BIA Edge

Practice resources

Practice resources

Immigration Practice Resources

Search immigration practice advisories, sample filings, manuals, brief banks, and government guidance from trusted practitioner sources.

More filters
Clear all
918 resources 24 sources 848 direct files
Common starting points
Immigration court deadline 624 Asylum merits package 95 Motions, stays, and pretermission 139 Bond, detention, and habeas 85 BIA, PFR, and federal court 466 USCIS and AAO appeals 214 Crim-imm screening 158 VAWA, U, T, and survivor relief 197
Topic: Crimes and categorical approach Clear

Results

Showing 13-24 of 142 resources.

Sorted by Newest first
National Immigration Project Practice advisory Jan 16, 2025

Practice Advisory on Returning Lawful Permanent Residents and Crimes

Being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States carries important benefits, including the right to live and work in the United States and the ability to apply for U.S. citizenship after certain requirements are met. However, in some situations an LPR’s travel outside of the United States, even for a brief trip, can jeopardize their status and its attendant benefits. One of these situations is where the LPR has committed certain criminal offenses, even though the offense may be minor

Crimes and categorical approach Adjustment of status Naturalization Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
National Immigration Project Practice advisory Dec 16, 2024

Crim-Imm Case Law Updates 2024

This resource is designed to help immigration practitioners stay current on significant case law developments over the past year in the intersection of immigration and criminal law. It begins with an overview of notable case law developments before the BIA and the United States Courts of Appeals. This is followed by case summaries of all published Board of Immigration Appeals decisions addressing this area of law in 2024, along with a curated list of case summaries from the United States Courts

Crimes and categorical approach BIA appeals BIA Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Sep 24, 2024

Overview, Tips, and Considerations When Applying for Keeping Families Together Parole in Place for Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens

This practice advisory describes the new “Keeping Families Together” parole in place process for certain spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens including what exactly is it and what you get if approved. It also details the eligibility requirements and application process as well as addressing some of the more “in the weeds” issues such as if the USC spouse is deceased, common law marriages, the different presumptions that apply depending on the applicant’s criminal history or if they have an

Detention / bond Crimes and categorical approach Family-based practice Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
National Immigration Project Practice advisory Sep 17, 2024

Supreme Court Roundup: What Immigrants’ Rights Legal Representatives Should Know from the October 2023 Supreme Court Term

This roundup summarizes cases from the Supreme Court’s October 2023 term (through June 2024) that are potentially relevant to lawyers representing noncitizens, be it in immigration matters, criminal defense, or civil litigation under the Administrative Procedure Act or the U.S. Constitution.

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Evidence and procedure Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
National Immigration Project Practice advisory Jun 13, 2024

Practice Advisory: Representing Immigrant Clients Affected by the Racial Bias of the Criminal Legal System: Mitigating the Effect of Past Racial Bias When Seeking Discretionary Relief and Bond

This practice advisory, along with the accompanying report, Bias in the Criminal Legal System: A Report Aggregating Social Science Research and Reporting on Racial Bias in the Criminal Legal System, and template brief , provides a framework for you to make legal arguments and introduce evidence during your client’s immigration court proceedings if they are seeking discretionary relief or requesting bond. You can use this advisory and the accompanying report to argue that the immigration judge sh

Detention / bond Crimes and categorical approach BIA appeals Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jan 18, 2024

California U Visa Law Update

Law enforcement agencies in California have been responding to requests for U visa certifications for many years to allow immigrant survivors of crime and their family members to apply for U nonimmigrant status. However, until 2016 there was no statewide standard or protocol for certifications. Several bills have passed in the meantime to further streamline the process. Most recently, AB 1261 was signed into law in October 2023 and went into effect on 01/01/2024. The Immigrant Legal Resource Cen

Crimes and categorical approach Family-based practice Consular practice Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Dec 12, 2023

"Particularly Serious Crime" Bars to Asylum and Withholding

This advisory analyzes and explains the particularly serious crime bar to asylum and withholding of removal. It describes the factors to consider in determining whether a crime is a "particularly serious crime" and how to challenge a particularly serious crime determination.

Asylum Withholding / CAT Removal defense Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
American Immigration Council Practice advisory Nov 28, 2023

Common Tools of Statutory Construction for Criminal Removal Grounds

This practice advisory describes some of the common tools of statutory construction to assist practitioners in advocating for narrow definitions of generic criminal removal grounds before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and the U.S. courts of appeals. To determine whether a criminal conviction renders a noncitizen removable under federal immigration law, federal courts and the BIA generally employ the categorical approach. Under this approach, adjudicators consider whether the elements of

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach BIA appeals BIA Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Oct 5, 2023

No Crime to Be Poor: Defending Welfare Fraud Allegations in Criminal, Administrative, and Immigration Proceedings

Allegations of “welfare fraud” and “perjury” impact low-income immigrants disproportionately and often have devastating immigration consequences if a conviction results. This practice advisory explains how such allegations and criminal charges impact noncitizens, and are actually more often than not based on benefit caseworker errors, misunderstandings, and miscommunications, including language and literacy barriers, confusing and conflicting benefits program rules, and stem from historically en

Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
National Immigration Project Practice advisory Aug 23, 2023

Practice Alert: Overview of Pugin v. Garland

This practice alert analyzes the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Pugin v. Garland , 143 S. Ct. 1833 (2023). The June 22 opinion addressed the generic definition of the obstruction of justice aggravated felony ground at 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43)(S). The Court held that a conviction may be an offense “relating to obstruction of justice,” even if it does not require that an investigation or proceeding be pending or reasonably foreseeable. The practice alert reviews the generic definition of obstruc

Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
American Immigration Council Practice advisory Aug 22, 2023

Practice Alert: Overview of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Pugin v. Garland

On June 22, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued Pugin v. Garland , 143 S. Ct. 1833 (2023), an immigration decision addressing the generic definition of the obstruction of justice aggravated felony ground at 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(43)(S). The Court held that a conviction may be an offense “relating to obstruction of justice,” even if it does not require that an investigation or proceeding be pending or reasonably foreseeable. In doing so, Pugin reversed favorable case law in the Ninth Circuit, Valenz

Crimes and categorical approach Court of appeals Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record
Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jul 17, 2023

Obstruction of Justice: Pugin and California Offenses

Conviction of “obstruction of justice” is an aggravated felony if a sentence of a year or more is imposed. In Pugin v. Garland, No. 22-23 (June 22, 2023) , the Supreme Court overturned the Ninth Circuit’s definition of obstruction, but failed to provide a clear definition of its own. Now some California offenses are likely aggravated felonies if there is a sentence of year or more, including Penal Code §§ 32, 69, 136.1, 148, Vehicle Code § 10851, and others.

Crimes and categorical approach Court of appeals Direct PDF
Direct PDF Source page Record