Blog: Think Immigration
1/27/2023
AILA member Stanislav Shamayev walks through some of the basics of business immigration to the United States, writing that "American immigration law is complex, to put it mildly, but a good immigration attorney can talk through your options and set you up for success."
AILA Doc. No. 23012701
1/23/2023
AILA President Jeremy McKinney urges law students interested in immigration law practice to apply for the Michael Maggio Immigrants' Rights Summer Fellowship Program and highlights six examples of recent fellows as a way to inspire the next generation of law students. Deadline is February 10, 2023.
AILA Doc. No. 23012301
1/12/2023
Using data from AILA member case examples, AILA's Jonathan Valdez describes the ripple effect of USCIS’ excessive delay in I-601A processing, noting that the impact "is as profound as it is immeasurable," and urging the implementation of reforms that improve processing times overall.
AILA Doc. No. 23011200
1/10/2023
AILA members Helen Tarokic and Jesse Bless describe the current status of the T nonimmigrant visa, created by Congress to protect trafficking victims, noting that given recent updates to the USCIS Policy Manual more asylum and U-visa applicants may be eligible for this often-overlooked visa.
12/20/2022
In a video blog post, AILA Law Journal authors Sabrina Damast and Eric Lee explain what the “Doctrine of Consular Nonreviewability” is, why it is important to immigration lawyers, and the current state of the doctrine in federal court litigation.
12/13/2022
AILA Law Journal authors Curtis F.J. Doebbler and Elisa Fornalé shared some insights from their recent article, “International Human Rights Law and the Detention of Asylum Seekers” which focused on the U.S. practice of detaining asylum seekers and relevant international human rights obligations.
AILA Doc. No. 22121302
12/12/2022
AILA Policy Associate Paul Stern writes why Congress must provide greater funding and accountability for USCIS to continue addressing its backlogs and processing delays.
AILA Doc. No. 22121251
12/9/2022
AILA member Victoria Neilson writes about the “Death to Asylum” regulations and their continued impact on practitioners and asylum seekers ahead of the two-year anniversary of these Trump-era regulations that were published on 12/11/20.
AILA Doc. No. 22120998
12/6/2022
AILA Law Journal authors Lory D. Rosenberg, Susan G. Roy, Paul Schmidt, and Rekha Sharma-Crawford share some insights about their article, “Time for a Child Welfare Approach to Cancellation of Removal,” in which they discuss how the best interests of the child are routinely ignored.
AILA Doc. No. 22120603
11/30/2022
AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares insights into the confusion surrounding "Requests for Evidence" (RFEs) and how seemingly extremely similar, if not identical, cases result in different outcomes, urging USCIS to reengage with stakeholders on this issue.
AILA Doc. No. 22113003
11/29/2022
AILA Law Journal author Martin Robles-Avila shared some insights from his recent article, “At Long Last, USCIS Meets the Moment: A Brief History of the Unlawful Presence Bars” in which he dives into where things stand on these bars which impact so many individuals.
AILA Doc. No. 22112900
11/22/2022
AILA Law Journal authors Sabrina Damast and Eric Lee shared some insights from their recent article on “Consular Nonreviewability: Fifty Years Since Kleindienst v. Mandel” in which they focused on this important concept and its implications for many families trying to reunite.
AILA Doc. No. 22112203
11/18/2022
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair Evangeline Chan shares her recent experience running the NYC marathon and how it brought hope, that "we can all lean into that human connection and learn that no matter where you are from, you can find common ground with the person next to you."
AILA Doc. No. 22111899
11/15/2022
AILA Law Journal Editor-in-Chief Cyrus Mehta shares insights into the new edition of the AILA Law Journal and why he feels it is so important for AILA members to write, share their expertise, and educate the immigration bar and wider audiences.
AILA Doc. No. 22111551
11/10/2022
AILA Fundamentals Conference co-chair Anthony Drago shares his immigration law journey and why making sure you have the fundamentals down is so important; he highlights the upcoming conference as a great opportunity to learn.
