Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA along with immigration-rights organizations and clinics filed an amici brief arguing that a person can show her eligibility for asylum by establishing that she was persecuted on account of her status as a Salvadoran woman. (Cruz de Saenz v. Garland, 12/23/24)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
Amici brief of AILA and 77 law scholars explains to Supreme Court that TPS is a humanitarian program authorized by statute. While the executive has discretion to designate TPS, the law limits termination, which is not permitted while original country conditions persist. (Mullin v. Doe, 4/1/26)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA and American Immigration Council’s amici brief tells Supreme Court that when LPRs return from abroad and are not chargeable as inadmissible, the government must admit them. The law does not allow the government to parole them instead, leaving their status unresolved. (Bondi v. Lau, 3/27/26)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
The U.S. government sought to punish Perkins Coie and other firms for refusing to advance its agenda. In an amicus brief, AILA and partner groups explained that these actions unlawfully chilled law firms’ willingness to bring pro bono litigation against the government. (Perkins Coie v. DOJ, 4/2/26)
4/21/26
AILA Doc. No. 26042134.
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
In an amicus brief, AILA and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) argue persecution based on a woman’s status as a Salvadoran woman supports a cognizable asylum claim, and that the BIA may not exclude gender based violence from qualifying persecution. (Gutierrez Flores v. Bondi, 2/20/26)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA and American Immigration Council’s amicus brief argues that when a consular officer enters §221(g) refusal and places visa application in prolonged administrative processing, applicants may seek judicial relief for unreasonable delay when no further action is taken. (Mehneh v. Rubio, 7/28/25)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
The petitioner was forced to proceed in reasonable fear interview and immigration judge review without counsel, despite asking to contact his attorney. AILA and Public Counsel stress the critical role of counsel and the high stakes for pro se detainees. (Amador Canacas v. Bondi, 4/9/26)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
In OCAHO proceeding, the government claims it may delay filing an administrative complaint indefinitely so long as it serves a Notice of Intent to Fine within five years. AILA and American Immigration Council argue the limitations period runs until complaint is filed. (U.S. v. Jurayeva, 10/10/25)
4/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 26042010.
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
The noncitizen was permanently barred from asylum based on a misdemeanor with no injury that the BIA labeled a particularly serious crime. In an amicus brief, AILA urges that after Loper Bright v. Raimondo, courts of appeals may re-examine BIA’s flawed case law. (Guerrero Avrca v. Bondi, 7/22/25)
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
The Verification Committee provides a comprehensive chart on current status and EAD notes for TPS and parole programs.
Special thank you to Kathleen Campbell Walker, Meredith Jolie, John Mazzeo, Timothy D’Arduini, Sarah Peterson, and Kimberley Best Robidoux for their contributions to the chart.
Accessible to Public.
Congressional Updates, Correspondence
On 4/20/26, AILA sent a vote recommendation to the Senate urging a YES vote on S.J.Res 99 to overturn the termination of the 540-day EAD automatic extension rule.
4/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 26042007.
Congress
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court denied the petition for review, holding that the petitioner had forfeited all exhausted bases to challenge the agency’s decision denying his asylum application and failed to exhaust the procedural due process claims he raised before the court. (Santana-Gonzalez v. Bondi, 4/8/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Examples & Questions
AILA's DOL Committee requests questions for the 2026 Annual Conference Open Forum. Questions must be submitted no later than April 29, at 11:59pm.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
USCIS notice of the extension without change of Form G-1566, Request for a Certificate of Non-Existence. Comments are due 6/22/26. (91 FR 21013, 4/20/26)
4/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 26042004.
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court dismissed the petition for lack of jurisdiction, holding that an email from a DHS field office declining to revisit a long-executed 2018 Final Administrative Removal Order (FARO) was not a “final order of removal” reviewable under INA §242(a). (Velazquez-Olais v. Blanche, 4/6/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
AILA's USCIS Operations Committee shares this practice alert based on the newly issued telephonic appearance policy update issued by USCIS on 4/17/2026. Policy becomes effective 5/18/2026. It is recommended that members begin planning with clients accordingly now.
