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.
This resource in Spanish includes tips for community members to remain calm, get informed, be prepared and stay safe in the current deportation climate.
Letter from 850+ national, state, and local non-profit organizations to President-elect Trump requesting that he continue Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in light of the public safety, economic, and humanitarian benefits.
LGBTQ immigrants enjoy the same rights under immigration law as all other non-citizens. However, there are some areas where LGBTQ immigrants might face unique challenges. This resource is an outline of some special considerations for LGBTQ immigrants.
An analysis of America’s counties and their voluntary assistance with deportations.
This resource identifies and explains some key provisions that cities and counties can enact in order to protect immigrants from discrimination and deportation.
In this issue: The ILRC outlines key priorities for 2017; Post-Conviction Relief and Protecting Constitutional Rights; Immigrants Benefit from California’s New Marijuana Reform; Harris County, TX: The “Deportation Capital” of the U.S.; California has the opportunity to lead the nation with dignity, not detention
October 2017 report by the ILRC and Professor Tom K. Wong estimating the cost that ending DACA would have to the Social Security and Medicare trust funds over ten years. The report that concludes that the end of DACA will lead to $39.3 billion in losses to Social Security and Medicare contributions over ten years, half of which represents lost employee contributions and half employer contributions. Of these losses, $31.8 billion represents the decrease in Social Security contributions and $7.4 billion in Medicare contributions. This report represents an update of a previous report released by the ILRC in December of 2016.
Every family should have a Family Preparedness Plan. While it is our hope that you never have to use your plan, it is a good practice to have one in place to help reduce the stress of the unexpected. This packet will help everyone create a Family Preparedness Plan, regardless of immigration status. However, because of the additional challenges immigrant and mixed status families face, we also have additional advice for immigrants.
This Question and Answer (Q&A) addresses potential changes in a Trump administration, written for domestic violence and sexual assault advocates and attorneys who are serving immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. This information may change as we learn more about the plans of the incoming administration. This document was written by Americans for Immigrant Justice, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, ASISTA Immigration Assistance, Casa de Esperanza, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Freedom Network USA, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Immigration Center for Women and Children, Dale E. Fowler School of Law at Chapman University, Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, National Immigrant Justice Center, Tahirih Justice Center, and We Belong Together.
This advisory contains general information shared by USCIS staff during multiple stakeholder events in 2016. It is authored by ASISTA, ICWC, ILRC, AILA, Just Neighbors Ministry, and Sanctuary for Families.
It’s important for everyone to know their rights if approached by an immigration (ICE) agent as well as how families can best prepare for something happening. This resource provides practical tips for things immigrant families can do now to prepare as well as information on rights everyone has in the United States, regardless of immigration status.
A new law will go into effect January 1, 2017 that will provide people who are no longer in custody with a new way to vacate legally invalid convictions. This advisory discusses how the law can help immigrants erase old convictions thus opening up new pathways to immigration relief.
AB 813 Provides a New Vehicle to Vacate a California ConvictionSB 1242 Makes the 364-Day Misdemeanor Law RetroactiveSB 2792 (TRUTH Act) Protects the Rights of Immigrants in California Jails
This report provides a thorough analysis of California’s Proposition 64, or The Adult Use of Marijuana Act, and its potential impact on immigrants with marijuana offenses. The report covers the intersection of immigration and criminal law, the current impact of marijuana offenses on a variety of immigration outcomes, and the ways in which Proposition 64 could help mitigate the immigration consequences of some marijuana-related drug offenses. This report was generously funded by Drug Policy Action.
This advisory describes how practitioners with clients whose DACA renewal is outside of processing time or whose biometrics appointment notice is delayed can elevate their cases for resolution with USCIS.
Letter from 380 national, state, and local non-profit organizations to President Obama requesting that he expand Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala and provide relief from deportation to 1.2 million undocumented immigrants.
Letter from 102 law professors and scholars in the areas of immigration, migration, administrative, and international law to President Obama outlining the legal authority for the use of Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to provide relief from deportation to 1.2 million undocumented immigrants.
Policy statement in opposition to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's proposal to collect the social media information of individuals entering the United States through the Visa Waiver Program.
Immigration was one of the leading issues in our country in 2015. Animosity toward immigrants grew last year, and with it the threat of deportation and anti-immigrant policies. Thanks to our partners, allies, and the community, 2015 was a year we celebrated wins in our fight to advance immigrant rights. Read more in ILRC’s 2015 Annual Report.
In this issue: Immigrants Shape California Legislative Package; The other side of the immigration debate; Protecting Undocumented Youth in the Child Welfare System; ILRC Combats Unjust Immigration Enforcement
In this issue: The ILRC Pushes Forward After a Disappointing Setback from the Supreme Court; 2016 Legislative Updates in California; New Americans Campaign Celebrates Fifth Anniversary with New Site; 2015 Annual Report
This resource is a comprehensive client intake form meant to assist practitioners in screening for immigration relief options. Accompanying the intake form are notes to assist practitioners in spotting issues and relief options.
The DREAM Act is proposed federal legislation that would help thousands of hard-working students realize their dreams of legalizing their immigration status. Specifically, the DREAM Act would provide legal status and access to financial aid to those young people who have graduated from a high school in the United States or received a GED, entered the United States before they were 16 years of age, and have been in the United States for at least five years. In order to qualify, each student would have to complete two years of higher education, or serve in the United States Armed Forces for at least two years. It is very inspiring to ILRC that these "DREAM Act" students, especially those in the California DREAM network, are working together and with others for the enactment of this legislation in the United States Congress.
Overview of the Anti-Fraud CampaignILRC Announces Major Immigration Fraud Public Awareness Campaign. The ILRC has been a leader in the educational campaign to warn immigrants about immigration fraud. Too often, immigrants fall prey to scam artists that promise them an easy path to legal status only to cheat them out of their hard-earned money and, often, put them at risk of deportation. To combat this problem, ILRC has produced and distributed thousands of graphic novels, or comic books, in English, Spanish and Chinese that warn immigrants about typical immigration fraud scams.