AILA Doc. No. 22111003
11/9/2022
In this blog post, AILA's Greg Chen and Sofia Rosales-Zeledon walk us through a recap of the 2022 midterm election results as they stand on November 9, 2022, with a focus on immigration as a campaign issue. They also discuss what opportunities there may be for immigration reform.
AILA Doc. No. 22110951
11/1/2022
In this blog post, AILA member Angela Divaris explains why many immigrant-led households haven't been able to file to receive the expanded Child Tax Credit and why she and other advocates are requesting the IRS Commissioner extend the deadline.
AILA Doc. No. 22110101
10/28/2022
AILA member Eric Lee describes the recent win in Sandra Muñoz v. State Department in which the Ninth Circuit found the "State Department violated due process and the fundamental right to marriage by denying a visa without providing any reason for the denial for three years."
AILA Doc. No. 22102800
10/27/2022
AILA member Anthony Pawelski describes the ways in which a change to Massachusetts law will benefit public safety, create efficiency, and increase state revenue, and why he is supporting the effort to take immigration status out of the driver's license application process.
10/25/2022
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Gina Polo describes the new Venezuelan parole process and its potential impact, also highlighting AILA resources for practitioners, including the free AILA Roundtable on the topic to be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.
AILA Doc. No. 22102599
10/24/2022
AILA Pro Bono Committee member Samantha Jiménez shares two inspiring examples of cases she was able to resolve for Military Service members through AILA's Military Assistance Program, using her immigration law expertise to give families much needed safety and security as their loved ones deploy.
AILA Doc. No. 22102402
10/21/2022
AILA member and CA Chapters Conference chair Sabrina Damast discusses some recent denials of naturalization cases she has dealt with and gives a taste of what the next step would be for clients in that situation as well as how this topic and many others will be covered at the conference.
AILA Doc. No. 22102152
10/18/2022
AILA Asylum Online Course leader Tammy Lin highlights the community of asylum practitioners and encourages those who might be hesitant to jump in to take a look at AILA's new online course and get familiar with asylum law, get in the mosh pit, and potentially save a life.
10/17/2022
AILA author Robert Pauw explains how he determines whether a potential client might be well-served by pursuing federal litigation, including a situation where a removal order is final and unappealable but the person is eligible for some type of collateral relief.
AILA Doc. No. 22101706
10/14/2022
AILA member and U.S. Director of Talent Beyond Boundaries Betsy Fisher describes changes USCIS and DOS could make that could help refugees immigrate more easily and meet the workforce needs of employers.
AILA Doc. No. 22101400
10/12/2022
AILA member Amanda Brill describes her journey from associate attorney to entrepreneur, including the challenges of learning business skills while continuing to practice immigration law, and how the AILA Business School conference will offer the training she wished had been accessible years ago.
AILA Doc. No. 22101207
10/10/2022
In this blog post, three AILA law professor members dive into the impact of rushed timelines as the Biden Administration attempts to streamline the asylum process at the border, but which may make it impossible for asylum seekers to provide corroborating evidence of persecution within the deadlines.
10/6/2022
Member Jennifer Atkinson describes helping one family from Afghanistan after a 6-year-old boy suffered a grievous wound at the airport during the evacuations last year; his family recently arrived safely in the United States. His story shows how important passing the Afghan Adjustment Act truly is.
AILA Doc. No. 22100603
9/27/2022
AILA member Sarah Peterson testified before Congress recently about the need for immigration reform that would benefit U.S. communities in desperate need of trained doctors and nurses; in this blog post, she describes two pieces of bipartisan legislation that could make a real difference.
AILA Doc. No. 22092701
9/13/2022
AILA Senior Pro Bono Associate Erin Lynum writes about the upcoming 17th AILA Citizenship Day and how naturalization opens a wider world. AILA is proud to partner with NALEO Educational Fund and NPNA again for this inspiring effort.
AILA Doc. No. 22091352
8/31/2022
Inspired by a new documentary about the issue, AILA member Mona Shah and co-authors Sarah Salarano and Shaun Chaudhry describe the terrible situation facing women and girls in Afghanistan and urge all of us to become informed and to take action.
