Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
DHS posted a budget-in-brief of the FY27 President’s Budget Request of $118.4 billion for DHS, including $63.0 billion in net discretionary funding. It includes $10.5 billion for ICE ($10 billion discretionary), ($113 million discretionary), and $22.9 billion for CBP ($18.5 billion discretionary).
4/6/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040604.
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
AILA's USCIS Operations Committee provides the latest information available regarding legacy e-Gov interface Case Status Online Accounts and the transition to the new platform - a continuing update which USCIS begun in 2020.
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 6, 2026.
4/6/26
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court denied the petitions for review, holding that a Virginia Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months qualifies as a crime for which a sentence of one year or longer may be imposed under INA §237(a)(2)(A)(i). (Perdomo Ulloa v. Bondi, 3/25/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA held that lay testimony alone is generally insufficient to establish exceptional and extremely unusual hardship for cancellation of removal under INA §240A(b)(1)(D) where expert medical evidence could reasonably have been produced. Matter of Pelagio Mendoza, 29 I&N Dec. 542 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, 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.
4/3/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040305.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Memo & Regulatory Comments
AILA submits a comment opposing the DOJ notice of proposed rulemaking that would limit the authority of state bar agencies to review complaints and allegations against current and former DOJ attorneys until the Attorney General has completed its investigation.
4/3/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040304.
Ethics
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA reaffirmed that an obstruction of justice offense requires specific intent to interfere with the process of law, and held that a California accessory to a felony conviction categorically qualifies as an aggravated felony. Matter of Valenzuela Gallardo, 29 I&N Dec. 536 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Examples & Questions
AILA’s USCIS Operations Committee has received several reports of members who received emails from myUSCIS after the March 19th filing period closed, alerting them of “failed payment” for the registration, thus invaliding the registration. These reports include payments using ACH and credit cards.
Accessible to: Member.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on April 3, 2026.
4/3/26
Accessible to Public.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
On 3/31/26, President Trump signed Executive Order 14399 which would require DHS and SSA to send a list of U.S. citizens eligible to vote in federal elections to state elections officials. The EO also directs the Postal Service to start a NPRM regarding mail-in ballot criteria and handling.
4/3/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040301.
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court reversed the grant of habeas relief to the Mexican petitioner, holding that an unadmitted noncitizen present in the United States is “seeking admission” and subject to mandatory detention under INA §235(b)(2)(A). (Avila v. Bondi, et al., 3/25/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
Acknowledging a negative online review without violating applicable Rules of Professional Conduct yet protecting your reputation and indicating your levelheadedness to potential future clients may seem like a tall order, but it is doable. This ethics article offers helpful tips.
4/2/26
AILA Doc. No. 21050330.
Ethics
Accessible to: Member, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
AILA provides the most up-to-date information available on FY2027 H-1B Cap-Subject filing. Updates to this information may be shared as additional related resources when and if they become available.
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 2, 2026.
4/2/26
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Learn more and sign-up to give back to the San Diego community at our virtual pro bono clinic for AC26.
4/2/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040201.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
CBP’s Carrier Liaison program issued an updated bulletin on the Visa Bond Pilot Program established by DOS’s temporary final rule published to the Federal Register on 8/5/25. 12 additional countries are now subject to the visa bond, effective April 2, 2026.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
AILA Blog
AILA Past President Jeremy McKinney highlighted key questions raised and answers given in Trump v. Barbara before the Supreme Court as the Justices consider whether the “executive order was constitutionally deficient the day it was signed.”
4/1/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040102.
Accessible to Public.
Federal Agencies, Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison Committee updated its practice pointer on immigrant visa processing at the National Visa Center (NVC). The practice pointer provides NVC processing tips and best practices for communicating and resolving problem cases with the NVC.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Federal Agencies, Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison Committee provides a brief practice alert on DOS’s publication of Monthly Visa Issuance Statistics for September 2025 and its annual report of Visa Refusals rates for B Visas by nationality.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Federal Agencies, FR Regulations & Notices
CBP notice announcing that CBP has opened an additional preclearance facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Preclearance operations began 3/10/26. (91 FR 16011, 4/1/26)
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements, Federal Agencies
USCIS announced it received enough registrations during the initial registration period to reach the FY27 H-1B cap, including the master’s cap. USCIS has made its selections and notified prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file, beginning 4/1/26.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on April 1, 2026.
4/1/26
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that the BIA abused its discretion in denying the petitioner’s motion to reopen based on a change in law that arguably entitled him to relief from removal, finding that the BIA’s conclusion relied on a misreading of the petitioner’s arguments. (Ramsay v. Bondi, 3/27/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison Committee provides an alert regarding NVC’s confirmation of online processing for certain employment-based petitions.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
This Practice Pointer addresses USCIS’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) in adjudicatory and adjudication-adjacent workflows, with a particular focus on how practitioners can identify, infer, and potentially challenge AI-driven adjudications in individual cases.
4/1/26
AILA Doc. No. 26040161.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Featured Issues
The Second Trump Administration has pursued three strategies to restrict U.S. citizenship: ending birthright citizenship, making naturalization harder to obtain, and prioritizing denaturalization. This page will collect resources, updates, and opportunities for advocacy on those three topics.
Accessible to Public.