Legalization

The Border: A Resource Page

As money is poured into border enforcement, it is critical that lawmakers consider the facts. The following resources provide key answers to basic questions about the U.S.-Mexico Border and the issues that surround it--from the fiscal implications of policies to the struggle to fight drug cartels.Read more...

AIC Executive Director Ben Johnson Quoted in the New York Times

Published on Wed, Jun 12, 2013

Ben Johnson, the AIC's Executive Director was quoted in a New York Times article titled "Obama Backs Bill to Overhaul Immigration as Debate is Set." From the article:

"Other experts said Mr. Obama had learned from hard experience during the health care and budget debates about the right time to lie low and the right time to insert himself in the process.

"'There’s no question that the president has a delicate dance,' said Ben Johnson, the executive director of the American Immigration Council. 'He’s got to strike the right tone and the right balance of using the office effectively and not trampling on the process that’s currently under way.'"

Published in the New York Times

Gustavo Villageliu

Gustavo Villageliu was appointed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) as a Board Member in July of 1995. The BIA is the highest administrative body for interpreting and applying immigration laws. Mr. Villageliu came to the United States from Cuba as a refugee in 1962 when he was thirteen years old. He and his family lived in Miami for twelve years, then moved to Iowa, where his parents taught as University professors.

Mr. Villageliu attended law school at the University of Iowa, graduating cum laude in 1977. After serving as Johnson County Attorney Prosecutor Intern in Iowa City, Iowa, he joined the Board of Immigration Appeals as a staff attorney in January, 1978. He received numerous achievement awards for his work specializing in war criminals, investors, and criminal alien cases. In September of 1989 he moved to Miami as an Immigration Judge, where he handled cases of detained Cubans at the Krome detention center. As a BIA Board Member, Mr. Villageliu dissented in the landmark case, Matter of N-J-B. In that February 1997 decision, the BIA held that the service of an Order to Show Cause under prior law terminated the period of physical presence for purposes of applying for suspension of deportation, even though the Order was served before the 1996 Act's effective date. This ruling would have resulted in the deportation of tens of thousands of persons who may have qualified for suspension of deportation under previous law. On July 10, 1997, the Attorney General vacated the Board's decision in that case essentially adopting Mr. Villageliu's opinion. Mr. Villageliu and his wife Carmen live in Falls Church with their three children.

Marcia Drew Hohn, Ed.D.

Marcia Drew Hohn, Ed.D. is Director of Public Education at The Immigrant Learning Center. Prior to joining The ILC, Marcia was the director of Northeast SABES (System for Adult Basic Education Support). She holds a doctorate in Human and Organizational Systems from Fielding Graduate University and has more than 20 years of experience in adult learning and systems development. She has published extensively about immigrant entrepreneurship and organizational systems in adult basic education.

Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Creating Jobs and Strengthening the Economy (IPC Special Report, January 2012)

President Obama Reaffirms Commitment to Immigration Reform

Released on Wed, Aug 19, 2009

Today, President Obama once more reaffirmed his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform, pledging that "we can get this done." The President and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Napolitano met with immigrant advocates, faith leaders, labor, business, and law enforcement officials to listen to concerns and discuss the next steps forward.

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Michael J. Wishnie, Esq.

Michael J. Wishnie, Esq. is the William O. Douglas Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization at Yale Law School. Professor Wishnie’s teaching, scholarship, and law practice have focused on immigration, labor and employment, habeas corpus, civil rights, government transparency, and veterans law. This paper is adapted with permission from Wishnie, Proportionality: The Struggle for Balance in U.S. Immigration Policy, 72 U.Pitt.L.Rev.431 (2011) and Wishnie, Immigration Law and the Proportionality Requirement, 2 U.C.Irv.L.Rev.___ (forthcoming 2012).

Proportionality in Immigration Law: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime in Immigration Court? (IPC Perspectives, April 2012)

One Stop Shopping: IPC Synthesis of the Latino, Asian and New American Vote

Released on Wed, Dec 03, 2008

Latino, Asian, and New American citizens voted in an historic election this year that brought wholesale change to the White House and Congress. Since then, leaders on both sides of the aisle have been talking about how the record turnout of Asian, Latino, and New American voters was integral in the both the presidential and congressional victories. The Immigration Policy Center has released a comprehensive report merging the compelling

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2013 National Immigration Litigation Meeting

The 2013 National Immigration Litigation Strategy Meeting will take place on May 30th and 31st in Washington, DC. This event brings together immigration advocates from across the country to facilitate strategic planning and collaboration among litigators. This webpage includes everything you need to know regarding this year's event, including a draft agenda, reading materials, travel information, and registration to Thursday night's reception at Morgan Lewis. We will continue to post materials early next week and recommend that you check this page for updates.

As in past years, the majority of the two days will be spent in small group sessions focused on discrete litigation topics. Prior to the meeting, we encourage all participants to consider which sessions they would like to attend and to complete the suggested reading materials provided on this page.

Feel free to contact Seth Garfinkel ([email protected]) with any questions. We look forward to seeing you next week.