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.

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Police-ICE Collusion: Essential Knowledge and Interventions

Enforcement
01/03/2019

This webinar digs into how ICE operates and how local law enforcement agencies are really involved, so that we can demand strategic reforms. SComm is not the only way ICE gets information from localities, the Criminal Alien Program and 287(g) are also big players, as well as ICE’s broad access to various law enforcement databases and the growing surveillance state.  In order to fight deportations, we need to get a hands-on, granular pictures of how ICE is operating, how they are using detainers and warrants, what access they have to the jail, and how local police and sheriffs respond...

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Naturalization Field Guide: Resources for Red Flag Screenings and Application Reviews

01/03/2019
Citizenship and Naturalization
Family-Based
It has always been important to screen naturalization applicants thoroughly to ensure that they are, in fact, eligible for naturalization, and to assess any potential issues that could cause them to denied or deported. While the laws governing how and when someone is eligible to naturalize and how and when someone is deportable have not changed, the importance of screening applicants has...
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Responding to Inappropriate RFEs and NOIDs in Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Cases

01/03/2019
Immigrant Youth
In July 2018, USCIS issued a new policy memorandum that limits the circumstances in which it will issue Requests for Evidence (RFE) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID). This practice advisory provides an overview of the law governing RFEs and NOIDs, outlines the changes to USCIS policy announced in the July 2018 policy memo, and sets forth a six-step process to follow when responding to requests...
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Advisory About the Immigration Consequences of California Methamphetamine Convictions: Lorenzo v. Sessions

01/01/2019
Crimes
Post-Conviction Relief
Removal Defense
In August 2018, the Ninth Circuit published an opinion holding that methamphetamine as defined under California law is not a controlled substance for federal immigration purposes. In January 2019, however, the court withdrew the published opinion, and issued a non-published opinion that came to the same conclusion. See Lorenzo v. Sessions , 902 F.3d 930 (9th Cir. 2018), withdrawn by Lorenzo v...
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Denaturalization: Understanding the Process and Recent Increases in Denaturalization Efforts

12/21/2018
Citizenship and Naturalization
Family-Based
In the past, denaturalization proceedings were rare and usually brought only against alleged war criminals and in other extreme cases. However, continuing their assault on immigrants, families, and communities of color, the Trump administration has increased resources dedicated to pursuing denaturalization in an effort to strip citizenship from naturalized citizens and there are concerns this...
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Family-Based Adjustment of Status Options

12/21/2018
Family-Based
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
DACA
A noncitizen can pursue lawful permanent residence through a family member in two different ways—one, through consular processing at a U.S. consulate abroad, or two, through adjustment of status at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) office or Immigration Court in the United States. For people who are already in the United States, adjustment of status is preferable if they are...
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Application of the Child Status Protection Act to the Children of U.S. Citizen Petitioners

12/21/2018
Family-Based
The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) was devised to protect intending immigrant children from “aging-out” while undergoing the lengthy process to status. This advisory discusses how CSPA protects children of U.S. citizens in their applications for permanent residency. This is one of three advisories in a series detailing the benefits and limitations of the CSPA in the immigration process. For...
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Representing Clients at the Master Calendar Hearing: How to Prepare for an Initial Hearing, with Quick-Reference Checklist

12/21/2018
Removal Defense
Asylum
Crimes
The master calendar hearing is the first hearing in removal proceedings before an immigration judge of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, during which serious substantive decisions can be made in an immigrant’s removal case. Advocates must be well prepared and have a clear case strategy in mind prior to the master calendar hearing, as well as a detailed plan for how to advocate during...
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Representing Naturalization Clients in the Wake of USCIS's New NTA Memo

12/20/2018
Citizenship and Naturalization
Removal Defense
USCIS's Policy Memorandum of June 28, 2018, provides new guidance for when USCIS will issue a Notice to Appear (NTA) to applicants requesting immigration benefits. This practice advisory outlines the NTA Memo’s impact on naturalization cases. Specifically, this advisory discusses the NTA Memo’s particular directives for naturalization cases; provides the legal context for when a naturalization...
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How to Interview Clients About Their Entries and Attempted Entries to the United States (And Understand Their Answers)

12/18/2018
Family-Based
A prospective client’s complete entry and exit history to the United States is one of the most important pieces of information to gather so that you can properly evaluate their immigration case. However, sometimes it can be challenging to figure out what questions to ask to elicit the information you need, or what the answers mean. This practice advisory describes different types of entries to...
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Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear: Tips and Strategies for Working with Clients

12/18/2018
Family-Based
Removal Defense
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
Citizenship and Naturalization
On June 28, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a memorandum stating the expanded circumstances in which the agency will begin issuing a Notice to Appear (NTA), including upon denying most affirmative applications. This practice advisory provides an overview of the new USCIS NTA Memo and gives tools for identifying possible red flags that could trigger enforcement...
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The Selective Service and Naturalization Applications

