Immigration News
Check out daily roundups of immigration-related news stories, read articles that quote and cite AILA and AILA leadership, and check out analysis from AILA members and leadership on the AILA blog.
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AILA in the News
Browse the Immigration News collection
Celebrating All of Our Members This Pro Bono Week!
AILA Pro Bono Committee Member Jena Decker-Xu reflects on the importance of pro bono, using the AC pro bono clinic as one example of how “By using your legal expertise, and giving of your time, you can literally save lives, keep families together, help someone become eligible to vote, and so much mo
AILA President Welcomes Addition of Ecuador to Eligible Countries for Family Reunification Parole Process
AILA President Farshad Owji welcomed the news that Ecuador would be added to the list of countries eligible for Family Reunification Parole (FRP) noting it “will allow qualified individuals residing in Ecuador to reunite with their U.S. citizen and legal resident family members more quickly.”
Decoding Administrative Processing Delays
Dominique Pando Bucci gives some insights into what the “administrative processing“ term means for those in the queue at the Department of State; a webinar on October 12, 2023 will dive into the issue further for interested AILA members.
AILA Calls on Biden Administration to Help Those Displaced By Recent Violence in Middle East
AILA calls on the Biden Administration to move immediately to support the safety of all people affected by the recent violence in the Middle East, urging among other things, “deferred action, humanitarian parole, or Temporary Protected Status for those already in the United States.”
The Mysteries of PERM, Explained
AILA member Vincent Lau describes the importance of knowing the history and context of the PERM process as practitioners become familiar with using the new ETA Form 9089.
Information Overload: A Ride Aboard the USCIS Processing Times Roller Coaster
AILA Policy Associate Paul Stern describes the rollercoaster clients and attorneys find themselves on as they try to determine where their application stands given crisis-level delays and backlogs at USCIS.
The Welcoming Spirit
AILA invited members to share stories of welcome with us as the past two years have brought opportunities to help people, as they come to the U.S. through various ways. AILA members and their communities have opened their arms and hearts to people; this blog post includes several short examples.
Citizenship Matters
AILA New England Chapter Community Based Organizations Committee member Lara Wagner explains the importance, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship and describes a recent Citizenship Day event where chapter members offered legal expertise to help people take the final steps to citizenship.
Priority Dates, Dates for Filing, and Final Action Dates: An Intro to the Visa Bulletin for Adjustment of Status Applicants
In this blog post, AILA member Peter Choi offers a helpful primer for adjustment of status applicants as they attempt to decipher the Visa Bulletin.
And the DREAMers Dream On
AILA member Vaman Kidambi highlights the limbo that DREAMers are still stuck in and urges immigration attorneys to advocate for fairer and more humane immigration laws and policies, writing that immigrants bring “a rich diversity of culture, identity and togetherness“ that benefits us all.
Find a Unicorn, Slay a Dragon: The Categorical Approach, Circa 2023
Michael Vastine describes how he has deployed the “‘categorical approach' challenging many settled notions about what crimes should have immigration consequences“ and previews the upcoming Fall Conference track where “experts will summarize the dominant lines of cases from each Court of Appeal
Recent Child Labor Violations Highlight Need for Critical Labor Reforms
In this blog post, AILA member Shelly Anand and co-author Audrey Moor describe how and why current labor laws fail to protect child workers and urge immigrant rights' advocates and labor law reform advocates to work together to pass legislative reforms that will ensure clear and lasting protections.
Afghanistan – Two Years Later, an Immigration Attorney Reflects
AILA member Mariam Atash reflects on the two years since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan and urges everyone to take action and advocate for passage of the Afghan Adjustment Act to protect the many still waiting for safety.
Quick Member Survey Aims to Highlight Some Key Issues Hampering Immigration Courts
AILA Policy and Practice Counsel ManoLasya Perepa urges AILA members to fill out a quick survey to help us better understand EOIR's specialized dockets; the information will help determine whether policies are helping address the backlog while upholding due process.
Immigration Reform Can Protect Our “Golden Years” from the “Silver Tsunami”
As America's population ages and the economy faces the “Silver Tsunami,“ AILA member Aaron Kochenderfer reflects on immigration reform that could help offset coming workforce challenges and help ensure our “Golden Years“ are prosperous.
How I Spent My Summer Vacation (or the Economic Impact of Immigrants)
AILA Media Advo Committee Member Anthony Pawelski shares some key insights into the economic benefits of immigrants in New England states, and how the data shows how our “nation immensely benefit from our immigrant population“ using data from the American Immigration Council's Map the Impact t
AILA Executive Director Responds to Harmful and Deadly Texas Border Actions
AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson responded to reports regarding the harmful actions taken by the Texas Governor, urging the Governor to reconsider and “Texas state employees and residents to join in the call for these inhumane and deadly tactics be immediately halted.”
A New Way to Offer Immigration Law Expertise to Service Members
Margaret Stock describes the immigration concerns facing many service members and how the new Morgan Lewis Military Immigration Fellow Joanna Kloet will be able to offer help hand in hand with volunteer attorneys assisting via the AILA Military Assistance Program (MAP) effort.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: Digging into the Ombudsman’s Take on the USCIS Backlog
AILA's Paul Stern digs into the recently released USCIS Ombudsman's Report which highlights continued backlogs and processing delays, urging readers to take action to help “ensure the agency has the resources needed to chart a course forward where progress is not just a promise, but a reality.“
The Immigration and Nationality Act’s Lost Appellate Rights Warnings
AILA Law Journal author Christopher Boom shares some insights into his recent article, noting that “Taking away appellate rights from noncitizens for not going to their hearings without warning them of this possibility first“ is unjust and contrary to the will of Congress.
State Courts Affect Applications for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
AILA Law Journal author Madelyn Cox-Guerra shares a bit about her recent article which focused on state court treatment of families as it relates to children seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status; she hopes the article will spur more research and advocacy.
AILA Elects New Officers: Farshad Owji Installed as President of Association
AILA installed Farshad Owji as the association’s president for the 2023-24 term and elected officers to its Executive Committee.
Visalaw.ai and AILA Unveil Gen, a Groundbreaking AI-Based Solution for Immigration Lawyers
Today, Visalaw.ai and AILA unveiled Gen, a groundbreaking AI-based solution for immigration lawyers; AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson noted the technology’s potential impact to empower AILA members and to “expand their capacity to meet the ever-growing need for legal advice and representation.”
The PERM Process in the New Age of Remote Work
AILA Law Journal authors Da'Niel Rowan and Eddie Corona share some highlights from their article in the Spring 2023 edition of the journal, noting that outdated regulations aren't meeting the needs of employers and employees given the shift toward remote work.
AILA Presents Ira Kurzban with the Founders Award
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recognizes Ira Kurzban with the Founders Award, which is given from time to time to the person or entity having the most substantial impact on the field of immigration law or policy.