Immigration Reform
The last time Congress updated our legal immigration system was November 1990, one month before the World Wide Web went online. We are long overdue for comprehensive immigration reform.
Through immigration reform, we can provide noncitizens with a system of justice that provides due process of law and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Because it can be a contentious and wide-ranging issue, we aim to provide advocates with facts and work to move bipartisan solutions forward. Read more about topics like legalization for undocumented immigrants and border security below.In the Spotlight
Restoring Credibility and Humanity
- Interior Enforcement
- May 11, 2026
A new framework for U.S. immigration enforcement that prioritizes public safety, fairness, accountability, and humane, proportionate consequences. Read More
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The “Mass Influx” Declaration
In 1996, Congress passed a law giving the federal government the power to declare an emergency relating to a “mass influx” of migrants. When this emergency provision is enacted, the government can both disburse funding to states and localities dealing with the “influx” and delegate authority to local… Read More
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Block on SF 2340, Iowa’s Anti-Immigrant Law
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, JAN. 25, 2025 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit today upheld a temporary block on SF 2340, Iowa’s worst-ever immigration law. The Iowa law was passed during the 2024 Iowa legislative session and was temporarily blocked by the courts just weeks after. It conflicts… Read More
After Day One: A High-Level Analysis of Trump’s First Executive Actions
On the first day of his second term, President Trump issued ten executive orders aimed at overhauling U.S. immigration law and policy, impacting nearly every aspect of the system; this factsheet analyzes these actions. Read More
Misguided Laken Riley Act Does Nothing to Fix the Problems That Plague Our Immigration System
WASHINGTON, JAN. 22, 2025 — Today, the House voted in the final step for passing S. 5, legislation that will have devastating implications for many immigrants in the United States and our system of legal immigration alike. The bill eliminates due process for many immigrants, including some… Read More
The Laken Riley Act Would Give States Sweeping Power Over Immigration Policy
Want to take action on the Laken Riley Act? The House of Representatives passed the Laken Riley Act, H.R. 29. It will likely go to a vote in the Senate. Contact your senators and urge them to vote “No” on this anti-immigrant bill. Who runs the U.S. Read More
FEMA’s Role in Migrant Assistance: Exploring the Shelter and Services Program
When local communities receive new immigrants who have been released at the border by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), they often provide necessary support to ensure that people have their immediate and short-term emergency needs (such as food and temporary shelter) met. Over the last decade, as large numbers… Read More
New Report Details Catastrophic Impact of Mass Deportation and Family Separation Plans
A new report details the catastrophic costs of a potential mass deportation and family separation plan. Read More
Council and AILA submit Comments on Interim Final Rule Restricting Access to Humanitarian Protections at the U.S./Mexico Border
In June of 2024, the American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) submitted a joint comment urging the Biden administration to rescind this IFR. Read More
We’ve Tracked Over 700 Immigration Bills This Year. Here Are the Trends We’ve Seen.
Written by Juan Avilez, State and Local Policy Associate and Victoria Francis, Deputy Director of State and Local Initiatives As we reach the mid-year point in 2024, most states have concluded their legislative sessions, and once again, immigrant-related policies have taken center stage. This year, legislatures advancing harmful policies targeting… Read More
Immigrant Workers Help Florida Thrive. Anti-Immigrant Policies Threaten That.
In 2022, more than one in five Florida residents were immigrants. In that same year, immigrants in Florida were over 14% more likely than their U.S.-born neighbors to be of working age, positioning them to actively participate in the labor force and economy. And they did just that—immigrants contributed… Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
