AILA
@aila.org
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is a national association of 17,000+ attorneys and law professors who practice and teach immigration law. Visit us at aila.org
"Key business, economic development and agriculture leaders...emphatically said we need our immigrants. Even more than we have now, with legal pathways to work, if not citizenship." https://bit.ly/4bq1GOw
January 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM
"Key business, economic development and agriculture leaders...emphatically said we need our immigrants. Even more than we have now, with legal pathways to work, if not citizenship." https://bit.ly/4bq1GOw
Heather Hogan, AILA Policy and Practice Counsel, writes for The Well News: "Afghan evacuees...want safety and a chance to succeed. The administration must show them — and the world — what it means to be American by welcoming them and helping them thrive." https://bit.ly/4qOdBKL
We Owe Afghan Evacuees Protection, Not Punishment
<p>For three years, I worked overseas with the State Department supporting Afghan resettlement efforts. Although the current administration now claims these efforts lacked order or process, I experien...
bit.ly
January 9, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Heather Hogan, AILA Policy and Practice Counsel, writes for The Well News: "Afghan evacuees...want safety and a chance to succeed. The administration must show them — and the world — what it means to be American by welcoming them and helping them thrive." https://bit.ly/4qOdBKL
"Federal immigration agents shot and wounded two people in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland on Thursday, a day after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota." https://bit.ly/3YwiPi8
Federal immigration officers shoot and wound 2 people in Portland, Oregon, authorities say
Federal immigration officers have shot and wounded two people in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland, Oregon.
apnews.com
January 9, 2026 at 1:50 PM
"Federal immigration agents shot and wounded two people in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland on Thursday, a day after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota." https://bit.ly/3YwiPi8
"ICE agents have altered license plates and placed Mexican flag stickers on their vehicles to try to lure and detain people, NPR reported. And now, Oregon utilities are taking steps to ensure their customers don’t mistake ICE agents for their employees." https://bit.ly/4bpJsNd
ICE posing as utility workers to detain immigrants, Gresham lawmaker warns • Oregon Capital Chronicle
Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, in December received reports of his constituents getting detained by people posing as utility workers.
bit.ly
January 9, 2026 at 1:15 AM
"ICE agents have altered license plates and placed Mexican flag stickers on their vehicles to try to lure and detain people, NPR reported. And now, Oregon utilities are taking steps to ensure their customers don’t mistake ICE agents for their employees." https://bit.ly/4bpJsNd
Former SF Judge Dana Leigh Marks "said she’s heard from current immigration attorneys that when the judge presiding over their client’s cases has been fired, their court dates have been removed from the docket and pushed back by up to three or four years." https://bit.ly/4ptCcU0
SF Immigration Court’s Looming Closure Raises Concerns About Path to Asylum | KQED
San Francisco’s decimated main immigration court is set to close by the end of the year. Some worry the Trump administration is trying to disrupt the entire system.
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Former SF Judge Dana Leigh Marks "said she’s heard from current immigration attorneys that when the judge presiding over their client’s cases has been fired, their court dates have been removed from the docket and pushed back by up to three or four years." https://bit.ly/4ptCcU0
"Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales, who was arrested by ICE in Baltimore on Dec. 14, was reunited with her family after almost a month in ICE custody, according to Zachary Perez." https://bit.ly/4srJIS5
Maryland mother arrested by ICE reunited with family, attorney says
Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales, who was arrested by ICE in Baltimore on Dec. 14, was reunited with her family after almost a month in ICE custody, according to Zachary Perez.