4/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 23050400.
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 April 20, 2026.
4/20/26
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA and the American Immigration Council’s amicus brief argues that a visa refusal under INA §221(g) is a delay, not a final decision, and that consular nonreviewability does not bar APA challenges to unreasonable visa delays, which are presumptively reviewable. (Asghari v. Rubio)
Accessible to Public.
Liaison Minutes
AILA’s Verification and Documentation Committee provides key takeaways from their April 15, 2026 meeting with leadership from the Department of Justice’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER).
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The court held that the petitioner forfeited his arguments regarding the four particular social groups (PSGs) he identified before the agency and that he failed to exhaust the three new groups he presented for the first time in his petition for review. (Gamas-Vicente v. Blanche, 4/7/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA held that a Secretary of State letter was sufficient to establish removability under INA §237(a)(4)(C)(i), and that failure to disclose involvement with an organization on a Form I-485 was a material misrepresentation supporting removability. Matter of M–K–, 29 I&N Dec. 556 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA’s amicus brief opposed an Executive Order that would deny birthright citizenship to people born in the United States, arguing that even under the government’s narrow constitutional theory, the order violates Congress’s birthright citizenship mandate in the INA. (O. Doe v. Trump, 5/30/25)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA’s amicus brief argued that, after Loper Bright, Courts of Appeals aren’t required to defer to BIA precedent and urged the Eighth Circuit to re-examine the asylum bar based on a particularly serious crime without proof the individual poses a danger to the community. (Duffi v. Bondi, 4/28/25)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA and the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) filed an amici brief outlining immigration judges’ affirmative duty to develop the record in removal proceedings and how this duty applies to pro se respondents and cases where counsel’s performance falls below minimum professional standards.
Accessible to: Member.
AILA Announcements
On April 16, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1689, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for TPS for at least three months after January 20, 2029. Use AILA’s advocacy tool to email and call your Member of Congress to thank them for their YES vote.
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
The brief argues that EAJA applies to civil suits challenging unlawful immigration detention through a habeas petition.
Accessible to: Member.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA’s amicus brief argues Iowa's SF 2340 statute, which makes it a criminal offense for a noncitizen to be present in Iowa if they have ever been removed from the United States, is exceptionally broad and conflicts with federal immigration law. (Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice v. Bird, 8/28/24)
Accessible to Public.
Amicus Briefs/Alerts
AILA and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS) filed an amicus brief arguing that opposition to a gang can constitute expression of a political opinion for purposes of an asylum claim. (V.G.L.M. v. Bondi, 6/16/25)
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
SAVE and E-Verify provided updates regarding extension of EADs for TPS-holders from Haiti, given the 2/2/26 order in Miot v. Trump staying TPS termination. Expiration dates for such EADs should be listed in E-Verify and SAVE as 7/1/26. The updates supersede prior guidance.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on April 17, 2026.
4/17/26
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Learn how to establish a straightforward process for closing immigration law cases, minimize ethical risks, and avoid prolonged cases, with downloadable sample case closing letters in Word.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
In this series AILA’s National Pro Bono Committee interviews Chapter Pro Bono Champions, asking them five questions to learn more about how they began doing pro bono work and the impact of their work.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Press Releases
AILA welcomed the work of a bipartisan group of lawmakers that successfully advanced a discharge petition and forced a House vote in favor of legislation that would extend vital legal protection for 350,000 Haitian nationals who are at risk of being returned to dangerous conditions.
4/16/26
AILA Doc. No. 26041665.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on April 16, 2026.
4/16/26
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
USCIS notice of extension without change of myE-Verify Program. Comments are due 6/15/26. (91 FR 20477, 4/16/26)
Accessible to Public.
Examples & Questions
AILA’s USCIS Operations Committee seeks examples regarding the implementation of USCIS PM-602-0191, PM-602-0194, and their impact on adjudications, particularly where cases are not adjudicated or are held for decision in connection with PP 10949 and PP 10998. Examples must be received by 05/14/26.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.