILA Service Excellence Award, in recognition of her years of outstanding service in advancing the mission, development, and value of AILA for its members and the public it serves.
AILA Recognizes Brian S. Green with the 2023 Sam Williamson Mentor Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Brian S. Green with the 2023 Sam Williamson Mentor Award, in acknowledgment of his outstanding efforts and excellent counsel to immigration attorneys by providing mentoring assistance.
DACA: Failure is Not an Option!
AILA Past President Victor Nieblas Pradis highlights the contributions DACA recipients have made over the last 11 years since the program's inception and why Congress cannot and must not fail to take action and protect them permanently.
Worksite Ambiguity in the Rise of Work from Home
AILA Law Journal author Bill Stock describes the rise in work-from-home arrangements which has “exposed the shortcomings of existing immigration regulations and the lack of specific guidance from federal agencies“ and urges change; read more about this and other issues in the Spring 2023 editi
AILA First-Time Survey of Asylum Practitioners Asks and Answers the Question: What Does it Take to Prepare a Migrant for the High-Stakes Asylum Proce
AILA released report on asylum entitled High-Stakes Asylum: How Long an Asylum Case Takes and How We Can Do Better; AILA President Jeremy McKinney noted that the report’s solutions “would go a long way toward ensuring the integrity of a system that is inefficient and often unjust.”
AILA Presents Troutman Pepper with the 2023 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Troutman Pepper with the 2023 Michael Maggio Memorial Pro Bono Award for outstanding efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field.
AILA Presents Priscilla Alvarez with the 2023 Media Leadership Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Priscilla Alvarez of CNN with the 2023 Media Leadership Award, given to individuals whose efforts in the media most accurately depict immigration and immigrants.
AILA Presents Sarah Pitney with the 2023 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Sarah Pitney with the 2023 Joseph Minsky Young Lawyer Award for their outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law.
AILA Presents the AILA Amicus Committee with the 2023 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes the AILA Amicus Committee with the 2023 Jack Wasserman Memorial Award for excellence in litigation in the field of immigration law.
AILA Presents Karla McKanders with the 2023 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Karla McKanders with the 2023 Elmer Fried Excellence in Teaching Award.
The Unchanging H-1B Cap in a Changed Country
Adam Cohen delves into the H-1B visa program, from its inception to the latest registration process debacle, and calls on Congress and the Biden administration to improve the program and adapt it to meet the needs of the U.S. economy now, not the market of more than a generation ago.
A Pragmatic Solution for Climate Refugees
AILA Law Journal author Evan Patton shared some insights from his recent article published in the May 2023 edition, titled “Towards a Pragmatic Solution for Climate Refugees Under Environmental, Human Rights, and Immigration regimes.“