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 6:29 PM
"Dulce Consuelo Díaz Morales, who was arrested by ICE in Baltimore on Dec. 14, was reunited with her family after almost a month in ICE custody, according to Zachary Perez." https://bit.ly/4srJIS5
"Incidents in which federal agents either shot someone or held individuals at gunpoint during immigration enforcement operations carried out under Donald Trump’s crackdown. As of 7 January, it identified 28 incidents overall, including the 14 shootings." https://bit.ly/3Z39HSc
US immigration agents linked to spike in shootings under Trump administration crackdown
Data compiled by news non-profit the Trace shows 14 firearm incidents and more uses of force cases
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 2:32 PM
"Incidents in which federal agents either shot someone or held individuals at gunpoint during immigration enforcement operations carried out under Donald Trump’s crackdown. As of 7 January, it identified 28 incidents overall, including the 14 shootings." https://bit.ly/3Z39HSc
"There were 21 judges at San Francisco’s two immigration court locations...There will be just four left by the end of January 2026...There are over 120,000 pending cases in San Francisco’s immigration court backlog." https://bit.ly/44YN5pq
S.F. immigration court to close at year’s end, sources say
The court's closure will leave one remaining immigration court building in San Francisco by 2027.
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 1:08 AM
"There were 21 judges at San Francisco’s two immigration court locations...There will be just four left by the end of January 2026...There are over 120,000 pending cases in San Francisco’s immigration court backlog." https://bit.ly/44YN5pq
Reposted by AILA
A life was lost in Minneapolis today, and that alone demands pause and accountability. No immigration operation should end in death. This tragedy is a direct result of ICE using excessive force as part of a campaign of fear and intimidation in targeted communities.
US immigration officer fatally shoots woman in Minneapolis, officials say
Local officials accuse immigration agents of
www.bbc.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:37 PM
A life was lost in Minneapolis today, and that alone demands pause and accountability. No immigration operation should end in death. This tragedy is a direct result of ICE using excessive force as part of a campaign of fear and intimidation in targeted communities.
"The Trump administration will reduce legal immigration, increase deportations and limit the hiring of H-1B visa holders in 2026...Additional policies are expected to restrict employers, universities and immigrants." https://bit.ly/3Ytyuyz
The Outlook On H-1B Visas And Immigration In 2026
The Trump administration will reduce legal immigration, increase deportations and limit the hiring of H-1B visa holders in 2026.
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 6:56 PM
"The Trump administration will reduce legal immigration, increase deportations and limit the hiring of H-1B visa holders in 2026...Additional policies are expected to restrict employers, universities and immigrants." https://bit.ly/3Ytyuyz
The 7th edition of Litigating Immigration Cases in Federal Court breaks down the latest SCOTUS rulings that have redefined the scope of judicial review and gives you strategies to defend your clients in an increasingly hostile legal environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDpTXl4LyQg
The 7th Edition of Litigating Immigration Cases in Federal Court
YouTube video by AILANational
www.youtube.com
January 7, 2026 at 4:06 PM
The 7th edition of Litigating Immigration Cases in Federal Court breaks down the latest SCOTUS rulings that have redefined the scope of judicial review and gives you strategies to defend your clients in an increasingly hostile legal environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDpTXl4LyQg
"The District Court for the District of Columbia case is one of multiple legal challenges to DHS’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, stripping lawful status and work authorization for more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants in the US." https://bit.ly/49JrFPG
Judge Grills DHS Lawyers on Terminated Immigrant Protections
A Washington, DC federal judge pressed lawyers for the Trump administration on how Haitian immigrants targeted for removal from the US could safely return to a country deemed unsafe for travel by the ...
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 2:00 PM
"The District Court for the District of Columbia case is one of multiple legal challenges to DHS’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, stripping lawful status and work authorization for more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants in the US." https://bit.ly/49JrFPG
"It’s unclear if ICE will target farm workers as it ramps up enforcement, but White House Border Czar Tom Homan told Reuters that immigration arrests will 'explode greatly next year,' and that enforcement would 'absolutely' hit workplaces." https://bit.ly/4qLfA2p
Deportations are set to explode — a huge worry for farmers already facing a labor shortage
American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and that workforce is already stretched thin. With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even ha...
