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.

Judicial Council Forms for Reducing Felonies to Misdemeanors, Vacating Deferred Entry of Judgment Convictions, and Expungements
Crimes
Post-Conviction Relief
The Judicial Council of California produces forms for pro se petitioners.  The CR-180 and CR-181 forms cover various forms of “clean slate” remedies, including reducing felonies to misdemeanors (17(b)), set asides and dismissals (1203.4), and vacaturs after successful completion of probation (1203.43).  The forms also contain a notation to 18.5 which makes clear that felonies reduced to misdemeanors carry a maximum of 364-day sentence.

A Guide to Obtaining U Visa Certifications
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
This practice advisory outlines some suggestions and resources for immigration advocates working with law enforcement agencies to obtain law enforcement certification for U Visa applicants.  It also includes a summary of all state laws, as of July 2017, that have either passed or are pending regarding U Visa certification policies and protocols.

Texas’ Increased Support for Federal Deportation Machine Endangers All Residents, Says the Immigrant Legal Resource Center

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2017
Contact: Jareyah Bradley, jareyah@balestramedia.com, 908.242.4822

Texas’ Increased Support for Federal Deportation Machine Endangers All Residents, Says the Immigrant Legal Resource Center

California Criminal Sentences and Eligibility for Relief
Citizenship and Naturalization
Crimes
DACA
Criminal sentence can have a big impact on immigration status and eligibility for relief. In this Advisory, we discuss how immigration law treats different sentencing dispositions in general, and then apply that to California sentencing law. We talk about how advocates can use California law, including the newly amended Penal Code § 18.5, to help their clients.

Absences and Continuous Residence
Citizenship and Naturalization
Absences from the United States can affect an applicant’s eligibility for naturalization in numerous ways. In this practice advisory, we focus specifically on how absences of varying lengths of time affect the continuous residence requirement.

Know Your Rights: A Guide for California Employers

Community Resources
This guide provides California employers with guidance in the event of ICE workplace enforcement including a brief introduction to immigration enforcement, a review of rights and best practices if ICE comes to the workplace for both employers and employees, and a list of additional resources.

Texas Court Blocks SB 4 from Forcing Local Law Enforcement to Detain Immigrants for ICE, Ruling Allows Localities More Autonomy in Setting Immigration Enforcement Policies for their Own Officers

For Immediate Release: August 30, 2017
Contact: Jareyah Bradley, jareyah@balestramedia.com, 908.242.4822

Texas Court Blocks SB 4 from Forcing Local Law Enforcement to Detain Immigrants for ICE, Ruling Allows Localities More Autonomy in Setting Immigration Enforcement Policies for their Own Officers

Where the DACA Program Ends, A More Permanent Legislative Solution for Immigrant Youth Must Begin, Says the Immigrant Legal Resource Center

For Immediate Release: September 5, 2017
Contact: Jareyah Bradley, 908.242.4822, jareyah@balestramedia.com

Where the DACA Program Ends, A More Permanent Legislative Solution for Immigrant Youth Must Begin, Says the Immigrant Legal Resource Center

The Immigrant Advocate - Summer 2017
In this issue: The ILRC Champions Sanctuary for Immigrants; AB 103 | Victory Halts California Immigration Detention Center Expansion; Coverage of the 2017 Phillip Burton Immigration and Civil Rights Awards; and the 2016 Annual Report