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Blog: Think Immigration

Think Immigration: Together, A Firestorm of Support

9/11/2018
In this blog post, AILA staff members Reid Trautz, Erin Lynum, and former AILA intern Jiedine I. A. Phanbuh highlight the importance of engaging community to support immigrants and work towards fair immigration policy.
AILA Doc. No. 18091434

Think Immigration: Why Representation Matters Within the Immigration Bar Itself

9/5/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Sarah Pitney shares the importance of diversity and inclusion in the immigration bar by describing how one panelist in particular at the 2017 AILA Conference in New Orleans showed how her “professional community valued the presence of its LGBT+ members.”
AILA Doc. No. 18090742

Think Immigration: Little Ease - Undocumented in America 2018

8/29/2018
AILA member Margaret O'Donnell describes changes being made to immigration policy that negatively impact American families, offering a real client example to highlight how uncertain the future has become.
AILA Doc. No. 18082900

Think Immigration: Join the Fight to Restore USCIS’s Mission and Ensure Immigration Court Independence!

8/24/2018
In this blog post, AILA Media Advocacy Committee member Katie Sarreshteh highlights AILA's August Campaign and urges members to help AILA's efforts "to realign USCIS with its congressional mandate and ensure judicial independence in our immigration courts."
AILA Doc. No. 18082400

Think Immigration: The Government’s Use of Coercion on Separated Parents

8/23/2018
In this blog post, Immigration Justice Campaign National Advocacy Counsel Katie Shepherd describes the government’s use of coercion on separated parents and the complaint AILA and the Council filed with DHS to draw attention to this illegal and unconstitutional practice.
AILA Doc. No. 18082303

Think Immigration: Call to Arms - Don’t Let USCIS Get Away with It, Again

8/17/2018
AILA First Vice President Jennifer Minear explains what the newly finalized unlawful presence changes will mean for students and exchange visitors and urges AILA members and the public to not allow this policy, and its inevitable consequences, if implemented, to go unnoticed.
AILA Doc. No. 18081770

Think Immigration: The Repercussions of How the Administration Has Handled Matter of Castro-Tum

8/14/2018
AILA Member Matthew Archambeault who served as Friend of the Court in the Matter of Castro-Tum describes the case and its repercussions, and offers suggestions for how to advocate and urge Congress to act on the immense and obvious need for an independent immigration court.
AILA Doc. No. 18081402

Think Immigration: New Partners in the Fight for Due Process

8/10/2018
Karen Lucas, Director of the Immigration Justice Campaign in which AILA and the Council are partnered, describes new ways the campaign is meeting the needs of detained immigrants, including a recent partnership with Save the Children.
AILA Doc. No. 18081034

Think Immigration: Amendment Blocking the Implementation of Matter of A-B- Puts a Dent in the Deportation Machine

8/3/2018
In this blog, Alyson Sincavage, Senior Policy Counsel at AILA, writes about an amendment blocking the implementation of Matter of A-B-, passed in last week's appropriations bill.
AILA Doc. No. 18080376

Think Immigration: Stop DHS from Holding Children Hostage

8/3/2018
In this blog post, AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson addresses the family separation crisis and calls on DHS to stop holding children hostage.
AILA Doc. No. 18080370

Think Immigration: Tearing Families Apart in More Ways Than One

7/30/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Ally Bolour highlights how the use of Ryan White Care Act (RWCA) funds for the family separation policy could have an impact on low-income families seeking treatment for HIV.
AILA Doc. No. 18073083

Think Immigration: Supporting and Funding Immigration Services Is Particularly Vital Now

7/26/2018
Jennifer Burk, an AILA member from the Northern California Chapter, shares highlights from the recent pro bono clinic at the AILA Annual Conference, urging AILA members to get involved and leverage their expertise to help change lives.
AILA Doc. No. 18073061

Think Immigration: Witnessing the Destruction in the Wake of Administration Border Policies

7/20/2018
Katie Shepherd, National Advocacy Counsel for the Immigration Justice Campaign, describes the meetings she had with detained parents who had been traumatically separated from their children and needlessly incarcerated in West Texas, highlighting the urgent need for volunteer attorneys.