8/24/2022
AILA Practice and Policy Counsel Amy Grenier highlights the due process concerns that arise when CBP enters incorrect addresses for vulnerable migrants, sending vital paperwork astray and undermining the migrants' chances to successfully request asylum and protection.
AILA Doc. No. 22082400
8/15/2022
As we recognize the one-year anniversary of Kabul's fall, Mahsa Khanbabai, Parastoo Zahedi, and Spojmie Nasiri highlight efforts of the AILA Afghan Taskforce and why the Afghan Adjustment Act is so important for the U.S. to live up to its promises to protect our allies.
AILA Doc. No. 22081504
8/8/2022
AILA Senior Director of Government Relations Greg Chen describes why the Senate passage of the budget reconciliation bill with no immigration-related provisions in it is a huge accomplishment, when so many anti-immigrant amendments were offered, including those that would have extended Title 42.
AILA Doc. No. 22080810
8/5/2022
In this blog post, AILA President Jeremy McKinney describes a recent win for his client in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that will help protect asylum seekers and how this case only emphasizes why we need an independent immigration court, free from politicization.
AILA Doc. No. 22080500
7/19/2022
AILA Policy Counsel Jen Whitlock describes the government reports and personal testimony showing how harmful, unnecessary, and wasteful ICE detention is. She urges readers to take action and tell Congress to reduce ICE detention bed funding for FY2023.
AILA Doc. No. 22071903
7/12/2022
AILA member Aaron Kochenderfer explains the plight of "Documented Dreamers" who are children of employment-based visa holders waiting for permanent residency and urges support of the America's Children Act of 2021 to help them and their families feel secure.
AILA Doc. No. 22071204
7/7/2022
In this blog post, AILA member John Wheaton writes on the power of storytelling in bringing people together and creating community, encouraging his fellow attorneys to consider asking clients to share their stories and increase understanding of the immigrant experience.
AILA Doc. No. 22070701
7/6/2022
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel Amy Grenier describes the recent Supreme Court decision affirming the Biden administration can indeed end the inhumane Remain in Mexico/Migrant Protection Protocols implemented by the Trump administration and also previews what may come next.
AILA Doc. No. 22070601
6/15/2022
Jeremy McKinney reflects on the importance of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative but urges Congress to take long overdue action to permanently protect DREAMers and other immigrants who are in legal limbo.
6/13/2022
Long-time AILA member Michael Davis shares insights from his decades of practice, including the impact of 245(i) and some reflections on processes and procedures from years past, as part of our final blog post series celebrating AILA's 75 years.
AILA Doc. No. 22061307
6/7/2022
For our final blog post prompt to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, we asked members to share their most dramatic or interesting 245(i) story with us on Think Immigration. In this post, read about hidden eligibility, tears, unique circumstances, and how this law is still having an impact today.
AILA Doc. No. 22060700
6/3/2022
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel Amy Grenier shares insights on where things stand with Title 42 and the new interim final rule on asylum and credible fear, noting that "both face challenges before the federal courts and Congress."
5/31/2022
AILA 2021-22 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Chair Ban Al-Wardi shares insights into the committee's accomplishments this year and how the AILA community can engage on various DEI Committee efforts, including the 21-Day Invitation starting June 1.
5/25/2022
AILA Policy Counsel Jen Whitlock writes about the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO) including the office's history, the data it has shared so far, and some key questions that remain; she urges everyone to use AILA's advocacy tool to tell Congress immigration detention is inhumane.
AILA Doc. No. 22052501
5/24/2022
In this video blog post, AILA Law Student Member Nathan Hall explains why he decided to dig into the issue of the “serious nonpolitical crime” bar and its impact on asylum seekers when he wrote his piece for the April 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal.
AILA Doc. No. 22052402
5/23/2022
In this blog post, AILA's Amy Grenier walks through the significant due process concerns that have been expressed about the Interim Final Rule on asylum processing from the Biden administration and why having sufficient time, to seek counsel and pull together a substantive claim, is so important.
AILA Doc. No. 22052302
5/17/2022
AILA member Geoffrey A. Hoffman shares insights on the article he wrote for the Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal focused on the issue of jurisdiction and how the defective NTA-jurisdictional question could play a crucial part in resolving and reducing the 1.6 million case backlog.
