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.

What is SIJS?

01/12/2022

This one-sheet flyer can be used to share a brief overview of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), who may be eligible, and what SIJS provides to those who qualify.

ILRC Comment on the ICE Tip Form

12/21/2021

On December 21, 2021, the ILRC submitted comments raising concerns on the form that ICE plans to utilize to allow the public to submit tips on suspicious or criminal activity. ILRC raised concerns with ICE’s use of this form given the high likelihood that information submitted will be unreliable or outright false, which has the potential to significantly harm immigrant communities. Particularly...

ILRC Winter 2021 Newsletter

12/21/2021

In this issue: The Fight for a Permanent Inclusive Legislative Solution, ILRC Field Office Run Down, #FindYourAlly college outreach digital content, and much more!

New Immigration Enforcement Priorities Recording - Spanish

12/17/2021

DHS acaba de anunciar nuevas prioridades de aplicación de la ley de inmigración. Únase a nuestro seminario web para conocer los desarrollos recientes de políticas y lo que se avecina. Profundizaremos en los detalles de la nueva política y discutiremos los mensajes y el marco para usar esta guía en un caso individual, incluidos consejos de organización y promoción para elevar los casos individuales a miembros del congreso y la oficina central del DHS.

Update on DOJ Grants Under the Biden Administration

12/16/2021

Throughout the Trump Administration, the federal government has sought to undermine sanctuary policies by requiring that cities help ICE with immigration enforcement in order to receive certain federal grants from the DOJ. These policies have spurred a dozen lawsuits, almost all of which have ruled in favor of the cities challenging DOJ’s conditions. In 2021, the Biden administration removed all...

Department of State FOIA Requests for Personal Records

12/16/2021

In certain immigration cases, you may want to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the U.S. Department of State (DOS), such as to try to find information about previous visa applications and passport records. This Practice Advisory will go over the DOS FOIA process in detail and provide practice tips for obtaining personal records from them, including best practices. Go to this...

Relief Chart: Eligibility for Immigration Relief Despite Criminal Record Issues

12/14/2021

This Chart summarizes the criminal record bars to many forms of relief, to provide a quick way to check whether your client is potentially eligible for relief. See also ILRC, Immigration Relief Toolkit (2018).

A Step By Step Guide To Completing FOIA Requests With DHS

12/14/2021

A FOIA request can be an invaluable tool in immigration law to help an immigrant and their representative gain a complete understanding of one’s immigration history. This guide details how to complete a FOIA request for USCIS, ICE, OBIM, and CBP. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to complete Form G-639 and also includes tips about alternatives to Form G-639 , such as online submission...

National Map of 287(g) Agreements

12/06/2021

What is 287(g)? 287(g) is a program for allowing state and local agencies to act as immigration enforcement agents. Under 287(g), ICE forms an agreement with a state or local agency - most often a county sheriff that runs a local jail - and this agreement delegates specific immigration enforcement authority to designated officers within the local agency. These agreements are also known as “287(g...

Overview of the New U Nonimmigrant (“U Visa”) Bona Fide Determination

12/03/2021

On June 14, 2021, USCIS announced a new “bona fide determination” process whereby certain U petitioners and their family members with pending U petitions can receive four-year work authorization and deferred action while they wait for full adjudication. This process could be very good for many of the 270,000 folks who have filed for a U visa and are waiting – but there are many folks left out,...

ILRC Comments on Proposed DACA Regulation

11/18/2021

On November 18, 2021, the ILRC submitted comments making recommendations to USCIS regarding the agency’s proposed regulation on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. ILRC focused on recommendations that address the need for USCIS to create standards within this regulation to ensure equitable and consistent treatment for DACA applicants.

Advocacy Comment on the N-648 Naturalization Disability Waiver Form

11/09/2021

On November 5, 2021, the ILRC participated in comments to USCIS with the Naturalization Working Group concerning proposed revisions to the N-648 form for Medical Certification for Disability Exception for naturalization applicants. The form revisions overall represent an improvement over prior versions by shortening the form and eliminating irrelevant questions. The comment also urges USCIS to...

New Immigration Enforcement Priorities Recording - English

10/27/2021

DHS has just announced new immigration enforcement priorities. Join our webinar to learn about the recent policy developments and what is on the horizon. We’ll dig into the details of the new policy and discuss messaging and framing for using this guidance in an individual case, including organizing and advocacy tips to elevate individual cases to members of congress and DHS Headquarters.

Crim/Imm Problems in the Proposed DACA Regulation

10/27/2021

The proposed DACA regulation presents serious problems and real opportunities. See the regulation at 86 Fed Reg 53736 (Sept. 28, 2021), https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-09-28/pdf/2021-20898.pdf . Comments are due on November 29, 2021. Together we can work to improve these rules. We encourage groups to begin considering their own comments. This is our initial take on the issues...

Public Charge: Community Meeting PowerPoint with Presentation Script, and Sample Audience Questions and Answers

10/21/2021

This sample community meeting PowerPoint slide deck can be used to help education and outreach workers present information about public charge to community members. The PowerPoint slides are notated with what you can say as you present. We also include Sample Audience Questions and Answers that education and outreach workers can use when responding to questions from community members about public...

ILRC Comments on Proposed USCIS Asylum and Credible Fear Procedures

10/19/2021

On October 19, 2021, the ILRC submitted comments raising concerns about USCIS’ proposed regulation changing the procedures for credible fear screenings and asylum. While the proposed regulation contains some provisions that would improve the current system, it also poses a significant risk to asylum seekers’ right to a full, fair and consistent hearing of their claims.

ILRC Comment to Department of State

10/14/2021

The ILRC submitted comments to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) on October 14, 2021. DOS had solicited public input on recommendations for changes needed at the agency in a federal register notice on September 16, 2021.

Annotated Detainer Form 2021

10/12/2021

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

How to Use the Categorical Approach Now (2021)

10/05/2021

With a few exceptions, immigration authorities must use the “categorical approach” to determine whether a criminal conviction triggers a ground of removal. Expert use of the categorical approach may be the most important defense strategy available to immigrants charged with or convicted of crimes. This Update of our long-running article includes discussion of Pereida v. Wilkinson, 141 S.Ct. 754 (...

Public Charge: A Quick Legal Background

09/30/2021

This overview of public charge and immigration law summarizes what public charge is and how it affects noncitizens, provides a glossary of key public charge and immigration law terms, and explains the public charge rules and legal challenges.

Public Charge: What the Community Needs to Know

09/28/2021

This FAQ on public charge can be used to help education and outreach workers present information about public charge to community members and/or as a handout for audience members from the community.

COVID-19, Contact Tracing, and Immigration in California

09/27/2021

Contact tracing is a public health program that helps slow the spread of infectious diseases, like COVID-19 (coronavirus). Because COVID-19 is very contagious, many states have implemented contact tracing programs to protect communities from the virus. California launched California Connected , its contact tracing program, in May 2020. This resource, which describes the California Connected...