Think Immigration: The President’s Proposal to Eliminate Due Process at the Border

7/16/2018
In this blog post, AILA Policy Counsel Jason Boyd highlights recent tweets from the president that attack due process for asylum seekers and explains how and why, if implemented, such changes would violate U.S. asylum laws.
AILA Doc. No. 18071636

Think Immigration: Despite the Supreme Court’s Decision, the Fight Against the Muslim Ban Will Continue

7/12/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Sima Alizadeh highlights the recent SCOTUS decision in Trump v. Hawaii and what it will mean for individuals and families, urging readers to keep up the fight, contact Congress, and keep attention on the hardship the ban continues to cause.
AILA Doc. No. 18071202

Think Immigration: AILA Will Not Tolerate ICE Assaults on Our Members Who Fight for Justice Every Day

7/5/2018
AILA President Anastasia Tonello shares information about the harm ICE officers caused Andrea Martinez, an AILA member from the MO-KS Chapter, and advises members to be vigilant in this toxic environment.
AILA Doc. No. 18070536

Think Immigration: A Victory for Due Process

6/27/2018
AILA Policy Counsel Jason Boyd highlights the potential impact of the Supreme Court's decision in Pereira v. Sessions as it relates to information required on a Notice to Appear.
AILA Doc. No. 18062737

Think Immigration: Tearing Down the Wall and Building Bridges

6/22/2018
This blog post is adapted from the president's installation speech given by Anastasia Tonello, June 14, 2018, in San Francisco in which she shares her message to AILA members and goals for her presidential year.
AILA Doc. No. 18062203

Think Immigration: The U.S. Turns Its Back on Domestic Violence Victims

6/15/2018
AILA member Jillian Blake shares what the decision in Matter of A- B- will mean for victims of domestic and gang violence and their claims to asylum, writing, "there may be no repair for the damage [Sessions’] decisions will have on countless persecuted women."
AILA Doc. No. 18061532

Think Immigration: Taking the Battle for Humane Treatment of Detainees from Dilley to Colorado

6/8/2018
As she shares details about the complaint filed demanding the government address the inhumane conditions and inadequate medical assistance at the Aurora facility, Immigration Justice Campaign National Advocacy Counsel Katie Shepherd urges readers to take action and help vulnerable detainees.
AILA Doc. No. 18060836

Think Immigration: The TN Visa – A Reality Check

6/1/2018
On the blog, past AILA National President Kathleen Campbell Walker digs into some details about how TN visas authorized in NAFTA actually work, the process for both Canadian and Mexican visa holders, and the benefits of those talent flows to American companies and the economy.
AILA Doc. No. 18060130

Think Immigration: The Reality is Even Worse Than the Coverage Suggests

5/30/2018
AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson writes about unaccompanied children and family separation, urging readers to fight against the administration’s “callous, systematic disregard for those seeking asylum at our southern border” and “disdain for the principles of due process...”
AILA Doc. No. 18053002

Think Immigration: Deporting Protected Immigrants Won’t Make America Great

5/24/2018
AILA member Matthew Weisner describes the impact that ending Temporary Protected Status for Hondurans will have on those with TPS as well as the families, businesses, and communities that rely on them; he urges Congress to pass legislation to give long-term TPS holders a path to permanent residency.
AILA Doc. No. 18052431

Think Immigration: A Critical Moment for Leadership to Protect Dreamers

5/22/2018
AILA Director of Government Relations Greg Chen highlights the efforts on Capitol Hill to force a vote in the House of Representatives on a bill to protect Dreamers, urging readers to take action and reach out to Congress on this important issue.
AILA Doc. No. 18052244

Think Immigration: Hope for Moms in Detention

5/18/2018
Karen Lucas, Director of the Immigration Justice Campaign, reflects on the challenges faced by mothers in detention and how the actions of volunteers can lift their spirits from despair to hope with something as simple as a card like those written by Columbia University students recently.
AILA Doc. No. 18051803

Think Immigration: Fighting for my Client Before the BIA – A Preview

5/17/2018
AILA Board of Governors member Stephen Manning shares a preview of a case he is arguing before the Board of Immigration Appeals today, writing that “The BIA can and must get this right. My client’s fate, and the fate of his family, hinges on the decision.”
AILA Doc. No. 18051732

Think Immigration: Why I’m Going to AILA’s AC in San Francisco and Why You Should Too

5/16/2018
In this blog post, Jack Pinnix reflects on his experiences at the AILA Annual Conference (AC) including his very first AC in 1981, which immigration law pioneer Elizabeth Gervais-Gruen convinced him to attend.
AILA Doc. No. 18051635

