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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The Time to Permanently Authorize the Religious Worker Program is Now
Once again, September 30 is quickly approaching, and the Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker (Religious Worker) program originally created in 1990 is set to expire unless reauthorized by that date. The program has been reauthorized numerous times, most recently 3 years ago. The Religious
The Alternate World of Family Detention
I returned to the alternate world of family detention at the end of June. It was both the most heartbreaking and most empowering thing I have ever done during my career as an immigration attorney. Trying my best to help these mothers and their children is wrenching. The family detention facility is
Thousands Will Receive Help from AILA Members to Apply for Citizenship
AILA is proud to partner with the NALEO Educational Fund for the ninth annual Citizenship Day on Saturday, September 19, 2015; the event brings together AILA attorneys and other advocates to provide assistance to lawful permanent residents eligible for naturalization.
AILA: America Must Respond More Generously to Refugee Crisis
AILA urges President Obama to go beyond the commitment he made to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees and to extend more meaningful protection to all refugees and asylum seekers whether they are resettled from abroad or have crossed U.S. borders fleeing violence, persecution, and other horrors.
A Special Place in Hell
“Don't mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself.“ Leviticus 19.33-34 “There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women.“ Madeleine Albright I met Carmen, a 36-year-old i
GOP Candidates are Wrong When Talking About Immigration
Brazen incendiary rhetoric, ignorance of the facts, and bias fueled anti-immigrant sentiment are polluting the immigration conversation. There is no question Donald Trump is out to make a name for himself in the political arena. Having declared his candidacy for the presidency, Trump has embarked on
Mistreatment of LGBT Detainees Continues with Planned Mass Transfer to Remote California Facility
On June 19, 2015, ICE/ERO announced a new policy that could significantly change the way transgender women are treated in immigration custody. On the positive side, the policy acknowledges the possibility that transgender women can be housed in women's facilities, and it promises to provide training
Witness to Inhumanity
Paralegal Laura Tovar recently volunteered in Dilley and Karnes with the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project. The experience changed her life and she wanted to share what she learned: What did you see and how did it make you feel? They all had the same look, eyes sunken with dark rings, hungry, a
Indian Independence Day
“Progress is implied in independence. Without self-government neither industrial progress is possible, nor the educational scheme will be useful to the nation…“ - Bal Gangadhar Tilak. When you think of the phrase “Independence Day,“ naturally you think of July 4th and wonderful ima
Conrad 30 – A “Win-Win” Response to the US Healthcare Crisis
Affordable and accessible healthcare has long been a national priority. However, for decades the United States has experienced a critical shortage of physicians. The addition of millions more insured Americans to the healthcare rolls under the Affordable Care Act has heightened the problem. In fa
AILA Bids Farewell to Executive Director Crystal Williams
After nearly six years as Executive Director, AILA bids farewell to Crystal Williams. AILA President Victor Nieblas Pradis noted, “Her years of dedication, not only to the field of immigration law but to the success and impact of the association, are an example to us all.”
EB-5 Up for Reauthorization: Part 2
…Continued (Read Part 1 of this blog post) In general, AILA and other industry stakeholders are finding strong bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate for the EB-5 program. And yes, Congress has extended the Regional Center (RC) program numerous times since 1992. But, and this is
EB-5 Up for Reauthorization: Part 1
The EB-5 “Regional Center“ visa program again finds itself in an all too familiar place - unless Congress reauthorizes by September 30, the program will sunset. For better or worse, the EB-5 program remains connected with three other sun-setting immigration programs (E-Verify, Conrad and Relig
DOJ’S Shameful Attempt to Pretty Up Family Detention Comes Up Woefully Short
The American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council are outraged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) response to U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee’s ruling on the mass incarceration of children and mothers seeking asylum in the U.S.
AILA Opposes the “Stop Sanctuary Cities Act” (S. 1814)
AILA urges Senators to oppose the “Stop Sanctuary Cities Act,” (S. 1814) and cancel markup of the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled for Thursday, August 6, 2015. AILA President Victor Nieblas condemned the bill “which forces local compliance with these illegal detainer requests.”
Recognition of Some Amazing Volunteer Work
There are hundreds of individuals who have come together on the ground to work on family detention - in Artesia, in Karnes, in Dilley, and in Berks. There are people from every far-flung corner of our nation who have worked remotely on case after case, brought attention to this tragic and inhumane i
Press Release: Deplorable Medical Treatment at Family Detention Centers
Press release from AILA and five other organizations announcing the lodging of complaints by mothers with DHS Offices for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Inspector General regarding the deplorable medical care they and their children received while detained by DHS.
AILA Releases Seventh Edition of Asylum Primer
AILA is proud to release the seventh edition of AILA's Asylum Primer, the comprehensive, practical guide to U.S. asylum law and procedure that has been completely updated and expanded to address changes since the release of the last edition in 2009.
The Pro Bono Clinic: Nuts and Bolts
You may know that there's a lot that goes into a pro bono clinic. But planning the AILA Annual Conference Pro Bono Clinic takes it to another level. Here are some insights on the planning and logistics of this year's event, sharing what we learned at the AC for anyone looking to run a pro
Acting in Haste
National tragedies have long propelled political change. Often a terrible event will ignite a fervent desire in political leaders to take action on an issue that has been neglected or overlooked. However, it is in these times of passion and emotion that some of the worst mistakes are made. Following
Judge Stands Up for Refugee Families, Castigates Government for Policies that Traumatize Children
The American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council welcomed a ruling in Flores v. Johnson by U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee that should signal the end of the mass incarceration of children and mothers seeking asylum in the U.S.
From Systems to Substance, Digital Innovation is Welcome News for Immigration
Last week, the Office of Management and Budget released a plan for modernizing and streamlining the legal immigration system. Much of the focus was on the potential positive impact of digital innovation. Recommendations included the creation of a cross-agency digital services team to support the
Preconceived Notions Shattered by Dilley
Recently, Rochelle G. volunteered at the Dilley facility where nearly 2,000 mothers and children are incarcerated despite their status as asylum-seekers. Brian Hoffman, lead attorney for the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project which brings volunteers from all over the nation to help in this remot
Release of Refugee Families is Long-Overdue Step
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the American Immigration Council welcome plans announced by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the release of some mothers and children detained after seeking refuge at our borders with the following statement.
The Global Team Effort that Freed a Mother and Child
Last Wednesday, July 3rd, a client from El Salvador won her merits hearing! I appeared with attorney Melisa Peña from Miami over video conference, while Elora Mukherjee appeared by telephone from Tokyo, Japan and John Bradley appeared, sitting next to the client, from Dilley, TX. Thank you to everyo