Immigration Benefits and Relief
The immigration laws and regulations provide some avenues to apply for lawful status from within the U.S. or to seek relief from deportation. The eligibility requirements for these benefits and relief can be stringent, and the immigration agencies often adopt overly restrictive interpretations of the requirements. Learn about advocacy and litigation that has been and can be undertaken to ensure that noncitizens have a fair chance to apply for the benefits and relief for which they are eligible. Providing avenues for legal status, protection, and family reunification is vital to ensuring humanitarian protection for immigrants. We are leading policy changes that open more opportunities like asylum, visas for victims of crime or human trafficking, and relief for long-term residents. Explore the resources below to learn more.
Biden Took Eight Administrative Actions on Immigration. Here’s What You Need to Know.
On his first day in office, President Biden took significant steps towards undoing the harm of the Trump administration’s immigration policies—and reforming our punitive and inhumane enforcement system. In response to years of work by immigrants and advocates, Biden quickly signed a series of executive actions related to immigration. Here… Read More
A New Vision for Immigration Creates a Welcoming and Inclusive Immigration System
President Joseph R. Biden announced a welcoming and inclusive vision for immigration in a legislative proposal that provides a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants who call the United States home. Read More
The Biden Administration and Congress Must Guarantee Legal Representation for People Facing Removal
The Biden administration should take steps immediately upon entering office to expand federally funded legal representation programs for people facing removal. Here's why. Read More
The United States Needs a New Approach to Visas and Immigration Benefits
This article is part of the Moving Forward on Immigration series that explores the future of immigration in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. The Biden administration faces a fundamental challenge in reforming the U.S. immigration system: making the United States more welcoming to immigrants. Part of this effort… Read More
Why Immigrants With Strong Ties to the US Should Be Allowed to Stay
This article is part of the Moving Forward on Immigration series that explores the future of immigration in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. The Biden administration will soon lead a vibrant nation of immigrants—a nation that includes millions of noncitizens with deep ties to the United States… Read More
Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Immigration Courts Fee Increases and Access to Justice
The American Immigration Council, the National Immigration Law Center and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s new rule that drastically increases fees across-the-board in immigration proceedings. Read More
Brief Comments Regarding DHS Proposed Rule on Employment Authorization for Certain Classes of Aliens With Final Orders of Removal, 85 Fed. Reg. 74,196 (November 19, 2020)
The American Immigration Council, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and Immigrant Legal Defense submitted these comments relating to the Department of Homeland Security's proposed rule to restrict or prohibit work authorization for individuals with final orders of removal. Read More
TPS Extended Another 9 Months for Certain Countries, While Calls for Expanding Protection Increase
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an important announcement on December 9 about the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) designations for people from El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. TPS recipients from these six countries received an additional nine-month permission to remain and work in the United… Read More
District Court Orders Immigration Agencies to Produce Immigration Case Files in First of Its Kind Class Action
Judge William H. Orrick granted summary judgment in favor of two nationwide classes suing DHS, USCIS, and ICE for failing to timely produce the class members’ immigration files (A-Files). The court ordered the agencies to clear their backlogs by responding to the more than 40,000 thousand cases outstanding within 60 days. Read More
A Judge Fully Reinstated DACA, but Dreamers Are Still in Danger
A federal judge in New York has overturned the Trump administration’s latest effort to limit the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. DACA temporarily protects certain people without immigration status from deportation and provides them with a work permit. The Trump administration’s previous effort to end the initiative altogether… Read More
