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.
10/08/2020
A cite and release policy is a directive to law enforcement officers to issue citations, tickets, or warnings for certain low-level offenses, instead of making arrests. This resource provides a general overview of cite and release policies, including the goals and benefits of cite and release, the components of a strong policy, the eligible offenses under Texas state law, and examples of local...
10/02/2020
ICE has changed the standard language for 287(g) agreements. This resource highlights and explains the most significant changes and provides a line by line comparison of old and new contracts.
10/02/2020
Alert : On September 29, 2020 the Fee Rule was enjoined nation-wide in its entirety by a District court in the Northern District of California, ILRC et al. v. Chad F. Wolf, et al . (ND California) (Case 4:20-cv-05883-JSW) (Sept. 29, 2020). This means that the fee rule will not go into effect on October 2, 2020: neither the fee increases nor the changes to fee waivers in the rule will be...
10/01/2020
This one-pager, a partnership between the UCLA Criminal Defense Clinic, Al Otro Lado, and the ILRC, describes the how and why of CA Penal Code s. 1473.7.
09/30/2020
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...
09/30/2020
The ILRC launched two social media campaigns on public charge issues in February and March 2020. In this resource, we share information on those campaigns and printouts of the graphics from both campaigns (in English and Spanish) as inspiration for public charge social media campaigns other organizations or advocates may wish to launch, depending on their audience.
09/30/2020
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.
09/30/2020
This community resource is a condensed explainer for anyone with questions about DACA, with a brief overview on who can apply, who can renew, and what the recent USCIS changes to the program mean.
09/30/2020
For many immigrants, learning what their status is does not come into full scope until they apply for driver’s licenses, financial aid, travel documents, or other benefits that are a part of adulthood’s accompanying responsibilities. Regardless of one’s age, however, it is important that everyone understand the differences between the distinct categories recognized by the federal government so as...
09/30/2020
On September 25, ILRC submitted comments in opposition to EOIR's proposed rule regarding court procedures. The proposed rule is an unlawful attempt to curb Immigration Judges’ authority, limit case review, and drastically restrict due process for immigrants. The rule undermines the appellate process and curtails the efficient adjudication of the courts.
09/30/2020
This provides 5 essential facts to know about public charge if you are a green card holder (LPR), if you are undocumented, or if you are applying to sponsor a family member for immigration.
09/30/2020
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.
09/30/2020
The Trump administration has been working to change public charge, a reason an immigrant could be denied a green card or a visa, by making it harder for low- and moderate-income immigrants to prove they are not at risk of using certain public benefits in the future. Meanwhile, widespread media coverage of these changes, combined with the Trump administration’s negative rhetoric targeting...
09/30/2020
This succinct resource provides core messages you can share with the community about public charge.
09/30/2020
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 2019 rule on public charge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published in the...
09/28/2020
With the federal government’s growing and constant threat to immigrants of all statuses, the following is a reminder worth noting: permanent residents, or “green card” holders, continue to have all the same rights. This fact sheet provides information on your rights as well as things to keep in mind if you want to travel outside the United States, have been convicted of a crime, or are eligible...
09/24/2020
These three charts outline the different requirements for acquiring and deriving citizenship. Because the law governing acquisition and derivation has changed many times and is generally not retroactive, these charts detail what the eligibility requirements are depending on the time period in question. Each chart has extensive footnotes that provide explanations about the legal requirements,...
09/22/2020
2020 has proven to be one of the most tumultuous years in recent history. We have struggled to survive a deadly global pandemic and faced a national reckoning on racial inequity and police brutality. Over the past four years, immigration enforcement tactics have continued to instill fear, and any protection policies have been decimated. Immigrant communities face the constant threat of...
09/17/2020
In January 2020, the Committee for Review of the Penal Code began convening with the intent of putting forward wide ranging recommendations for reforms to the California criminal legal code. Understanding the significant impact of the process for California’s immigrant population, the ILRC has formally submitted recommendations, advice, and expert testimony as the committee engages in its...
09/14/2020
On April 22, 2020, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation cutting off some forms of immigration for 60 days, beginning on April 23, 2020. On June 22, 2020, the president extended this proclamation through December 31, 2020 and added restrictions to other immigrants seeking certain temporary visas. This brief guide addresses what this means, who it will most likely impact, and what it...
09/09/2020
Across the country, states and localities are increasingly moving to end marijuana prohibition laws. For immigrant communities, despite the changing attitude toward marijuana-related conduct at the state level, an old conviction can still form the basis for immigration-related consequences at the federal level. Though federal legal reforms may be the only way to completely eradicate the...
09/08/2020
A FOIA request can be an invaluable tool in immigration law to help an immigrant and her representative. 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 also includes tips about alternatives to Form G-639, such as online submission options.
09/08/2020
California is in the midst of an historic reform of its Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Under current plans, failed DJJ facilities will close, creating an opportunity for youth to be cared for close to home through community-based programs and services. But if DJJ closes, it must close justly. Any closure must divest from carceral solutions and invest in restorative and transformative justice...
09/08/2020
FAQ about ICE’s newest model of 287(g), the Warrant Service Officer (WSO) program.
09/03/2020
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.