Think Immigration: Horrifying and Inspiring - A Look Inside the Stewart Detention Center

5/11/2018
Jennie Guilfoyle describes the experience of traveling to Stewart Detention Center and the harsh conditions there, as well as the inspiration she gathered from the volunteers and staff of the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative, the Immigration Justice Campaign project partner on the ground.
AILA Doc. No. 18051133

Think Immigration: Previewing the AILA Inspires Speaker Series

5/9/2018
In this blog post, AILA Inspires Series Speaker Tom Steyer answers a few questions from AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson in advance of his presentation at the AILA Annual Conference in San Francisco on June 14, 2018.
AILA Doc. No. 18050934

Think Immigration: Let’s Make Our Voices Heard on H-2B Cap Relief

5/4/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Amy Novak from Colorado highlights the extreme and urgent need for additional H-2B visas and urges permanent cap relief, writing, “Uncertainty about visa numbers running year to year does not help employers make productive, proactive business decisions.”
AILA Doc. No. 18050433

Think Immigration: Mass Denials Upend the Lives of Persecuted Iranian Refugees

4/30/2018
AILA member Betsy Fisher and Amira Mikhail share information about the mass denials of refugee applications for people fleeing Iran due to religious persecution and the lawsuit filed to ensure the government offers, at the very least, more information about the reasons for denial as required by law.
AILA Doc. No. 18043040

Think Immigration: Sessions v. Dimaya: SCOTUS Demands Clarity and Due Process in Immigration Laws

4/25/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Andrew Nietor highlights the Sessions v. Dimaya decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, writing that the decision "offers a welcome return to the rule of law and its consistent application nationwide."
AILA Doc. No. 18042537

Think Immigration: Lawmakers on Capitol Hill Heard from AILA Loud and Clear, But There Is More To Do!

4/20/2018
AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish reflects on AILA's National Day of Action and shares how AILA members and the public can continue making their voices heard on important immigration law and policy issues that matter to them.
AILA Doc. No. 18042012

Think Immigration: Highlighting the Real People in the DACA Stories

4/18/2018
AILA member Christopher Kerosky shares an update on the MyAmericanDreams Film Project and asks for help reaching out to stations who can show the documentary which informs viewers about the importance of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and its impact on people's lives.
AILA Doc. No. 18041837

Think Immigration: Dispelling Four Myths About the H-1B Visa

4/12/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Sweta Khandelwal addresses and dispels four myths about the H-1B visa program, writing "We need a better system, one that responds to actual supply and demand and acknowledges the fierce global competition for talent."
AILA Doc. No. 18041235

Think Immigration: Questionable Statistics Used to Shore Up “Urgent” Need for National Guard on U.S.-Mexico Border

4/6/2018
As the Trump administration claims an urgent need to deploy the National Guard to the southern border, AILA Southern California Chapter Media Liaison John Manley digs into the statistics used as a basis of those claims and raises some important questions.
AILA Doc. No. 18040633

Think Immigration: Stopping State Bills that Attack Immigrants – A How-To from Georgia

4/3/2018
Tracie L. Klinke, chair of the GA/AL AILA Chapter lifts up the concerted and coordinated community effort that led to blocking SB. 452 in Georgia, writing that immigration lawyers must "stand together and stand up for smart, fair, and just immigration law and policy."
AILA Doc. No. 18040302

Think Immigration: Coming Full Circle

3/29/2018
Ally Bolour, AILA’s 2018 Annual Conference Committee Chair, reflects on his first AILA AC and what it means to him to come full circle 18 years later to chair this year’s conference in CA; he also previews the conference and some of the unique features of this year’s AC.
AILA Doc. No. 18032934

Think Immigration: An Insider’s Look at the Immigration System Under Attack

3/27/2018
Dagmar Butte, member of AILA's Board of Governors, shares insights into the family immigration system from her personal experience reuniting with family as a child and highlighting why family reunification benefits us all as an integral part of America's past, present, and future.
AILA Doc. No. 18032735

Think Immigration: Behind the “Waiver” Camouflage, A Closed Door Policy for Travel Ban Countries

3/22/2018
AILA member Sima Alizadeh shares her experience with the lack of clarity around the waiver process for “Travel Ban 3.0,” writing that “the majority of individuals who may be eligible for a waiver have been denied one, and in fact, have not been able to properly submit a waiver request” at all.
AILA Doc. No. 18032241

