Featured Issues
This page provides key information on the FY2027 H‑1B cap-subject filing season. It will be updated with official announcements, policy guidance, and tools to assist practitioners. Check back often for filing dates, regulatory updates, and compliance resources to ensure timely, accurate submissions.
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
DOL announced it will conduct routine system maintenance on the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System on Saturday, 3/7/36, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. ET. During this period, certain functionality within FLAG may be affected.
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA held that where an expert witness’ background and testimony reflect a reluctance to consider contrary evidence and an inability to impartially assess matters on removal to a country, an IJ errs in giving that testimony significant weight. Matter of D-J-L-, 29 I&N Dec. 485 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison Committee provides a resource to help members understand the current state of consular operations and U.S. Citizen services at posts across the Middle East.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Featured Issues
Immigration courts face a profound structural problem—they operate under DOJ and are therefore extremely vulnerable to political interference. This page collects resources, updates, and opportunities to advocate for establishing an independent immigration court with the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act.
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
AILA National provides an overview of issues reported during the first couple days of H-1B cap-subject registration, including status of issues reported to USCIS and/or recommendations for next steps.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
EOIR’s Office of Policy released fact sheet on observing immigration court hearings. The fact sheet outlines restrictions on court observers, including a ban on all virtual observations.
Accessible to Public.
Press Releases
AILA President Jeff Joseph and Executive Director Ben Johnson welcomed the newly introduced "Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2026" which would "lay a new foundation for the courts as an independent institution that will no longer be controlled by the Executive Branch.”
3/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 26030661.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources, Tutorial Videos
“Don’t forget to breathe.” People say this all the time, but it is amazing how we forget our breath in the midst of chaos. Watch this short video by Ritu Goswamy, an AILA member and lawyer consultant, to learn an exercise to center oneself anywhere, anytime.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on March 6, 2026.
3/6/26
Accessible to Public.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
EOIR notice and comment request on extension and revision of Form EOIR-33, Change of Address/Contact Information Form. EOIR proposes to remove address form fields allowing the subject to designate a third party to receive mail from EOIR on their behalf. Comments are due 5/4/26. (91 FR 10829, 3/5/36)
Accessible to Public.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
EOIR notice of revision of Form EOIR-56, Request To Be Included on the List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers for Individuals in Immigration Proceedings. Changes are non-substantive. Comments are due 5/4/26. (91 FR 10830, 3/5/26)
Accessible to Public.
Federal Court Cases
The Supreme Court rejected asylum seekers' arguments that federal courts should review de novo the BIA's determination whether their past mistreatment constitutes persecution, holding that they must defer to the BIA's finding using the substantial-evidence standard. (Urias-Orellana v. Bondi, 3/4/26)
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Failure to follow the rules related to trust accounting and managing Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) can have serious consequences. In this informative Q&A, members of AILA’s Ethics Committee answer common questions to help immigration attorneys better understand this important topic.
3/5/26
AILA Doc. No. 22070700.
Ethics
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
This short ethics article clarifies a lawyer’s ethical obligations to show up to court when a case is calendared, even if the client isn’t going to, and helps with what to say to the judge.
3/5/26
AILA Doc. No. 25082138.
Ethics
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
DOJ proposed rule that would give AG the right to review complaints and allegations made before a state bar against current and former DOJ attorneys and to request that the bar suspend investigations until DOJ completes its review. Comments are due 4/6/26. (91 FR 10780, 3/5/26)
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
Join us on March 13th for a roundtable that features Texas based practitioners discussing current immigration bond hearing practices in Texas, with targeted attention to late breaking developments following Maldonado Bautista and how those changes are playing out before local Immigration Judges.
3/5/26
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on March 5, 2026.
3/5/26
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
Join us on March 6th for a webinar is designed for practitioners both inside and outside New England who advise clients facing potential removal.
3/5/26
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
Learn how AILALink is the perfect tool for electronic access to the books and other research resources you need. Sign up for our next group training at 2:00 pm (ET) on Tuesday, March 10.
3/4/26
AILA Doc. No. 15082740.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Hesitant about self-compassion? This article invites you to try it anyway and see the results.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
The DOS Liaison Committee provides context for press remarks made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio on December 19, 2025, regarding visa processing, visa revocations, the DV lottery, and agency morale.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
This practice pointer offers talking points to help clients prepare for delays and challenges in FY 2027 H‑1B cap cases, while flagging key issues affecting FY 2026 filings that remain pending.
Accessible to: Member.
AILA Blog
In this Q&A between AILA Media Advocacy Committee Chair Shannon Shepherd and recent UCLA graduate and researcher Jake Alnapulsi, Jake details the Trump Administration's efforts to use the Alien Enemies Act against immigrants and how those actions undermine due process.
