Right to Counsel
We believe fair access to legal counsel in immigration courts is integral to a fair and just system. Our research shows stark disparities in representation rates, with only 37% of immigrants overall–and just 14% of detained immigrants–securing legal representation. Discover more about how we’re working to address this issue.
Council Files FOIA Lawsuit to Expose Immigration Enforcement in Federal Prisons
The American Immigration Council filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit on behalf of the University of California (UCLA) School of Law Professor Ingrid Eagly seeking to uncover the scope and operation of immigration… Read More
The Value of Pro Bono Legal Services in Immigration Detention
Once a year, National Pro Bono Week celebrates the pro bono work of lawyers, paralegals, and law students. Pro bono legal services—which come at no cost—are integral for many people otherwise left with little to no resources in immigration detention. Access to counsel in immigration detention is paramount to… Read More
Comment on Executive Office for Immigration Review Proposed Rule Regarding Appeal Procedures and Administrative Closure
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, through their joint initiative, the Immigration Justice Campaign, submitted this comment in opposition to the proposed rule, “Appellate Procedures and Decisional Finality in Immigration Proceedings; Administrative Closure.” The rule would strip the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) of… Read More
Time for Us All to Stand Up for Our Democracy
It is not news that our nation is in an unprecedented moment where many of our democratic traditions and norms are being challenged. We have grown deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks on democracy that are unfolding before us. Read More
ICE Makes It Almost Impossible for People to Make Phone Calls from Detention Centers, Even in a Pandemic
Communication with the outside world is crucial for people in jail. This includes individuals facing deportation while detained in immigration detention centers, who do not have the right to court-appointed counsel. Having the ability to make a phone call in a detention center is essential for a variety of… Read More
Detained Immigrants Ask Court to Stop ICE Interference to Phone Access in Immigration Detention Centers
Individuals in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at the Otero County Processing Center filed a motion for preliminary injunction to stop ICE from denying detained individuals the ability to contact their lawyers and the outside world by phone. Read More
Stopping Government Interference to Attorney Phone Access in Immigration Detention Centers
This lawsuit was filed to stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from denying detainees the ability to contact their lawyers and the outside world by phone. Read More
The American Immigration Council Announces Kate Melloy Goettel As Legal Director of Litigation
The American Immigration Council has named experienced attorney and litigator Kate Melloy Goettel to be its legal director of litigation. Read More
ICE Faces Lawsuit Over Blocking Phone Access to Detainees
A free phone call can mean the difference between a fair day in court and being deported to harm—or worse—for individuals held in immigration detention centers. Immigrants may not be able to meet with their attorneys in person, leaving phone calls as the only way to communicate about their cases. Read More
Plaintiffs Will Continue Fight to Halt Dangerous and Unconstitutional Practices by EOIR and ICE
Today’s Court decision denying the emergency temporary restraining order in NIPNLG, et al., v. EOIR, et al., is deeply disappointing. This lawsuit was brought against the Executive Office for Immigration Review and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to protect the health of immigration attorneys, immigrants, and the public from the impact of dangerous and unconstitutional policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
America's story is an immigrant story.