Think Immigration: Dismantling the “Invisible Wall” Against Legal Immigration, Brick by Brick

3/21/2018
In this blog post, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish shares information about AILA's new report documenting the Trump administration's "Invisible Wall" of policies against legal immigration and how AILA members and the public can work together to tear the wall down.
AILA Doc. No. 18032105

Think Immigration: When Fear Is Just the Beginning

3/16/2018
AILA member Ruben Reyes shares how the AILA community came together to try and determine if specific inquiries from USCIS were local or national in scope, writing, “National trends are often revealed when local experts start talking and comparing notes. These days, doing so is even more important.”
AILA Doc. No. 18031634

Think Immigration: The Deportation Machine Destroys Lives

3/14/2018
Kate Voigt, chief editor of AILA’s new report Cogs in the Deportation Machine, highlights how “the administration has gone to great lengths to deport as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, with little regard for the financial cost or the impact upon American communities.”
AILA Doc. No. 18031431

Think Immigration: Government Shutdowns Hurt Americans and Ultimately, America

3/9/2018
In this blog post, AILA Media Advocacy Committee member Katie Sarreshteh shares the anatomy and impact of a government shutdown from the immigration law practitioner's perspective.
AILA Doc. No. 18030932

Think Immigration: Helping DACA Recipients Renew

3/7/2018
In this blog post, Sheila Starkey Hahn, Chair of AILA's National Pro Bono Committee, highlights how helping with DACA renewal clinics and advocating for the Dream Act can change lives, writing, "Let's show everyone again that #AILAStandsWithDreamers."
AILA Doc. No. 18030739

Think Immigration: Halfway Around the World, An Immigration Lawyer On the Ground in a Refugee Crisis

3/2/2018
AILA member Larry Sandigo shares his experience volunteering in Greece with Syrian refugees and some of the stories of the terror and violence that forced them to flee their homeland for the possibility of security in a new country.
AILA Doc. No. 18030233

Think Immigration: Working Together as Change Agents

2/27/2018
AILA President Annaluisa Padilla shares how the Immigration Justice Campaign is marshalling new resources to increase the representation of detained immigrants, including the recently launched interactive website with information about successes, trainings, and pro bono opportunities.
AILA Doc. No. 18022735

Think Immigration: The Myth of the “Good Guy” Visa

2/23/2018
In this blog post, AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Doug Penn shares insights from his immigration practice, explaining why, despite what probably seems reasonable, there is no such thing as a “good guy visa” in the context of immigration law.
AILA Doc. No. 18022340

Think Immigration: Mission Mis-Statements

2/21/2018
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Sandra Feist compares the stated mission of USCIS with what immigrants are experiencing, warning that "Huge damage has been done. Individuals who have faced...the unpredictability of our current system will urge the next generation of immigrants to stay away."
AILA Doc. No. 18022162

Think Immigration: The Senate Debate Begins: Let Your Voice Be Heard

2/14/2018
In this blog post, Mo Goldman, member of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, highlights the current debate in the Senate on immigration and urges AILA members and the public to get involved and engage on this issue by making their voices heard as the debate ramps up.
AILA Doc. No. 18021433

Think Immigration: On Fatherhood and Motherhood in the Immigration Law Context

2/9/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Alexander Carl highlights a clearly outrageous "example of how our immigration laws have not kept up with the times" when it comes to how LGBT parents are treated differently when it comes to determining the citizenship of their children.
AILA Doc. No. 18020936

Think Immigration: H-4 Work Permits - A Feminist Perspective

2/8/2018
Sandra Feist, member of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, highlights the challenges facing H-4 spouses as the administration threatens to take away their work permits and urges Congress to "provide a path for H-4 spouses to fully participate in and contribute to their communities."
AILA Doc. No. 18020836

Think Immigration: Deal or No Deal, We Stand With the Dreamers

2/6/2018
AILA National Treasurer Allen Orr describes the current efforts to protect Dreamers and urges the administration to get behind legislation with bipartisan support that makes sense both fiscally and morally, rather than forcing a stalemate that could result in the deportation of Dreamers.
AILA Doc. No. 18020634

Think Immigration: Closed for Business

2/1/2018
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Matt Maiona takes a look at the already marked demand for H-2B visas and the potential impact on American employers and local economies when these key seasonal positions go unfilled.
AILA Doc. No. 18020141

