Immigration News Resources

The coronavirus pandemic has radically altered the U.S. workforce. Many people have lost their jobs, while others have had to continue to go to work despite the serious health risks. Some sectors within the U.S. economy, however, have been able to shift toward working remotely. And immigrants working in the information technology sector have once again proven essential throughout this transition. Data compiled by New American Economy highlights the significant impact immigrants have made in maintaining the digital economy across the country. Immigrants have helped […]

The post Immigrant IT Workers Play Critical Role in the Coronavirus Pandemic’s Virtual Economy  appeared first on Immigration Impact.

In this blog post, AILA Customer Services Manager LaJuan Campbell shares the experience she has had with racism and injustice and the difficult conversations it forced her to have with her son Dominick about America's societal prejudices and how he could stay as safe as possible.

Many communities across the U.S. have adopted so-called “sanctuary policies” that are intended to ensure that we all live in safe neighborhoods. When these policies are in place, local police don’t take part in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. These policies allow immigrants to work with local law enforcement in reporting and investigating crimes […]

The post Cities with ‘Sanctuary’ Policies Save Lives from Domestic Violence appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The AILA Diversity and Inclusion Committee is deeply saddened by the recent unjust and tragic police killings of Black Americans and we stand in solidarity for the demands for justice and accountability. This blog post includes four member perspectives and calls for change.

As part of AILA’s internal reflection during this time, staff were invited to share perspectives and experiences relating to America’s divisive and unjust past, the current situation, and our commitment to a better future. In this blog post, we welcome these insights from Joy Hardy.

The U.S. Supreme Court found on Monday that federal courts have the authority to review certain claims from people who are seeking protection from torture. The case, Nasrallah v. Barr, is about what happens when certain people seeking protection under the Convention Against Torture are denied protection by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The […]

The post Supreme Court Safeguards Federal Court Review of Torture Protections appeared first on Immigration Impact.

President Trump issued a proclamation to prevent certain Chinese nationals from entering the United States using academic student (F) or exchange visitor researcher (J) visas. The proclamation applies to graduate-level or post-graduate students and researchers who have ties to certain entities in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The proclamation bans students and researchers who […]

The post Presidential Proclamation Bars Certain Students and Researchers From China appeared first on Immigration Impact.

AILA member Patrick McCormick reviews some of the alterations to Internal Revenue Service policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they could impact multinationals in particular, noting however "we all realize that guidance related to COVD-19 is evolving,"

May 31 closes out Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The term AAPI encompasses all people from the Asian continent and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. This year’s recognition of AAPI Heritage Month […]

The post Asian Americans Play Key Role in Fighting Coronavirus, Even as They Suffer Racism Spurred by It appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) hiring process for immigration appellate judges was recently revealed. Now, the integrity of the immigration court system has never been more in question. These procedures reflect how the agency has altered the hiring process to promote judges with a track record of anti-immigrant bias. The information was obtained through […]

The post Board of Immigration Appeals’ Restructuring and Hiring Plan Reveals Anti-Immigrant Bias appeared first on Immigration Impact.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government has implemented sweeping revisions to U.S. immigration policy. Many of the changes fail to prioritize the health of immigrants or the general public. Some functions—like processing visas abroad and asylum claims at the border—have come to a virtual standstill. Yet many people applying for immigration benefits […]

The post 5 Ways Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Agenda Gets in the Way of an Effective Coronavirus Response appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The Trump administration has indefinitely extended its ban on immigration at U.S. land borders.  The order was also expanded to include immigrants arriving at coastal ports. The ban is based on an order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), allowing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to immediately remove migrants from the […]

The post Trump Is Using the Coronavirus Pandemic as an Excuse to Permanently Close the Borders appeared first on Immigration Impact.

AILA Member Kevin Gregg shares his experience during COVID-19 thus far, including the fact that with the time freed up from less travel and commuting, he has started a podcast on precedential immigration decisions.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says it’s running out of money, fast. In a letter to Congress, USCIS declared that the coronavirus pandemic had caused unavoidable budget shortfalls. The agency—normally funded by fees from visa petitions and immigration benefit applications—says it will run out of money by June. It’s asking Congress for an emergency […]

The post USCIS Claims It’s Strapped for Cash, Requests Emergency Funding From Congress appeared first on Immigration Impact.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected day-to-day life for everyone, including foreign nationals who planned to participate in the U.S. Department of State’s Exchange Visitor Program. These programs use on-the-job training and are often planned months in advanced. Many large organizations and companies that sponsor and host exchange visitors—who come to the United States on J-1 […]

The post Exchange Visitor Program Faces Uncertainty as US Opens but Embassies Remain Closed appeared first on Immigration Impact.

68% of U.S. adults say the federal government has a responsibility to provide medical care to undocumented immigrants who have COVID-19.

The post Americans favor medical care but not economic aid for undocumented immigrants affected by COVID-19 appeared first on Pew Research Center.

When the Trump administration implemented mass family separation in 2018, the American public was outraged. Two years later, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is using a different strategy with the risk of a similar result. The agency is now forcing parents at its family detention centers to choose between separation from their children or […]

The post ICE Tells Parents to Separate From Their Children or Risk Indefinite Detention Together appeared first on Immigration Impact.

In response to rumored plans by the administration to tighten nonimmigrant visas, AILA member Doug Penn shares the impact one of his clients has had creating American jobs while in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa and why the administration should not block these job creators from the U.S.

U.S. Border Patrol agents expelled or apprehended 15,862 migrants at the southwest border in April, down 47% from March.

The post With U.S.-Mexico border closed, migrant apprehensions fell by nearly half in April appeared first on Pew Research Center.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act on Friday, May 15. The bill directs $3 trillion in stimulus spending and is the latest in a series of bills that Congress has considered in response to the coronavirus. The HEROES Act seeks to relieve some of the […]

The post The HEROES Act Would Provide Aid to Millions of Immigrants Left Out of Other Coronavirus Relief Packages appeared first on Immigration Impact.