The State Department has made its visa bond program permanent, requiring some business and tourist B-1 & B-2 visitors to put down up to $20,000 before they can travel to the U.S. For many families, entrepreneurs, and professionals, it's an insurmountable financial barrier.

AILA is proud to endorse Sen. Cortez Masto’s Fairness for Immigrant Families Act, a commonsense step toward creating lawful pathways, protecting families, increasing transparency, and building a fairer immigration system. @cortezmasto.senate.gov

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto@cortezmasto.senate.gov · last wk.

Often, people say that immigrants should “get in line” to achieve legal status, but for many immigrants who have lived and worked here for decades, there’s no way to do that because our system isn’t working. (1/2)

This is one more nail the Administration has hammered into the coffin of the U.S. asylum system that has included closing off the border to asylum seekers, arresting them at court hearings, and sending them to dangerous, conflict-ridden countries where they’ve never lived or even set foot.

AILA@aila.org · last wk.

"This rule will worsen the massive backlogs clogging the immigration courts by shifting thousands of cases from USCIS to judges who take much longer to hear cases than asylum officers," said AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson. aila.org/about/press/aila-executive-director-responds-to-asylum-rule

Reports from airports in Colorado, Connecticut, Tennessee, California, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, New Jersey, and more show a troubling rise in ICE detentions involving travelers and airport workers.

Practice Alert: Reports of Increased Detention at U.S. Airports for Individuals Traveling Domestically

AILA has received a number of reports over the past few days of individuals without lawful status, including those in a period of authorized stay based on pending applications, being detained at airpo...

aila.org

The Trump Administration has filed the first ever application to remove a non-citizen through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). AILA member Eric Lee describes the implications in a new #ThinkImmigration blog post. https://bit.ly/3THGb53

Think Immigration: Trump Moves to Weaponize Decades-Old “Alien Terrorist Removal Court”

AILA Member Eric Lee describes how a 30-year-old, never-used tribunal may be weaponized by the Trump Administration, writing that “its use today should be concerning to all as there are significant im...

bit.ly

AILA thanks @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social & @durbin.senate.gov for championing this vital legislation to restore independence, integrity, and fairness to America’s immigration courts.

Gillibrand, Durbin Introduce Two Bills To Reform America’s Broken Immigration System - Kirsten Gillibrand | U.S. Senator for New York

Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced two bills to reform America’s broken immigration system.  The Protection of Kids in Immigrant Detention (PROKID) Act wo...

gillibrand.senate.gov

DHS has published its Final Rule to eliminate "duration of status" for F, J & I nonimmigrants. One of the most significant changes to international student, exchange visitor & foreign media programs in decades, it will be costly, cause chaos, and cut legal immigration.

The President's reversal of the day-old policy is clear evidence that temporary directives won’t work. After multiple deaths tied to ICE enforcement, Congress must act now to create lasting protections require enforceable standards and accountability.

White House overturns DHS halt to ICE traffic stops despite killings of two men

Move comes after Trump rebuked his own homeland security department and insisted ICE maintain policy

theguardian.com

An ICE-involved shooting has claimed another life just days after the fatal shooting in Houston. Another family grieving, another community left searching for answers. The growing number of fatal encounters tied to immigration enforcement should alarm every American.

AILA@aila.org · 3w ago

"A person was killed Monday in an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, according to the state’s speaker of the house — just days after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston." https://cnn.it/4fwxEu6

Another life has been tragically lost during an ICE operation. Immigration enforcement should never become synonymous with fatal encounters. Every use of deadly force demands independent investigation, full transparency & accountability. The public deserves answers, and the rule of law demands them.

AILA@aila.org · 4w ago

"A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a Mexican national Tuesday morning in Houston...Calls for transparency and an independent investigation...came from local elected officials and other civil rights organizations." https://bit.ly/4pboRkK

Today, AILA President Jeff Joseph and I sent a letter to Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio urging the Administration to take immediate immigration-related actions to protect those affected by the devastating earthquakes that have recently struck Venezuela.

Today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a fundamental constitutional promise: if you're born in the United States, you're a U.S. citizen. Our rights are rooted in the Constitution, not changing political agendas.

This 6-3 decision from SCOTUS ignores the reality that justice cannot exist when people fleeing persecution are blocked from even accessing our asylum laws. Denying a person the chance to seek protection undermines both fairness and the rule of law.

In Blow to Asylum Rights, Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Block Asylum Seekers at Border - American Immigration Council

The Supreme Court ruled today that the Trump administration could turn back asylum seekers at ports of entry along the southern border, and that doing so does not violate federal immigration law. The ...

americanimmigrationcouncil.org

On its path to end legal immigration, this Administration continues to weaponize every policy option they have to force immigrants into unlawful status and make them vulnerable to deportation. Congress must not allow this to continue.

AILA@aila.org · last mo.

AILA is deeply alarmed by the Supreme Court’s refusal to preserve protections for individuals with TPS despite the Administration’s failure to follow proper procedures. Read the latest from AILA President Jeff Joseph & Executive Director Ben Johnson. https://bit.ly/3QMLKOq

Immigration courts should never become traps for people seeking their day in court. AILA applauds today's nationwide ruling blocking ICE from arresting individuals at immigration courthouses.

Federal Judge Bars ICE From Making Arrests in Immigration Courts

nytimes.com

The D.C. Circuit's ruling subjects even more people to the unfair “expedited removal” procedure with no court review or any due process – just a DHS official making a unilateral deportation.