12/18/2018
Citizenship and Naturalization
Males living in the United States between the ages of 18 and 26, including naturalization applicants, must register for the Selective Service. While failure to register for the Selective Service is not a statutory or regulatory bar, it may still stop a person from naturalizing. This practice advisory will look deeper into the Selective Service requirements, how USCIS will evaluate the case...
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Protecting Immigrant Youth Fact Sheet

12/17/2018
Immigrant Youth
Enforcement
It is essential that we enact policies that support our youth in becoming healthy, productive adults. Unfortunately, many localities engage in unnecessary, and sometimes unlawful, practices that negatively impact the development of young people. This fact sheet, written together with the National Juvenile Justice Network, describes policy changes that could help protect immigrant youth.
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Resources on the FIRST STEP Act

12/17/2018
Policy Advocacy
Enforcement
Resources on the FIRST STEP Act—legislation to reform the criminal justice system—and its impacts on non-citizens. Concerns about FIRST STEP Act Senate Bill : In this resource on The First Step Act, S. 3747, ILRC along with its partners the NIPNLG, NIJC, IDP and IJN, provides analysis on how the bill’s provision impacts non-citizens in the federal criminal justice system. Criminal Justice Reform...
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An Overview of Public Charge

12/14/2018
Family-Based
Immigrant Youth
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
Citizenship and Naturalization
Public Charge
This advisory seeks to provide practitioners with current information about the status of public charge. This information is current as of December 2018. On October 10, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule related to public charge in the Federal Register. The proposed rule is not current law. No new regulation has been implemented and any change will require a...
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Implications of Updated USCIS Notice to Appear (NTA) Memo

U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
12/13/2018

This webinar, hosted on November 30, 2018 by ASISTA and ILRC, is intended only for advocates and attorneys who work advancing the rights of immigrants, and is not for media attribution. Panelists discuss the implementation of the updated NTA guidance for humanitarian cases like VAWA self-petitions, U visas, T visas, SIJS, I-730, and related adjustment applications.  Panelists also provide practice tips for navigating the risks for clients and advocacy suggestions.

If you are interested in accessing the recording, please contact Cecelia Friedman Levin, ...

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Annotated Notes and Practice Pointers: USCIS Teleconference on Notice to Appear (NTA) Updated Policy Guidance

12/06/2018
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
On June 28, 2018, USCIS published new guidance expanding the circumstances in which it will issue a Notice to Appear, placing immigrant applicants in removal proceedings. On November 19, 2018, USCIS began implementation of this new guidance on many forms of humanitarian relief, including U visa, T visa, VAWA, SIJS, I-730s, and related applications. Authored by ASISTA, ILRC, and AILA, these...
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The Immigrant Advocate | Winter 2018

11/30/2018
Newsletters & Annual Reports
In this issue: Public Charge: The Threat America is Not Talking Enough About; The ILRC Introduces its First Andy Grove Immigrants’ Rights Fellowship; In Focus: Big Things Happening in Texas; Field Office Rundown; Joining the ILRC; and our 2017 Program Partners
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Public Charge and Naturalization

11/21/2018
Citizenship and Naturalization
Public Charge
Family-Based
This practice advisory provides an update on public charge for advocates providing naturalization legal assistance. The advisory briefly discusses the legal standard for assessing public charge and then discusses how to advise lawful permanent residents looking to naturalize. It covers issues related to the proposed rule on public charge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in...
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ILRC’s Prosecutor Policy Recommendations

11/21/2018
Crimes
Prosecutors
Post-Conviction Relief
At a time of unprecedented immigration enforcement where the federal government heavily relies on the criminal legal system to target immigrants and their families and communities, prosecutors play a critical role in determining immigrants’ fates in this country. Prosecutors across the country are beginning to recognize the important role they play as gatekeepers to the deportation pipeline. Many...
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Public Charge Template Comment to the Proposed Rule

11/19/2018
Public Charge
Family-Based
On October 10, 2018, DHS issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to drastically change how the agency adjudicates the public charge ground of inadmissibility. The proposal would include the use Medicaid, subsidized housing (including Section 8), and SNAP (Food Stamps) to the types of benefits that count against an intending immigrant in the public charge determination. In addition, the proposed...
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Fee Waiver Template Comment – submit by November 27, 2018

11/13/2018
Citizenship and Naturalization
Family-Based
U Visa/T Visa/VAWA
Policy Advocacy
Immigrant Youth
This comment period has closed. Click here respond to the latest notice of proposed fee waiver rule change. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is attempting to transform the fee waiver application process by making it more difficult for individuals to obtain fee waivers when seeking immigration relief. On September 28, 2018, it issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to drastically change...

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