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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 606 Asylum merits package 93 Motions, stays, and pretermission 133 Bond, detention, and habeas 79 BIA, PFR, and federal court 447 USCIS and AAO appeals 209 Crim-imm screening 151 VAWA, U, T, and survivor relief 190
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Dec 23, 2025

FOIA Alert on Processing Changes – December 2025

In recent months, practitioners have been reporting troubling new patterns in FOIA processing of A-file requests. Some people report unusually high rejection rates on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for reasons related to address requirements. Rejections due to “no record” also have been reported even where the requester is sure that there is a record because they have a partial paper trail of contacts with USCIS. Frequent over redaction of FOIA responses also has been reported. This

Removal defense USCIS Direct PDF
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National Immigration Project Practice advisory Aug 18, 2025

Risk Assessment for Naturalization Applicants

Naturalization remains the best defense against immigration enforcement for many LPRs. However, some red flag issues that could cause an LPR to be denied naturalization and even detained and deported. Thorough screening is crucial to make sure that an LPR is able to make an informed decision about whether to pursue naturalization. This practice advisory summarizes the most common reasons why USCIS may deny an N400, provides guidance for ways to screen and avoid an N-400 denial and removal procee

Removal defense Naturalization USCIS Direct PDF
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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 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 Feb 10, 2025

N-400 Documentation Guide

In 2024, USCIS issued a new Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, with more lengthy and complicated instructions on evidence that could be included. This guide will help practitioners understand what documents naturalization applicants must submit to the USCIS to accept and adjudicate the N-400 form and when to submit each document.

Removal defense Naturalization Evidence and procedure USCIS Direct PDF
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NIWAP Library Amicus brief Jun 15, 2024

he Federal District Court granted Ms. Soto Alvarado’s Motion

In a case brought in Federal District Court in Rhode Island an abused spouse whose VAWA self-petition had been approved challenged USCIS’s revocation of her approved petition. The self-petitioner was divorced from her abuser and remarried after filing the self-petition but before the self-petition had been approved. The court’s ruling allows the self-petitioner to fully litigate her challenge the USCIS’s revocation of her self-petition due to remarriage in Federal District Court. The court’s rul

Removal defense Federal court VAWA / U / T USCIS Federal district court Direct PDF
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NIWAP Library Amicus brief Nov 1, 2023

Arguijo v. USCIS (July 24 2020) US Court of Appeals 7th Circuit

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) represents Jennifer Arguijo, who was 11 years old when her mother married her stepfather, who turned out to be abusive. Applying BIA case law from other contexts, VSC held that a stepchild-stepfather relationship ends after the biological parent divorces the stepparent, unless there is a “continuing relationship” between the stepchild and stepfather. NIJC sought reconsideration, and appealed to the AAO. The AAO affirmed the VSC’s decision to deny the

Removal defense BIA appeals Federal court USCIS Immigration court Direct PDF
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NIWAP Library Amicus brief Oct 11, 2023

Geidy Mavely Soto Alvarado And Mauricio Antonio Garcia Soto v. Merrick Garland

Geidy Mavely Soto Alvarado And Mauricio Antonio Garcia Soto v. Merrick Garland (June 13 2023) US District Court of Rhode Island. NIWAP, represented by Crowell and Moring, led an amicus brief that was joined by Harvard Law School professors and clinics, the ACLU, the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and all of the major women shelters in Rhode Island. This brief argued that USCIS had misinterpreted VAWA 2000 amendments that were designed to allow VAWA self petitioners to divorce,

Removal defense VAWA / U / T USCIS Federal district court Direct PDF
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Immigrant Legal Resource Center Practice advisory Dec 13, 2022

Stakeholder Call with USCIS on VAWA, U, T

This advisory contains general information shared by USCIS staff during the September 2022 stakeholder event. It contains notes compiled by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) VAWA, U, and T National Committee and reflects USCIS responses to questions posed by the committee and partners.

Removal defense VAWA / U / T USCIS Direct PDF
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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 Jun 6, 2022

VAWA Self-Petition Policy Updates (June 2022)

On February 10, 2022, USCIS released several VAWA Self-Petition policy changes. The changes include the nationwide implementation of two circuit court decisions and changes in USCIS’s interpretation of the joint residence requirement for VAWA Self-Petitioners. This practice advisory contains short summaries of USCIS’s VAWA Self-Petition policy changes.

Removal defense VAWA / U / T USCIS Court of appeals Direct PDF
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