Think Immigration: “I-Squared,” Not RAISE, Would Lift America Up

1/29/2018
In this blog post, AILA Director of Government Relations Betsy Lawrence breaks down the provisions of the Immigration Innovation or I-Squared Act introduced by Senators Hatch and Flake and describes what the bill's provisions would do to boost U.S. businesses and the American economy.
AILA Doc. No. 18012944

Think Immigration: People Are Stepping Up to Help with DACA Fees

1/26/2018
In this blog post, AILA member Kara Lynum shares how the public is supporting DACA recipients by covering the filing fee for renewal applications, highlighting the recent example of an impromptu campaign that has brought in more than $23,000 thus far to hep Dreamers in Minnesota.
AILA Doc. No. 18012605

Think Immigration: Family Matters – Love, Support, and Entrepreneurship

1/24/2018
In this blog post, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations Diane Rish describes the family-based immigration system, writing that “as a cornerstone of American history and American values, family-based immigration can and must be protected, not derided with lies.”
AILA Doc. No. 18012430

Think Immigration: The Doctor is In, Let’s Not Send Her Out

1/19/2018
AILA Second Vice President Jennifer Minear reflects on the “vital and sustained contributions that immigrants are making to our society on a daily basis” in the healthcare field, and the potential impact of anti-immigrant policies on medically underserved populations in the United States.
AILA Doc. No. 18011931

Think Immigration: The Latest in Fearmongering

1/17/2018
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Matthew Maiona analyzes a questionable government report intended to incite fear of immigrants, writing "Now more than ever, we must stand-up for our core American values which are under attack. That’s what you, and all of us, should really be afraid of."
AILA Doc. No. 18011742

Think Immigration: The Current Status of DACA

1/12/2018
Alma Rosa Nieto, vice chair of AILA's Media Advocacy Committee, reflects on the current status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative and highlights two DACA recipients in particular who exemplify why these young people should be permanently protected by Congress.
AILA Doc. No. 18011209

Think Immigration: Ban the Burnout

1/11/2018
In this blog post, Reid Trautz, Director of AILA's Practice and Professionalism Center, highlights some key ways to reduce the risk of burnout in an incredibly busy “new normal” that immigration attorneys and their firms are facing.
AILA Doc. No. 18011103

Think Immigration: Finding Heroes

1/5/2018
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Mo Goldman highlights the recent lawsuit by Washington AG Ferguson against Motel 6 for violating state consumer protection laws by sharing guest data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when ICE had no warrant to gather the information.
AILA Doc. No. 18010533

Think Immigration: From DC to Dilley – One Volunteer’s Firsthand Experience

1/4/2018
In this blog post, Immigration Justice Campaign Director Karen Lucas interviews recent family detention volunteer McKayla Eskilson about her experience, the work the project is doing, and the impact she had during her week at Dilley helping asylum seeking moms and kids incarcerated in the facility.

Think Immigration: Top 10 AILA Videos and Blog Posts of 2017

12/29/2017
A quick recap of the most viewed videos and most read blog posts this year, covering a variety of topics from H-1Bs to MAVNI to the latest travel ban updates, and more. There is truly something for everyone; take a look at these resources as you reflect on 2017.
AILA Doc. No. 17122900

Think Immigration: Story of a Dreamer Sparks Generosity

12/28/2017
AILA Secretary Jeremy McKinney writes about how sharing client stories with the press and public can make a difference and highlights one recent example when a profile of a Dreamer unexpectedly sparked the generosity of a donor.
AILA Doc. No. 17122800

Think Immigration: Living Courage

12/22/2017
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson reflects on 2017, highlighting the courage of Dreamers and the work of AILA members as inspirations for 2018 when he’ll “be looking to all of you to be fearless, steadfast, and courageous. Because next year and every year, #AILAStandsWithImmigrants.”
AILA Doc. No. 17122213

Think Immigration: Helping Daisy

12/21/2017
AILA member Rebecca Minahan shares how she helped one young family at the Dilley detention facility through the credible fear process, writing that while she “would most likely never learn of their fate,” she “felt honored to have been a part of their lives if only for a very short time.”
AILA Doc. No. 17122131

Think Immigration: Combatting a War on the Christmas Spirit

12/15/2017
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Mo Goldman writes about President Trump’s effort to “bring Christmas back,” asking “Is this the true spirit of Christmas? Scapegoating? Xenophobia? Blocking refugees from seeking safety? An inability to absolve someone, forgive them, for their actions?”