AILA Doc. No. 22051700
5/12/2022
In this blog post, AILA Pro Bono Committee Chair Adonia Simpson and Sarah Burrows, Director, Pro Bono & Partnerships at HIAS, share insights into how AILA South Florida successfully pivoted to virtual pro bono events and how you can replicate this effort.
AILA Doc. No. 22051204
5/11/2022
As we continue to celebrate AILA's 75th anniversary year, we asked members to share a fan letter to their favorite AILA resource, in two or three sentences, or haiku form. Read about five favorites in this blog post on Think Immigration.
AILA Doc. No. 22051100
5/10/2022
In this blogpost, AILA member Stacy Caplow reflects on her Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal article entitled “The Sinking Immigration Court: Change Course, Save the Ship” and why readers should take heart given a recent shift in EOIR hiring.
AILA Doc. No. 22051002
5/5/2022
In this blog post, AILA members Michele Carney and Beth Persky reflect on the changes to legal ethics over the last 75 years and encourage colleagues to learn more about those changes as a way to look down the road to more changes that may come.
AILA Doc. No. 22050502
5/3/2022
In this blog post, AILA member and Law Journal author John Medeiros introduces his piece featured in the recent special edition of the AILA Law Journal celebrating AILA’s 75 years; his piece “Huddled Masses” chronicles the history of U.S. immigration and the development of U.S. immigration law.
AILA Doc. No. 22050301
4/26/2022
In this blog post, we walk through the Spring 2022 edition of the AILA Law Journal, which features an interview between Editor-in-Chief Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia and AILA President Allen Orr, along with special and substantive pieces from AILA members as we celebrate AILA’s 75 Years.
AILA Doc. No. 22042600
4/12/2022
AILA member Dominique Pando Bucci shares insights into the backlogs facing businesses trying to bring foreign talent to the U.S. and families trying to reunite due to Department of State backlogs, and highlights AILA's recommendations for reopening America's doors.
AILA Doc. No. 22041206
4/1/2022
As we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, and look forward to the Annual Conference in June, we asked members to share their favorite memories from Annual Conferences in the past. Today we share memories from three members in the second part of this blog post series.
AILA Doc. No. 22040152
3/30/2022
Margaret Stock shares insights into challenges facing military service members seeking to naturalize and offers information about key resources, including an upcoming webinar designed to ensure AILA members have the tools they need to help these heroes become citizens.
AILA Doc. No. 22033007
3/29/2022
AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares insights into what backlogs and delays at USCIS mean for clients, communities, and our economy, while highlighting the recent AILA policy brief which has concrete recommendations for USCIS to right the ship.
AILA Doc. No. 22032902
3/23/2022
As we continue to celebrate our 75th anniversary year, and look forward to the Annual Conference in June, we asked members to share their favorite memories from Annual Conferences in the past. Here are three memorable moments to start us off.
AILA Doc. No. 22032301
3/15/2022
AILA Board of Governors member Ally Bolour calls our attention to the disparate treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, comparing the recent experiences of Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Haiti and urging us all to "end the discriminatory treatment of refugees."
AILA Doc. No. 22031505
3/10/2022
In this video blog post, AILA PPC leaders Reid Trautz and Charity Anastasio share the most popular practice success tip as a way to celebrate the myriad resources developed to help members run a practice during AILA’s 75 years.
AILA Doc. No. 22031003
3/8/2022
As we celebrate this International Women’s Day, AILA Immediate Past President Jennifer Minear shares her gratitude for "the women of AILA and for the role they play in our lives and our community."
AILA Doc. No. 22030800
3/3/2022
AILA's Practice and Professionalism Center works with AILA members to help them engage in pro bono activities; this Think Immigration post is an opportunity to learn and get inspired by three of our recent Pro Bono High Five videos.
AILA Doc. No. 22030301
3/2/2022
AILA member and volunteer Spojmie Nasiri shares a recent experience when she met a Vietnamese refugee whose story strengthened her resolve to help Afghan evacuees and reminded her of the interconnectedness of all our lives.