Appeals court allows Trump to fast-track deportation process nationwide

Ruling lets DHS apply expedited removal to non-citizens who are living far from border

theguardian.com

I'm excited to announce the public release of A Better Way on Immigration: Principles for America's Future, AILA's vision for how our nation can modernize and right-size our immigration system to better serve America's interests and values. aila.org/library/a-better-way-on-immigration

A Better Way Forward: Principles for America’s Future

Informed by the experience of the more than 18,000 immigration attorneys who are members of AILA, this document outlines five core principles to restore trust, strengthen the rule of law, and build a ...

aila.org

Today #SCOTUS announced in Blanche v. Lau that border officials can impose serious consequences on green card holders reentering the US with little evidence of wrongdoing if they believe the person committed certain crimes.

On the 14th anniversary of DACA, continued uncertainty affects not only recipients, but also employers, educational institutions, families, and communities across the country. Dreamers have invested in America's future. It's time for Congress to provide a lasting solution.

We are deeply alarmed by reports that the Trump Administration plans to deport Afghan and Iranian nationals to the Central African Republic tomorrow. Third-country removals raise serious due process and humanitarian concerns. We urge immediate action to halt these transfers.

New on #ThinkImmigration: Rekha Sharma-Crawford, AILA Second Vice President and member of the AROL Task Force, discusses Matter of Lozada, "a legal decision [that] exposes not merely a flawed rule, but a systemic failure." https://bit.ly/3Rm6ZGN

Think Immigration: A Rule Meant to Protect Is Cutting Both Ways: Why Matter of Lozada Makes the Case for Independent Immigration Courts

AILA Second Vice President Rekha Sharma-Crawford, member of the AROL Task Force, describes how "Matter of Lozada is not the disease; it is the symptom. The disease is a court system never given the st...

aila.org

We have read reports of overcrowding, medical neglect, abuse by guards & sleep deprivation at ICE detention facilities. Horrific conditions have caused 48 deaths in ICE custody during the current Trump administration. 18 people have died since January of this year.

Rep. Mike Levin@levin.house.gov · 3mo ago

As we attempted to meet with detainees, ICE personnel handed us a memorandum dated today from Todd Lyons, the acting ICE Director. The new policy is designed to make it more difficult for Members of Congress to conduct oversight with transparency.

The ruling reaffirms the right to seek asylum is fundamental & enshrined in US law. By rejecting the sweeping use of ‘invasion’ as a pretext to close the border, the decision upholds America’s commitment to due process & the rule of law. Asylum seekers deserve a fair hearing, not blanket exclusions.

Appeals court clears way for U.S. to reopen border for asylum seekers

A federal appeals court found Trump’s declaration of an “invasion” at the U.S.-Mexico border was illegal, effectively reopening the U.S. to migrants seeking asylum.

washingtonpost.com

The Trump administration has identified 384 naturalized Americans it wants to strip of citizenship & is dispatching prosecutors in 39 US attorney's offices across the country to do it. This is a dangerous escalation & every American should understand why. 🧵

Trump Administration Aims to Strip Citizenship From Hundreds of Naturalized Americans

The Trump administration is assigning denaturalization cases to regular prosecutors, which could lead to a surge of people stripped of U.S. citizenship.

nytimes.com

This Thursday, 300+ AILA members from 34 chapters will meet with congressional delegations for AILA’s National Day of Action to elevate community voices & advocate for policies that treat people with dignity & deliver 21st-century solutions #AILANDA26 https://bit.ly/4tgefCs

Think Immigration: A Step Toward a Better Way on Immigration

AILA Grassroots Advocacy Associate Paul Rampersaud describes the key components that members will be sharing with congressional delegations this week as AILA's National Day of Action takes place on Ca...

bit.ly

Trump has fired 100+ immigration judges, replaced them w/ "deportation judges," ordered courts to stop granting bond & is pressuring judges to rule against immigrants. The result: immigration courts have become extensions of his mass deportation campaign.

How Trump Purged Immigration Judges to Speed Up Deportations

nytimes.com

Yesterday at SCOTUS, justices from across the ideological spectrum (including Trump appointees) expressed deep skepticism about the administration's effort to end birthright citizenship. Here's what they said.

Today, the Supreme Court hears a case challenging Trump’s executive order denying citizenship to children born in the U.S. if their parents lack permanent legal status. The stakes are enormous – more than 250,000 children born here every year.

No law enforcement agency should be funded without being required to follow the Constitution and the law. Congress must deliver binding protections, real transparency, and meaningful oversight.

AILA@aila.org · 4mo ago

AILA responds to the Senate approving funding for DHS while withholding enforcement funding for ICE and CBP: "Congress must deliver binding protections, real transparency, and meaningful oversight.” https://bit.ly/3O6Nh0u

This is staggering. DOJ concedes it relied on a memo that never authorized immigration court arrests yet defended the practice in court for months. Meanwhile, people were arrested and deported while trying to obey court orders. That’s a betrayal of due process and professional ethics.

Letter – #77 in African Communities Together v. Lyons (S.D.N.Y., 1:25-cv-06366) – CourtListener.com

LETTER addressed to Judge P. Kevin Castel from AUSA Tomoko Onozawa dated March 24, 2026 re: Correction of Material Mistaken Statement of Fact. Document filed by Pamela Bondi, Todd M. Lyons, Kristi Noe...

courtlistener.com