Legalization

Reality Check: Immigrants and Health Care

Released on Tue, Aug 11, 2009

As the current debate on health care rages in town halls across the nation, immigration is being used as a way to jam a stick into the wheels of impending reform. Some are scapegoating immigrants as a way to thwart progress on the issue and are arguing that even legal immigrants be restricted from our health system. Linking these two issues does nothing to advance necessary reforms to either health care or immigration. The U.S. can do both, but public debate and discussion must be based on facts, not myths and misinformation.

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National debate heats up over DREAM Act

Published on Wed, Nov 24, 2010

Much of the new criticism is misleading, according to the nonpartisan Immigration Policy Center in Washington, which has published a point-by-point rebuttal.

Published in the San Diego Union Tribune

Should U.S. citizenship be automatic for U.S.-born?

Published on Tue, Sep 15, 2009

The issue of birthright citizenship is reaching a fever pitch, as groups on both sides of the immigration debate battle out the possibility of an immigration overhaul.

Published in the Orange County Register

News & Media

Systemic Reforms

The LAC has a strong track record of litigating to fix long-standing problems with our broken immigration system. Through our class action and other litigation, we have convinced the courts of appeals to overturn government policies that prevented an entire class of noncitizens from applying for lawful residency; that precluded individuals from presenting evidence to immigration judges in deportation cases; and that delayed for years permanent resident status for thousands of individuals who had been granted asylum. The LAC coordinates its litigation with immigration advocates nationwide and facilitates strategic planning and collaboration among immigration litigators.Read more...

Litigation Clearinghouse Newsletter Vol. 4, No. 4

This issue covers a class action brought by religious workers seeking to file visa petitions and adjustment of status applications concurrently, circuit court decisions addressing IJ denials of continuances, updated AILF Litigation Issue Pages, a Favorable Fifth Circuit decision on the FTCA, and a new Eighth Circuit resource for litigators.

Published On: Thursday, March 26, 2009 | Download File

Litigation Clearinghouse Newsletter Vol. 1, No. 7

This issue covers Supreme Court arguments in reinstatement case, filing fee increases at the court of appeals, and REAL ID Act's effect on jurisdiction over APA actions in district court.

Published On: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 | Download File

Dear Mr. Smith, Our Broken Immigration System Requires Solutions That Embrace Discretion, Not Eliminate It

Published on Fri, Jul 15, 2011

Over the last six months, Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX), along with other members of the House Judiciary Committee, have engaged in an all-out effort to turn back the clock on our immigration laws through a series of bills that may tackle one issue at a time, but equal a comprehensive overhaul. This week, the restrictionists' Comprehensive Immigration Reform package (RCIR, as we call it) became complete with the introduction of the "Hinder the Administration's Legalization Temptation Act" (HALT Act), a bill that would suspend discretionary forms of immigration relief until January 21, 2013. Yes, until the day after the next inauguration.

Just yesterday, Congressman Smith inched a bit closer to RCIR when the full Judiciary Committee voted to advance the "Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2011" (H.R. 1932) -- a bill that authorizes indefinite detention for immigrants. Apparently Smith is not content with the current mandatory detention laws because they include some provisions for release of immigrants, such as asylum seekers and others who have committed no crimes. His bill, however, would create a penal system for immigrants far more restrictive than the current detention system, which has generally been under fire from all sides.

And it doesn't stop there. Other bills in the RCIR package include mandatory E-verify with no provisions for current undocumented workers to become legal, elimination of the diversity visa, expanded authority for the Secretary of Homeland Security to revoke visas issued by the Department of State, the elimination of review for those visas, suspension of waivers for the 3 and 10 year bars, suspension of cancellation of removal, suspension of Temporary Protective Status (TPS), suspension of virtually all parole authority, deferral powers, and work authorization, and a revocation of any such benefits that are awarded between the date of introduction of the HALT Act and its enactment.Read more...

Published in the Huffington Post