AILA Doc. No. 22030207
2/28/2022
In this blog post, part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) series, AILA South Florida DEI chair Tarsila Talarico describes the resilience and strength immigrant women entrepreneurs bring to bear as they start businesses and benefit the U.S. economy.
AILA Doc. No. 22022809
2/25/2022
AILA 2022 Border Issues Conference Co-Chair Scott Railton describes the current landscape where cannabis legalization and immigration law collide, highlighting how complicated it is and the need for Congress to act.
AILA Doc. No. 22022571
2/23/2022
As AILA celebrates its 75th year, we invited members to “Share Your Favorite Success Tip Gleaned from AILA,” and we are delighted to share this blog post featuring those tips.
AILA Doc. No. 22022307
2/17/2022
In this blog post, AILA member Vaman Kidambi shares insights into the new USCIS mission statement and how it recognizes and honors our nation's diversity; he also highlights the important work of the American Immigration Council's Center for Inclusions and Belonging.
AILA Doc. No. 22021751
2/16/2022
AILA member Peter Rees explains a recent update to the National Interest Waiver (NIW) determination guidance, which could allow for more NIW grants particularly for advanced STEM degree holders and entrepreneurs.
AILA Doc. No. 22021651
2/11/2022
AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee member Jamel Connor describes the profoundly unjust situation Haiti and its people face and why, this Black History Month, she reflects on the country’s history and urges the United States to stop turning its back on Haitian immigrants.
AILA Doc. No. 22021151
2/9/2022
In this blog post, AILA Policy Counsel Jen Whitlock describes how President Biden has failed to fulfill his campaign promise to end the use of private prisons and why AILA and our partners will continue to push for these inhumane practices to end.
AILA Doc. No. 22020904
2/4/2022
As AILA celebrates our 75th year, we invited members to “Share the Moment You Realized Immigration Law Was for You” and we are delighted to share the third blog post featuring those moments; this post includes four members’ stories.
AILA Doc. No. 22020403
2/2/2022
AILA Media Advocacy Committee chair Fiona McEntee and member Tahmina Watson explain why the Biden administration needs to make changes to the International Entrepreneur Parole program in order to ensure our country has a workable immigration option for startup entrepreneurs.
AILA Doc. No. 22020254
1/28/2022
As AILA celebrates our 75th year, we invited members to “Share the Moment You Realized Immigration Law Was for You,” and we are delighted to share the second blog posts featuring those moments; this post includes four members’ stories.
AILA Doc. No. 22012851
1/25/2022
AILA Media Advocacy Committee member Adam Cohen highlights why the Biden administration "must do more to allow foreign nurses to bring their desperately needed skills to the U.S." He calls for the rescission of a 2015 memo that puts H-1B nonimmigrant visas out of reach for most foreign-born nurses.
AILA Doc. No. 22012551
1/18/2022
AILA Asylum and Refugee Committee member Lindsay Harris shares the plight of her Afghan clients and discusses solutions that Congress and USCIS need to enact and implement as so many families face unnecessary trauma and hardship.
AILA Doc. No. 22011851
1/13/2022
Jonathan Willmoth reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on court proceedings and the Biden administration's efforts to expand prosecutorial discretion, two areas he looks forward to learning more about at the upcoming AILA Virtual Midwinter Conference, taking place on February 3.
AILA Doc. No. 22201135
1/12/2022
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Vice Chair Evangeline Chan reflects on the meaning of the Lunar New Year, which will usher in the Year of the Tiger on February 1, 2022, urging all of us to be courageous and compassionate and fight injustice this year.
AILA Doc. No. 22011251
11/12/2021
AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee member Christine Alden reflects on the meaning of Native American Heritage month and urges readers to learn more in order to "help protect and preserve this important culture."
AILA Doc. No. 21111291
10/21/2021
AILA Media Advocacy Committee Member Emily Haverkamp highlights the huge obstacles facing asylum seekers seeking work permits while their asylum request is being processed, noting the impact of bad policies on the asylum seekers but also employers seeking workers.
AILA Doc. No. 21102182