Areas of Expertise

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) immigration attorneys’ expertise focuses on family-based immigration, humanitarian relief, naturalization and citizenship, immigration enforcement, and removal defense.

Since 1979 we have helped expand the immigration expertise of attorneys, nonprofit staff, criminal defenders, and others assisting immigrant clients.

In addition to authoring the ILRC’s practice manuals, our expert attorneys have been published by Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), ILW.com, Huffington Post, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Center for Law and Social Policy, The Hill, LexisNexis Emerging Issues, and Fox News Latino.
 
We have also provided training to National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), American Bar Association Commission on Immigration, Federal Bar Association, The State Bar of California, Legal Aid Association of California, Judicial Council of California and more.

Redacted Sample Penal Code 1473.7 Motion to Vacate
Crimes
Post-Conviction Relief
Students at the UC Irvine Immigrant Rights Clinic prepared a Penal Code 1473.7 motion to vacate for one of their clients and offered it as a resource for others filing similar motions. This motion is a reference tool only, and should not be used as a template or a model, nor should it be reproduced without substantial alterations. If you are filing a 1473.7 motion, you must perform your own legal research and draft your own materials, as the law in this area is rapidly changing and case-specific motions have significantly higher success rates in criminal courts.

Understanding Allegations of Gang Membership/Affiliation in Immigration Cases
Crimes
Enforcement
Immigrant Youth
Removal Defense
Immigrants who are alleged to be involved with gangs are top immigration enforcement priorities for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This is true even if they have no criminal convictions and DHS is targeting them based on allegations alone. If such individuals choose to apply for immigration benefits, they may be exposing themselves to serious risk. This practice advisory discusses what gangs and gang databases are, how allegations of gang membership arise in immigration cases, the over-inclusive process law enforcement employs to allege gang membership, and strategies to identify whether your client may be labeled a gang member or associate. The purpose of this advisory is to help immigration advocates better understand how law enforcement in the United States documents and alleges gang membership or association, such that advocates are able to identify red flags in cases, and are better prepared to work with clients to assess possible risks in filing for relief.

New Report Highlights How Local Criminal Justice Policies Undercut the Promise of “Sanctuary” Cities

Contact: Margot Friedman at mfriedman@dupontcirclecommunications.com or 202-332-5550

New Report Highlights How Local Criminal Justice Policies Undercut the Promise of “Sanctuary” Cities

Mayors, City Councils Pressured to Get Rid of Harmful Policies that Put Immigrants at Risk

Contact Us
The ILRC does not provide direct legal services or individual legal consultations. To find legal services assistance, go to: Immigration Advocates Network National Immigration Legal Services Directory, American Immigration Lawyers Association Immigration Lawyer Search, or contact your local state bar association.

The Promise of Sanctuary Cities and the Need for Criminal Justice Reforms in an Era of Mass Deportation
Enforcement
Local criminal justice policies, such as vagrancy laws and cash bail requirements, endanger vulnerable immigrant populations and undercut the promise of “sanctuary” cities, according to a report released today by Harvard Law School’s Fair Punishment Project, the Immigrant Defense Project, and the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. The report urges city and county leaders who want to protect immigrants to act swiftly to end harmful criminal justice practices that criminalize poverty and send undocumented residents into the deportation pipeline.

T Visas: What They Are and How They Can Help Your Clients
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
This practice advisory is designed to introduce legal workers to the T visa.  It outlines T visa eligibility requirements, discusses the advantages of applying for T visas over other forms of humanitarian immigration relief, and analyzes how President Trump's recent executive orders impact T visa applicants.

Federal Judge Decision is Welcome Blow to Unconstitutional Trump Administration Directive to Punish Sanctuary Cities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2017

Contact: Elizabeth Beresford, elizabeth@elizabethbberesford.com, 917.648.0189


BREAKING: Federal Judge Decision is Welcome Blow to Unconstitutional Trump Administration Directive to Punish Sanctuary Cities
San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties Win Nationwide Preliminary Injunction Against Sanctuary Provision of Executive Order

Attorney General Sessions Calling for Long Island to Partner on Misguided Federal Immigration Policies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2017

Contact: Courtney Holsworth, press@balestramedia.com, 989.572.8162

Attorney General Sessions Calling for Long Island to Partner on
Misguided Federal Immigration Policies
The Trump Administration’s Plan Threatens to Further Destabilize Area Struggling with Gang Violence

ILRC on Trump Administration’s Renewal of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Immigrants through January 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2017

Contact: Jareyah Bradley, jareyah@balestramedia.com, 908.242.4822

Immigrant Legal Resource Center on Trump Administration’s Renewal of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian Immigrants Through January 2018

After Immense Grassroots Pressure, Administration Temporarily Continues Haitian TPS

Fair Treatment Denied
Enforcement
Report by the ILRC that estimates the number of current and future undocumented immigrants that could be deported without due process under President Trump's forthcoming expansion of expedited removal.

Annotated Detainer Form
Enforcement
This sample ICE detainer is annotated to highlight what advocates should look for, and explains some of the legal problems with detainers.

Annotated ICE Administrative Warrants 2017
Enforcement
In March 2017, DHS created a new policy where they would send an administrative warrant along with all ICE detainer requests. Along with this policy, they released new ICE warrant forms: I-200, and I-205. These annotated forms explain what ICE warrants mean and whom they are directed to.

Legal Analysis of ICE Warrants
Enforcement
This detailed memo analyzes the authority of ICE administrative warrants and why they fail to meet Constitutional standards. The memo examines why DHS has decided to issue ICE warrants along with ICE detainers, and explains the similarities and differences between these two types of documents. The memo focuses on how the existence of administrative ICE warrants does not confer immigration authority onto local and state law enforcement officers.

ICE Warrants Basics
Enforcement
This short summary explains what ICE warrants (also called administrative immigration warrants or civil immigration warrants) do, and links to resources for further information and analysis.

SB 4 Community Advisory
Community Resources
This resource offers background on what you should know about SB 4, the new Texas law regarding immigration enforcement, and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.