3/4/26
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
AILA’s Student Visa Taskforce provides a practice pointer with tips on how to proceed when USCIS issues a biometrics notice without an RFE, or an RFE without biometrics notice.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on March 4, 2026.
3/4/26
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
The AILA Global Migration Section (GMS) Analytics Subcommittee surveyed the GMS membership about criminal background checks and police certificates. These survey responses cover 24 countries.
Accessible to: Member, Student, International Associate.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA held that the IJ erred in denying DHS’s motion to recalendar removal proceedings that had been administratively closed for nearly 13 years based solely on a pending U visa petition, and sustained DHS’s interlocutory appeal. Matter of Ibarra-Vega, 29 I&N Dec. 476 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that substantial evidence supported the denial of CAT relief to the petitioner, who had cognitive and physical disabilities, finding that he failed to show it was more likely than not that he would be tortured with specific intent in Mexico. (Garcia-Botello v. Bondi, 2/25/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
SAVE and E-Verify posted announcements about the impact of the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen on Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). Category A12 or C19 EADs issued under this designation will expire 5/4/26.
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
On March 3, 2026, DHS published a Federal Register notice terminating Temporary Protected Status for Yemen, effective May 4, 2026. The Verification and Documentation Committee provide this practice alert for more details.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
The Verification and Documentation Committees provides a comprehensive chart on current status, key updates, and EAD notes for TPS and parole programs.
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
The DOS Liaison Committee provides a briefing on the contents of the March 2026 visa bulletin.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
This brief urged the Ninth Circuit to reject the BIA's ruling in Matter of Soram, under which a noncitizen may be deported for negligently creating a “sufficient” risk to a child. That vague standard exceeds Congress's 1996 intent to deport only for crimes of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment.
Accessible to: Member.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
This brief argues that a domestic-violence victim can gain asylum by virtue of having been persecuted on account of her membership in the particular social group of "Brazilian women," or "Brazilian women unable to leave a domestic partnership."
Accessible to: Member.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
In this brief, AILA urged the invalidity of Oklahoma's H.B. 4156, which purports to make presence without immigration authorization a state-law crime punishable by prison and expulsion from the state.
Accessible to: Member.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
In this brief, AILA urged the invalidity of Texas's S.B. 4, which purports to criminalize the presence in the state of persons who have entered the United States without authorization or have previously been removed.
Accessible to: Member.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
DHS notice that DHS Secretary is terminating the designation of Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Termination will be effective 5/4/26. EADs issued under this designation will also expire 5/4/26. (91 FR 10402, 3/3/26)
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
The February 2026 GMS E-Bulletin provides the latest updates from around the Globe, introductions of new GMS members, and useful information for your practice!
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal, International Associate.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on March 3, 2026.
3/3/26
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
Join us from 4/28 - 5/12 for a hands-on, beginner-friendly online course that offers participants the skills to use Microsoft 365 Copilot today, to improve writing, streamline office work, reduce research time, and build safe workflows.
3/3/26
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
Amicus brief by immigrant rights organizations raising how the Trump Administrations executive order limiting birthright citizenship would increase statelessness and harm asylum seekers and other vulnerable noncitizens.
Accessible to: Member.
AILA Announcements
AILA reminds members that the initial registration period for the FY2027 H-1B cap will be open from this Wednesday 3/4/26 through 3/19/26. Visit AILA’s featured issue page to find additional resources to assist practitioners filing H-1B cap-subject petitions.
Accessible to Public.
Congressional Updates
AILA sent an updated vote recommendation to Congress on 3/2/26 urging it to block any continued funding to ICE and CBP until an agreement is reached on enforceable reforms to stop their unlawful and dangerous practices and restore safety to American communities.
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements
DHS announced the upcoming termination of Temporary Protected Status for Yemen, effective 5/4/26. An advance copy of the termination notice, to be published in the Federal Register on 3/3/26, is available.
Accessible to Public.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
EOIR IFR and request for comments on implementing electronic filing and records applications for all cases before the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO), effective 3/2/26. Comments are due 4/1/26. (91 FR 9989, 3/2/26)
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on March 2, 2026.
3/2/26
Accessible to Public.
Client Flyers
AILA provides a flyer to inform your clients of USCIS policies pausing processing for many benefits requests and ordering re-review of certain approved applications. The flyer is available as a generic PDF as well as a Word version you can customize with your firm's information. Please share.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Litigation Resources, Sample Briefs
EB1-A plaintiff’s motion in support of summary judgement in case challenging USCIS’s extra-regulatory “final merits determination,” arguing it was created by memo without APA rulemaking, exceeds INA and regulations, and is arbitrary and capricious.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Federal Court Cases, Litigation Resources, Sample Briefs
AILA member Brian Green secured a major victory in Mukherji v. Miller, where the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska held that USCIS unlawfully adopted and applied the so-called “Kazarian Step Two” final merits determination in adjudicating EB-1A petitions.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.