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 12:38 AM
"It’s unclear if ICE will target farm workers as it ramps up enforcement, but White House Border Czar Tom Homan told Reuters that immigration arrests will 'explode greatly next year,' and that enforcement would 'absolutely' hit workplaces." https://bit.ly/4qLfA2p
As we begin a new year, AILA Board of Governors member Andrew Nietor calls on America to “commit to a healthier democracy, a more productive community, and a more compassionate society.” Read more on #ThinkImmigration https://bit.ly/4jpTDmU
Think Immigration: America’s New Year’s Resolutions
AILA Board of Governors Member Andrew Nietor calls for America to make some resolutions this New Year, writing that we must “remember that being a nation of immigrants is not a weakness to manage but ...
www.aila.org
January 6, 2026 at 6:20 PM
As we begin a new year, AILA Board of Governors member Andrew Nietor calls on America to “commit to a healthier democracy, a more productive community, and a more compassionate society.” Read more on #ThinkImmigration https://bit.ly/4jpTDmU
"Only people living outside of the U.S. can apply for refugee status, which DHS acknowledged in response to questions about Noem’s Sunday statements. In late October, the Trump administration slashed refugee admissions to a 7,500 annual cap." https://bit.ly/4pv5Ubg
DHS Acknowledges Venezuelans Who Lost TPS Don’t Qualify for Refugee Status
Noem had said on Sunday that refugee applications would go forward.
bit.ly
January 6, 2026 at 4:54 PM
"Only people living outside of the U.S. can apply for refugee status, which DHS acknowledged in response to questions about Noem’s Sunday statements. In late October, the Trump administration slashed refugee admissions to a 7,500 annual cap." https://bit.ly/4pv5Ubg
ICE "will be sending 1,500 deportation officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as 600 agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the officials said. Some of the officers and agents began arriving Sunday." https://nbcnews.to/44YjnRu
Homeland Security surging more agents to Minneapolis
A right-wing YouTuber continues to claim fraud by Somalis living in the area.
nbcnews.to
January 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM
ICE "will be sending 1,500 deportation officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations as well as 600 agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the officials said. Some of the officers and agents began arriving Sunday." https://nbcnews.to/44YjnRu
"While the man's wife and two older sons successfully applied for permission to remain in the country, at least for now, he and his daughter, instead, face deportation." https://bit.ly/4slUnh7
Ukrainian family in Utah facing separation, with 2 family members fearing deportation
Two members of a family that came from Ukraine to Utah in 2023 inexplicably face deportation while three other family members successfully petitioned to remain.
bit.ly
January 5, 2026 at 11:57 PM
"While the man's wife and two older sons successfully applied for permission to remain in the country, at least for now, he and his daughter, instead, face deportation." https://bit.ly/4slUnh7
NEW: AILA member Muhammed Üzüm explains why talking with candidates & employers about cap-independent options such as O-1 & L-1 visas that may fit their circumstances is crucial given the uncertainty surrounding the cost & timing of H-1B visa petitions.
Think Immigration: What Are Alternatives to the H-1B Visa?
AILA member Muhammed Üzüm explains why talking with candidates and employers about cap-independent options such as O-1 and L-1 visas that may fit their circumstances is crucial given the uncertainty s...
www.aila.org
January 5, 2026 at 10:02 PM
NEW: AILA member Muhammed Üzüm explains why talking with candidates & employers about cap-independent options such as O-1 & L-1 visas that may fit their circumstances is crucial given the uncertainty surrounding the cost & timing of H-1B visa petitions.
