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Immigration Practice Resources

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

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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
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Showing 25-36 of 243 resources.

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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Aug 14, 2025

Risk Assessment for Naturalization Applicants

For many noncitizens, naturalization is the best defense against deportation from the United States. Indeed, USCIS lacks the authority to detain or deport a U.S. citizen. However, applying for naturalization can be risky for some individuals because it can instigate immigration enforcement. This concern has increased following President Trump’s February 28, 2025 NTA Memo. The ILRC, NIPNLG, CLINIC, and the Ready to Stay collaborative wrote a practice advisory summarizing the most common reasons w

Removal defense Naturalization USCIS Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Jul 25, 2025

Fighting for a Day in Court: Understanding and Responding to Pretermission of Asylum Applications

Immigration Judges have increasingly begun to pretermit asylum applications--often ordering asylum seekers removed without ever having a chance to have a hearing on their claims. This Practice Advisory (PA) discusses a recent Policy Memo by the Executive Office for Immigration Review Acting Director and a recent Board of Immigration Appeals decision, which have prompted judges to pretermit cases. The PA also contains practical tips on how to fight this practice.

Asylum Removal defense BIA appeals Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Template motion Jul 1, 2025

Responding to DHS Motions to Recalendar

In recent months, the Department of Homeland Security has begun filing thousands of motions to recalendar administratively closed proceedings. This trend is raising questions about how attorneys and accredited representatives can respond to these motions and protect their clients’ interests, particularly in cases that have been administratively closed for many years. This advisory explores those questions and offers strategy considerations when determining how to proceed in each case.

Removal defense Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jun 25, 2025

Reopening Removal Proceedings Based on the Ineffective Assistance of Prior Counsel

This practice advisory focuses on motions to reopen based on ineffective assistance of prior counsel. It reviews the basic requirements of motions to reopen and then dives into the specific procedural and substantive requirements of motions to reopen based on the ineffective assistance of prior counsel. It discusses the time and numerical limitations on motions to reopen and how to use the doctrine of equitable tolling to overcome these limitations. It also covers what documents should accompany

Removal defense Motions to reopen / reconsider Cross-forum Direct PDF
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NIWAP Library Amicus brief Jun 18, 2025

Aylaliya Assefa Birru v. Barr

Aylaliya Assefa Birru v. Barr (January 11 2021) 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. NIWAP, represented by Baker McKenzie, is lead amicus in a brief on behalf of an immigrant domestic violence victim who is seeking relief under the Violence Against Women Act’s domestic violence victim waiver in her VAWA cancellation of removal case. The Board of Immigration Appeals and the immigration judge denied her the ability to present evidence of waiver eligibility.

Removal defense VAWA / U / T Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jun 3, 2025

Immigration Consequences of Prop 36 and Other New California Offenses: Part One, Controlled Substance Offenses

This advisory discusses the immigration consequences of a conviction for a controlled substance offense under California Prop 36, specifically Cal. H&S Code § 11395. This advisory explains the immigration consequences of a criminal plea to a Prop 36 controlled substance offense. It outlines criminal defense strategies for defenders to avoid these pleas and outlines removal defense strategies for immigration practitioners where the plea cannot be avoided.

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigration Equality Practice advisory Jun 1, 2025

Pretermission Web Advisory for Pro Bono Attorneys

Overview of recent EOIR policy changes allowing dismissal or pretermission of some defensive asylum applications without a hearing, with guidance for practitioners representing people in removal proceedings.

Asylum Removal defense Evidence and procedure Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory May 28, 2025

Practice Alert: Protecting Noncitizens From Expedited Removal and Immigration Court Arrests

Beginning in May 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been arresting noncitizens in or around immigration court buildings and subjecting them to expedited removal, following dismissal of their section 240 removal proceedings by ICE counsel. This Practice Alert explains briefly what has been happening and immediate steps practitioners should take to protect their clients and advise pro se respondents.

Removal defense Immigration court Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Apr 15, 2025

Practice Advisory: Navigating the Removal Proceedings of J.O.P. Class Members and Other Asylum Seekers with Prior Unaccompanied Child Determinations

This practice advisory provides strategies for practitioners to navigate removal proceedings for J.O.P. class members and other asylum seekers with prior unaccompanied child determinations in light of three recent legal developments: (1) the 2024 J.O.P. Settlement Agreement, (2) final Executive Office for Immigration Review regulations issued in 2024, and (3) a 2025 USCIS memorandum implementing the J.O.P. Settlement Agreement.

Asylum Removal defense Children and SIJS USCIS Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Apr 3, 2025

Quick Guide: Defending SIJS Clients in Removal Proceedings

This practice advisory, authored with our partners at the End SIJS Backlog Coalition, Children's Immigration Law Academy, National Immigration Project, and Safe Passage Project, offers strategies at every stage of an SIJS client’s removal proceedings to advocate against the client’s removal and to preserve the record for appeal, including:

Removal defense BIA appeals Special immigrant Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Apr 2, 2025

Quick Guide: Defending SIJS Clients in Removal Proceedings

This practice advisory, created by The End SIJS Backlog Coalition, is intended to help practitioners navigate removal proceedings for clients with pending or approved SIJS. It offers strategies at every stage of an SIJS client’s removal proceedings to advocate against the client’s removal and to preserve the record for appeal. Section II covers strategies for pleading to the Notice to Appear. Section III discusses challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s evidence of removability. Sectio

Removal defense BIA appeals Special immigrant Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Template motion Feb 28, 2025

Template Opposition to DHS Motion to Dismiss to Pursue Expedited Removal

On January 21, 2025, the Trump administration expanded the scope of expedited removal to its statutory maximum, to include certain noncitizens not admitted or paroled who cannot prove they have been continuously present in the United States for at least two years. DHS, Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal, 90 Fed. Reg. 8139 (Jan. 24, 2025). Several days later, DHS issued a memo directing DHS attorneys to consider moving to terminate ongoing removal proceedings in order to pursue expedited re

Removal defense Detention / bond Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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