Think Immigration: Lawyering in an Ever-Changing Landscape

12/12/2017
AILA Board of Governors member Gayle Oshrin reflects on the ever-changing landscape of both business and family immigration law and encourages AILA members to take opportunities to network and learn new tactics from each other, like the upcoming NYC conference.
AILA Doc. No. 17121243

Think Immigration: Hardline Immigration Policies Keep Running into Legal Trouble

12/8/2017
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Katie Sarreshteh shares insights into so-called “sanctuary cities” writing that “distortion of terminology such as ‘sanctuary cities’ only deteriorates the public’s ability to understand and discuss immigration policy in an informed and meaningful manner.”
AILA Doc. No. 17120803

Think Immigration: Momentum Builds Among Republicans for Dreamer Fix Before the Holidays

12/6/2017
Kate Voigt, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations, highlights the momentum building on the Hill for the Dream Act and why moving quickly on this issue is so critical.
AILA Doc. No. 17120601

Think Immigration: High-Skilled Immigration in a Time of High Uncertainty

12/4/2017
Kevin Miner, one of the authors of Business Immigration: Law and Practice, highlights how “those who oppose immigration fully intend to make the process harder, more time consuming, and more expensive with the hope that employers will either give up or simply won’t bother at all.”
AILA Doc. No. 17120401

Think Immigration: When Law Professors Attack: Four False Assumptions in the WSJ Op-Ed

12/1/2017
AILA Second Vice President Jennifer Minear rebuts a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, highlighting four of the piece’s most egregious false assumptions about the immigration bar and calling on all of us to work toward a “system that provides due process and equality before the law.”
AILA Doc. No. 17120132

Think Immigration: Two Business Immigration Lawyers in “Baby Jail”: A Report from Dilley

11/28/2017
Michael Turansick and Rebecca van Uitert share their experience with the Dilley Pro Bono Project, writing “Volunteering at Dilley changes lives. It saves lives. You can save lives. Even lawyers like ourselves, who practice primarily business immigration law, can have a profound impact.”

Think Immigration: Gratitude for America and the Hands that Built it

11/21/2017
Matt Maiona, member of the Media Advocacy Committee, urges readers to not forget our history and to be grateful for “the intangibles” — community, freedom, and liberties — that come from being in the United States, and the profound benefits that immigrants have brought this nation.
AILA Doc. No. 17112133

Think Immigration: Sounding the Alarm on State Department Staffing

11/14/2017
Stephen Pattison, an AILA member with firsthand experience as a consular officer himself, expresses alarm at the slow evisceration of the Department of State (DOS) given its crucial role, writing “Make no mistake about it, our clients will suffer from a diminished DOS.”
AILA Doc. No. 17111433

Think Immigration: Getting Through the Reinstatement Maze

11/13/2017
Robert Pauw, author of Litigating Immigration Cases in Federal Court, describes how the government has mistakenly reinstated removal orders and urged that such cases be challenged more often, writing that immigration attorneys “are the bulwark against the government’s denial of due process.”
AILA Doc. No. 17111334

Think Immigration: Staying in the Know About EB-5

11/9/2017
AILA Business Committee member Stephen Yale-Loehr shares a preview of the upcoming AILA EB-5 Investors Summit and reflects on some of the connections he has made and information he has learned at past conferences.
AILA Doc. No. 17110935

Think Immigration: Stand Up and Be an Advocate: Your Talent and Expertise Can Effect Meaningful Change

11/8/2017
Diane Rish, AILA Associate Director of Government Relations, urges AILA members to engage with legislators and highlights several ways to do just that during next week’s “AILA Stands with Dreamers” campaign, including legislative visits, social media advocacy, and working with the media.
AILA Doc. No. 17110840

Think Immigration: On Immigration, It’s Time to Start Listening to Each Other

11/7/2017
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson shares insights about why the issue of immigration is a contentious one for our nation and how listening to each other is a critical piece to finding “common ground on this issue, and real solutions to our nation’s pressing problems.”
AILA Doc. No. 17110764

Think Immigration: Rhetoric Versus Reality on Employment-Based Immigration

11/3/2017
Sandra Feist, member of AILA’s Media Advocacy Committee, highlights new data released by the Trump administration concerning employment-based immigration and addresses several myths and misconceptions about the H-1B program and its impact on the American economy.
AILA Doc. No. 17110302

