Practice resources
Search immigration practice advisories, sample filings, manuals, brief banks, and government guidance from trusted practitioner sources.
By the American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association [1]
Survivors of human trafficking and of domestic or sexual violence often are charged and convicted of offenses that arose as a direct result of their exploitation. For noncitizens, the criminal record can cause deportation or destroy their eligibility for humanitarian visas. In the last five years, California has enacted multiple laws to avoid this injustice in criminal court, including a defense to a criminal charge and a vehicle to vacate a past conviction for survivors who were coerced to comm
Consular processing is one of ways an individual can obtain lawful permanent residence. This process is often confusing and daunting to individuals who do not regularly work on these types of cases since the process is completed with a U.S. consulate abroad and involves interaction with several government agencies. This practice advisory provides an overview of the steps involved in a consular processing case and some considerations to keep in mind.
This practice advisory outlines the requirements and process of enrolling in Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the first time. It provides an overview of the basic requirements for TPS and identifies red flag issues that require careful analysis. It provides guidance on the TPS application process, including preparing a waiver of inadmissibility. It also offers practical guidance about when to file in immigration court and when an eligible individual may qualify for late initial registration.
California has strict confidentiality laws that govern when and to whom records from dependency and youth justice (delinquency) proceedings may be released. Immigration advocates need to be aware of these laws and ensure they are complied with when representing individuals with California juvenile records. This guide provides an overview of the law and practical guidance for how to handle issues of juvenile confidentiality before USCIS.
This advisory provides an introduction to the Affidavit of Support including various ways to meet the financial requirements, different types of sponsors who may submit Affidavits of Support, who is considered a “household member” for purposes of the Affidavit of Support, and exemptions to the Affidavit of Support.
This Practice Advisory addresses who is, or who may be, the proper respondent-defendant and recipient for service of process in immigration-related litigation in district court.
This Practice Advisory addresses who is the proper respondent-defendant and recipient for service of process in immigration-related litigation in district court. The Advisory covers whom to sue in specific types of immigration-related actions, including mandamus, Federal Tort Claims Acts (and administrative claims), Bivens, and habeas actions.
Because survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes are among the most vulnerable populations in the immigration legal system, numerous laws and policies have been enacted to protect the confidentiality of their information and restrict the disclosure of that information. One source of important protections is codified at 8 U.S.C. § 1367 (Section 1367), which restricts identification of survivors with humanitarian relief claims and disclosure of their information. [1] This p
The final Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) rule was published on August 30, 2022 and is set to go into effect on October 31, 2022. This rule is an attempt to “preserve and fortify” the DACA policy as directed by President Biden’s January 20, 2021, memorandum titled “Preserving and Fortifying Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).” This practitioner’s guide delves into aspects of the rule and discusses the future of DACA considering the Texas-led lawsuit challenge to the lega
The Asylum Processing Rule is a significant regulatory change under the Biden administration that allows Asylum Officers to conduct Asylum Merits Interviews of certain asylum seekers who have passed credible fear interviews rather than having those cases referred directly to the immigration court. The Rule was issued as an Interim Final Rule and took effect on May 31, 2022. This FAQ explains what practitioners need to know.
This practice advisory provides an overview of how to effectively gather criminal records for immigration matters. The advisory briefly reviews considerations for conducting a criminal contacts screening and for evaluating the possible implications of a noncitizen’s criminal history if they are applying for benefits before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) or seeking a defense from removal in immigration courts (Section II). It then provides a summary of common cri