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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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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Aug 31, 2022

Practice Advisory: Gathering Criminal Records for Immigration Matters

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

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Naturalization USCIS Immigration court Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Aug 29, 2022

Immigration Consequences of Texas Assault (August 2022)

This practice advisory explains the various immigration consequences of a conviction for Assault under Texas Penal Code § 22.01 and provides tips for mitigating such consequences in criminal proceedings. This August 2022 update includes analysis of the Texas Assault statute in light of the Supreme Court’s decision in Borden v. United States . The Texas Assault statute is complex and includes several subsections, so we have included a chart in the appendix describing the potential immigration con

Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jul 12, 2022

Overview of California Post-Conviction Relief for Immigrants

Thousands of noncitizens in California are at risk of removal or cannot qualify for immigration relief because they have unlawfully imposed criminal convictions. The good news is that there are several options under California law to eliminate these convictions for immigration purposes, using post-conviction relief (PCR). This Advisory can help advocates to identify which of these forms of California PCR may help your client, and direct you to more resources about how to obtain it.

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jun 27, 2022

Practice Advisory: Post-Conviction Relief Motions to Reopen

This advisory provides detailed instruction on how and where to file a motion to reopen for attorneys who have successfully vacated a conviction for immigration purposes and their client is now eligible for termination or a form of relief. In addition, the advisory addresses the impact of the post-departure bar and reinstatement of prior removal order on post-conviction relief motions to reopen.

Removal defense Motions to reopen / reconsider Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Jun 24, 2022

Practice Advisory: Post-Conviction Relief Motions to Reopen

This practice advisory discusses motion to reopen strategies for noncitizens who have successfully obtained qualifying post-conviction relief. Section II distinguishes among motions to reopen, motions to remand, motions to reconsider, and motions to terminate. Section III provides an overview of motions to reopen. Section IV outlines the evidentiary requirements of motions to reopen. Section V summarizes exceptions to motions to reopen time and number limitations, including joint motions to reop

Removal defense Motions to reopen / reconsider Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jun 23, 2022

Overview of ICE’s Victim-Centered Directive

This advisory provides an overview of ICE’s new “victim-centered” approach to immigration enforcement based on an August 2021 directive, including who qualifies as a victim and which ICE actions are covered. As part of this new approach, ICE officers and agents are instructed to look out for and in various circumstances exercise prosecutorial discretion in favor of noncitizen survivors of crime as part of their decisions to arrest, detain, release, and refer noncitizens.

Crimes and categorical approach VAWA / U / T Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Mar 25, 2022

2022 Case Update: Domestic Violence Deportation Ground

The domestic violence deportation ground at INA § 237(a)(2)(E) sets out four bases for deportation: conviction of a crime of domestic violence, a crime of stalking, or a crime of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment, or being the subject of a judicial finding of violation of a domestic violence stay-away order. Coming within one of these grounds also can be a bar to cancellation of removal for non-permanent residents or DACA.

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Children and SIJS Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Jan 24, 2022

ICE Detainers: Advice and Strategies for Criminal Defense Counsel

What are ICE detainers, how do they affect a criminal case, and how can counsel get rid of them? This advisory walks through all the legal and practices issues around ICE detainers, including the role of ICE in issuing them and the role of local or state jailors in responding. We discuss the importance of incorporating ICE detainers into pre-trial strategy, the legal and constitutional issues implicated by ICE detainers, and the various ways to challenge or rescind a detainer. This advisory is n

Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Template motion Dec 21, 2021

Equal Protection Challenges to Prosecutions Under 1325 & 1326: The Groundbreaking Decision in United States v. Carillo-Lopez

Over the past two years, federal defenders have begun challenging the laws that criminalize crossing the border — 8 U.S.C. § 1325 and 8 USC § 1326 — on the grounds that the law is racist, and therefore unconstitutional. Recently, in a case called United States v. Carrillo Lopez (“ Carrillo-Lopez ”), Judge Miranda Du in the District of Nevada agreed with this argument and granted a motion to dismiss a criminal case against a person charged with the crime of crossing the border after being previou

Crimes and categorical approach Immigration court BIA Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Dec 1, 2021

Practice Advisory for Criminal Defense Attorneys: The Biden Administration’s Final Enforcement Priorities

DHS issued new enforcement and prosecutorial discretion guidance on September 30, 2021. This practice advisory from the ILRC, NIPNLG, and IDP provides criminal defense practitioners with an overview of the enforcement priorities and other key policy changes described in recent DHS and ICE memos, and discusses strategies to use these priorities to advocate for prosecutorial discretion.

Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Oct 5, 2021

How to Use the Categorical Approach Now (2021)

With a few exceptions, immigration authorities must use the “categorical approach” to determine whether a criminal conviction triggers a ground of removal. Expert use of the categorical approach may be the most important defense strategy available to immigrants charged with or convicted of crimes. This Update of our long-running article includes discussion of Pereida v. Wilkinson, 141 S.Ct. 754 (2021).

Removal defense Crimes and categorical approach Cross-forum Direct PDF
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