Think Immigration: IJ Performance Quotas: A Threat to Due Process and Judicial Independence

10/31/2017
AILA EOIR Liaison Committee Vice Chair Merlyn Hernandez reflects on the proposed quotas for immigration judges writing, “There is no way to impose arbitrary fast-track quotas on immigration judges without damaging the chance a client has to present the applicable law and facts of their cases.”
AILA Doc. No. 17103101

Think Immigration: Defending the Practice of Immigration Law in an Age of Falsehoods

10/26/2017
AILA President-Elect Anastasia Tonello responds to recent remarks by Attorney General Sessions, writing that attorneys “who know the law, who aggressively defend their clients within the scope of the law and who are ethical and passionate should be celebrated, not disparaged.”
AILA Doc. No. 17102630

Think Immigration: A Fighting Chance to Claim Asylum

10/25/2017
Karen Lucas, director of the Immigration Justice Campaign, shares information about the innovative pro bono mentorship model developed by the campaign and the work being done on behalf of four detained asylum seekers, offering them a fighting chance to claim asylum.
AILA Doc. No. 17102500

Think Immigration: Decision on Temporary Protected Status for Sudanese Means Dust Off Those Case Files!

10/19/2017
With the decisions made on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan and South Sudan, AILA member Michele McKenzie takes a look at what that decision could mean for the TPS holders and their immigration attorneys who may have to dust off twenty-year-old case files.
AILA Doc. No. 17101931

Think Immigration: Volunteering in Family Detention – Saving One Family at a Time

10/17/2017
Jose Campos recently volunteered with the Dilley Pro Bono Project and came away from the experience with a deeper understanding of asylum law and that “lawyers can literally save a life by helping women and their children fleeing violence find protection and build a future, safe from harm.”
AILA Doc. No. 17101731

Think Immigration: Good News You Can Use

10/13/2017
Jill Marie Bussey shares some good news about the AILA DC Chapter’s Citizenship Day efforts and what they were able to accomplish, writing “there are a number of allies and community partners who are willing and eager to help vulnerable communities alongside us.”
AILA Doc. No. 17101332

Think Immigration: Fighting for the Underdog

10/11/2017
AILA Southern California Chapter Chair Blake Miller highlights how “today’s immigration challenges shouldn’t stop us from working harder, smarter, and strongly advocating for our client’s rights and benefits” as he shares some AILA resources and opportunities that can help members hone their skills.
AILA Doc. No. 17101135

Think Immigration: In the Midst of Chaos, Where Is Our Lifeline?

10/6/2017
AILA Puerto Rico Chapter Chair Maria del Rosario Garcia Miranda urges DHS to start responding to post-hurricane questions writing, “A broad policy of leniency for those impacted by Hurricane Maria seems like a relatively small, yet absolutely necessary, action to take.”
AILA Doc. No. 17100603

Think Immigration: Liberty and Due Process for Immigrants in the SCOTUS Lineup, Part 2

10/4/2017
In this second segment of a special two-part blog post, AILA members Mary Kramer, Michael Vastine, and Sui Chung report back on the Supreme Court oral arguments held Tuesday on Jennings v. Rodriguez, an important case for immigration lawyers relating to prolonged detention.
AILA Doc. No. 17100403

Think Immigration: Liberty and Due Process for Immigrants in the SCOTUS Lineup, Part 1

10/2/2017
In this first segment of a special two-part blog post, AILA members Mary Kramer, Michael Vastine, and Sui Chung report back on the Supreme Court oral arguments held today on Sessions v. Dimaya, an important case for immigration lawyers relating to the definition of “crime of violence.”
AILA Doc. No. 17100233

Think Immigration: RAISE Act Policies Won’t Lift Up America

9/29/2017
Doug Penn, AILA Media Advocacy Committee member, writes about the RAISE Act noting that “Dropping someone anywhere…without any ties to the community or job prospects is not a way to ensure that the person successfully integrates into the United States or contributes to our economy and society.”
AILA Doc. No. 17092903

Think Immigration: Extraordinary Strength in Numbers - AILA Launches New Interest Group for ACES

9/27/2017
AILA President-Elect Anastasia Tonello highlights AILA’s new interest group for those with clients in athletics, culture, entertainment, and sciences (ACES) “fight back against arbitrary decisions, abuse of discretion, and ever-changing policies and trends that affect our clients and our practices.”
AILA Doc. No. 17092730