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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What Do Starfish and Artesia, NM Have in Common?
Artesia is a tiny town in Southeastern New Mexico that has been thrown into the national spotlight because the federal training center located there has been turned into a make-shift detention center for women and children fleeing violence in Central America. It's dry, it's dusty, it's hot, and it'
The Heartbreak of Artesia
Driving home from a week in Artesia, New Mexico to Glenwood Springs, Colorado and all the emotions start overwhelming me. I think because the need was so constant and so immediate while I was there with the families and undaunted volunteers I never had time to stop and acknowledge the emotional side
Artesia, Day Two (and a half)
Has it really only been two days? I guess technically, it's three since I'm writing this at 1:30am. I have another long day ahead, but it's important to get this out and, you know, you can sleep when you're dead. I feel like I've been here for weeks. The intensity of this experience has everyone [&#
University of Houston Law Center Helps UAC Immigrants Coming to Houston
The University of Houston Law Center is spearheading efforts to help UACs beginning immediately and continuing into the next few months. Our Law Center's clinical program, specifically the immigration and civil clinics, are engaging in a number of projects designed to address the needs of UACs who w
Day One in Artesia: Notes from the Front Lines
We drove from Denver to Artesia yesterday, a small town in central New Mexico, about three hours from anywhere. It's about a nine hour drive down from the last high passes of southern Colorado, through the low scrub of northern New Mexico into the high barren desert. For hundreds of miles, the hor
America’s Leaders Are Failing the Children
Our country is facing one of its greatest moral challenges in years: how will we treat the migrant children fleeing violence in Central America and seeking refuge within our borders? I know how I want us to treat them. Fairly, humanely, and within the parameters of the anti-trafficking law passed by
A Victory for the Arizona DACAmented
In Arizona, a high school student that has been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA“) can create an award-winning underwater robot from Home Depot parts, but can't legally drive to school (more about that below). Thanks to a mean-spirited August 15, 2012 executive order from
Fireworks: A Beacon in the Sky for the World
Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. My husband and I like to spend it with friends and “America's Favorite Pastime“ at Nationals Park. After the ballgame comes more time with friends and family, grilling and a table full of food, juicy watermelon, red, white, and blue décor galo
Let’s Dance
This blog post is adapted from the speech I gave when I was installed as AILA's President for the 2014-15 term. I was thrilled to be able to reflect at the Annual Conference hosted by my home chapter, the New England Chapter of AILA. New England is where I found immigration and, if I hadn't […
Turning Our Backs on Our Own History
The humanitarian crisis involving the arrival of thousands of unaccompanied minors at our borders has brought out diverse opinions within our government and country. Some politicians would like to send these minors back to Guatemala on a bus. Before we become too critical about the future of these
Getting a Little Serious about the Need for Immigration Reform
This is a post adapted from my speech last week in accepting an award from AILA for outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law. While the occasion was a happy one and I was honored to receive that award, I took the opportunity, as I do here, [
Responding to the Increase in Child Migrants: We’ve Managed These Crises Before
In my first week as an immigration lawyer, 286 Chinese migrants waded ashore in Queens, and a significant number were detained at a county prison near me in York, Pennsylvania. In 1993, there was no significant infrastructure for handling those hundreds of cases in the Northeast - no detention faci
Re-Inspired by the Unafraid and Undocumented
Last week, as a representative of AILA, I joined Jose Antonio Vargas for two post-screening panels after his film “Documented.“ Vargas has been a lightning rod since he, a Pulitzer Prize winner, revealed to the world that he was in fact unauthorized. The fact that one of the nation's most ce
The Good, the Not-so-Bad and the Ugly: USCIS Announces DACA Renewal Procedures
Today, USCIS published long-awaited guidance for renewals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program, including a new Form I-821D for both initial and renewal applications. The guidelines should mean a streamlined process for most renewals, but the agency missed a real opportu
What the Tony Awards Can Teach Us About Immigration
This year's Tony Awards will be presented on Sunday, June 8 in New York City. I've always been a fan of the ceremony and, having seen a fair number of the nominees, I was struck by the strong intersection between Broadway theatre and immigration this year. Take for example, A Raisin in the Sun, nom
Cities and Counties Stand Up for the Constitution
Cities across the country have been following a federal policy that law enforcement officials increasingly describe as harmful to public safety and that courts now call unconstitutional. I'm glad to know that Philadelphia is no longer one of them. My mayor, Michael Nutter, signed an executive order
The Sorry State of Our Detention System
Saluja Thangaraja was tortured, beaten and held captive in Sri Lanka, her homeland. She was lucky and managed to escape before she was killed. When she arrived in the United States - the land of freedom she was seeking turned out to be the exact opposite: she was imprisoned in a federal detention ce
H-4 Work Authorization: A (First) Step in the Right Direction?
On May 6, 2014 DHS announced proposals to “attract and retain highly skilled immigrants.“ Along with my other business immigration colleagues, I was thrilled when the news broke. While it isn't comprehensive information reform, it is a step in the right direction. Let's look at the issue of
What’s Happening to Florida?
Last week, the Florida legislature passed two bills that are heading to Governor Rick Scott, who has stated that he will sign them. One grants in-state tuition to undocumented “Dreamers.“ Another will allow Jose Godinez-Samperio, a DACA recipient and law school graduate, the ability to be a li
LGBT Rights and Attitudes in Ukraine: the Immigration Perspective
As immigration lawyers, we know that global conflict affects immigration law and policy. I wanted to take a closer look at what is going on in and around Ukraine as it affects LGBT individuals since persecution and fear may drive people out of that region and toward asylum in the U.S. Amidst the tur
Face-to-Face Meetings Make a Difference with the Media
Talking on the phone is great. E-mail can be incredibly convenient. But nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. That's the motto Leslie Holman and I were living by as we went from one meeting to another at a pretty rapid fire pace this past Monday and Tuesday during the press tour that AILA National
The Revised Credible Fear Lesson Plan: Enough is Enough!
This is not just a blog post, but a call to action. Over the past six months, we have seen dog-and-pony hearings by Congress and a series of administrative changes to our asylum system that have deviated from the United States' longstanding obligations under domestic and international law to the de
The Agents of [Operation] S.H.I.E.L.D.
The Federal Protective Service has a heavy responsibility. Their mission is to keep federal properties safe and secure for employees, officials and visitors, alike. One such property is the newly renovated Byron G. Rodgers Federal Building in downtown Denver. Among other tenants in this otherwise
Governor O’Malley Moves Baltimore City Away from Secure Communities
At a time when Federal stalemate and local hostility prevents us from giving practical help to the 11 million souls in our midst without a country, I am proud to live and practice law in a state led by a governor who practices what his faith preaches. Governor Martin O'Malley took a strong stand on
Could Religion Be the Common Ground for Immigration Reform?
The Catholic Church is no stranger to the headlines. As a Catholic I am often disappointed by its focus in the media and its presentation and stance on many issues. However, since the selection and inauguration of Pope Francis, much of the conversation in and around the Catholic Church has changed.