"More than 300 federal judges, including appointees of every president since Ronald Reagan, have now rebuffed the administration’s six-month-old effort to expand its so-called 'mandatory detention' policy." https://politi.co/4purJHT
Hundreds of judges reject Trump’s mandatory detention policy, with no end in sight
Judges have ruled against the administration in more than 1,600 cases.
politi.co
January 5, 2026 at 4:45 PM
"More than 300 federal judges, including appointees of every president since Ronald Reagan, have now rebuffed the administration’s six-month-old effort to expand its so-called 'mandatory detention' policy." https://politi.co/4purJHT
"USCIS said it would pause the review of all pending applications for visas, green cards, citizenship or asylum from immigrants from the additional countries. The memo also outlines plans to re-review applications of immigrants from these countries." https://n.pr/4qwWkFA
DHS pauses immigration applications for an additional 20 countries
The Department of Homeland Security is pausing immigration applications from 20 additional countries following increased scrutiny on people who seek legal pathways for immigrating to the U.S.
n.pr
January 5, 2026 at 2:05 PM
"USCIS said it would pause the review of all pending applications for visas, green cards, citizenship or asylum from immigrants from the additional countries. The memo also outlines plans to re-review applications of immigrants from these countries." https://n.pr/4qwWkFA
"Federal officials have canceled a growing number of naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies in the Twin Cities in recent months, throwing the citizenship process in turmoil for many Minnesota green-card holders." https://bit.ly/4jqU8gM
New policies complicate path to citizenship for green-card holders
A once-straightforward path to U.S. citizenship has become fraught as federal officials cancel many naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies for green-card holders in Minnesota and across the cou...
bit.ly
January 2, 2026 at 2:50 PM
"Federal officials have canceled a growing number of naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies in the Twin Cities in recent months, throwing the citizenship process in turmoil for many Minnesota green-card holders." https://bit.ly/4jqU8gM
"Yet, neighbors saw immigration agents detain day laborers, construction and landscaping workers and street vendors, mothers and fathers...Federal agents often used violent and unlawful tactics during the operations, advocates and lawyers said." https://bit.ly/490VMlt
Chicago Under Siege: How Operation Midway Blitz Changed Our City
Federal agents arrested thousands during an unprecedented immigration mission in Chicago. They also killed a man, shot a woman five times, tear-gassed a 1-year-old, separated families and brutalized p...
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"Yet, neighbors saw immigration agents detain day laborers, construction and landscaping workers and street vendors, mothers and fathers...Federal agents often used violent and unlawful tactics during the operations, advocates and lawyers said." https://bit.ly/490VMlt
"When President Donald Trump returned to office, approximately 39,000 people were in ICE custody. By year's end, that number surged to more than 65,000 detainees — surpassing the previous record of 50,200 people held per day on average." https://bit.ly/4qsXXnF
Trump's first year sees immigration detention numbers reach unprecedented level
When President Trump returned to office, approximately 39,000 people were in ICE custody. By year's end, that number surged to more than 65,000 detainees.
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 5:25 PM
"When President Donald Trump returned to office, approximately 39,000 people were in ICE custody. By year's end, that number surged to more than 65,000 detainees — surpassing the previous record of 50,200 people held per day on average." https://bit.ly/4qsXXnF
"Those from nations included on a travel ban list announced by Donald Trump last summer were then excluded from taking part [in their scheduled US citizenship ceremony], despite having completed the years-long vetting process." https://bit.ly/3YPgcbb
Despair for would-be US citizens as American dream blocked by Trump
Aspirant Americans tell of exclusions from ceremonies by sudden policy introduced on ‘security’ grounds
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 2:19 PM
"Those from nations included on a travel ban list announced by Donald Trump last summer were then excluded from taking part [in their scheduled US citizenship ceremony], despite having completed the years-long vetting process." https://bit.ly/3YPgcbb
"Elvira...is just one step away from receiving her green card. But more than a month after a judge agreed to grant her permanent residence pending a background check, she was still sitting in an ICE detention facility...where she has spent half of 2025." https://bit.ly/4pTnqqw
A background check delay for one Wisconsin woman shows strain on immigration system
This story was produced and originally published by Wisconsin Watch, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Elvira Benitez of Sheboygan Falls is just one step away from receiving her green card. But ...
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 12:59 AM
"Elvira...is just one step away from receiving her green card. But more than a month after a judge agreed to grant her permanent residence pending a background check, she was still sitting in an ICE detention facility...where she has spent half of 2025." https://bit.ly/4pTnqqw