AILA Presents Angelo Paparelli with the 2026 Advocacy Award

WASHINGTON, DC - The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Angelo Paparelli with the 2026 Advocacy Award for outstanding efforts in support of AILA’s advocacy agenda.

Those nominating Mr. Paparelli for this award noted his “decades of sustained advocacy, within AILA and far beyond it, embody the very purpose of this award…The past few years of his work are not an isolated burst of activity; they are the continuation of a consistent commitment to public advocacy over nearly five decades – advocacy through writing, teaching, speaking, storytelling, and the courageous willingness to challenge government officials in public forums when the law, fairness, or due process is threatened.” In particular, his service on myriad committees was cited as reflecting “the hard, technical, often uncomfortable work of pressing agencies to remain within the law and urging reforms that humanize noncitizens and strengthen due process.”

Mr. Paparelli is a Partner at Vialto Law (US) LLP, where he serves global businesses and their employees by providing creative solutions to complex and straightforward immigration law problems, especially involving mergers and acquisitions, PERM labor certifications, and employment-based work visas and permanent residency. He has more than 40 years of experience in the field, and is a passionate immigration reform advocate and policy influencer, frequently quoted in leading national publications and invited to speak at prestigious events and forums. He has advised businesses on immigration compliance and corporate policy formulation, defended employers in federal immigration investigations, and devised innovative strategies and arguments in challenging, "lost-cause" immigration cases.