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 Policy Memorandum articulates USCIS policy regarding assigning appropriate gender designations on documents issued to transgender individuals and the adjudication of benefits applications involving the marriage of transgender individuals.
The Department of State answers frequently asked questions regarding non-immigrant and immigrant visa benefits for same-sex spouses.
USCIS issued these frequently asked questions that address the eligibility and application process for same-sex spouses applying for immigration benefits.
This practice advisory summarizes the immigration benefits for same-sex spouses after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor declared section 3 of DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) unconstitutional. It covers family-based petitions (including VAWA) and nonimmigrant visas for same-sex spouses and children.
This resource describes all of the documents that will help in proving the requirements and where to obtain them. Special thanks to our Spring 2013 law students, Andrew Briggs and Maria Dominguez, for their efforts in helping create this resource.
Deferred Action is a form of prosecutorial discretion that provides a work permit and relief from removal for two years to certain eligible undocumented youth. This fact sheet outlines the benefits of DACA, who is eligible and the requirements.
This form screens for DACA eligibility and other immigration relief. It can be used by non-immigration attorney volunteers because it highlights the areas that need to be referred to an experienced immigration attorney or BIA-accredited representative.
This is a sample cover letter that can be used when submitting a DACA application. This is a sample cover letter that can be used when submitting a DACA application.
This is a checklist to help you gather all necessary documentation to apply for DACA.
This guide provides step-by-step guidance on how to check if you have a criminal record from the FBI and state government agencies.
This new resource provides step by step instructions on how to notify USCIS that your address has changed. This is important so that receipt notices, reminders, and other documents are sent to the correct address. (English and Spanish)
This guide outlines steps DACA renewal applicants can take if their renewal is delayed.
This document describes how a person with DACA who travels outside the U.S. with Advance Parole may be able to apply for a green card in the U.S. based on an immediate relative visa petition.
This advisory explains how some DACA recipients may be eligible to adjust their status to permanent residents after travellng outside the United States on advance parole. We explain what is required for advance parole, what is required for adjustment of status, and how those two are related for certain DACA recipients who entered the United States without inspection. Although the advisory is focused on DACA, most of the analysis will also apply to TPS holders.
Outlines all of the benefits that come with obtaining DACA approval. Special thanks to our Spring 2013 law students, Andrew Briggs and Maria Dominguez, for their efforts in helping to create this resource.
In addition to a number of other requirements, to qualify for deferred action a person must not be convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or multiple misdemeanors, and not pose a threat to public safety or national security.
In addition to a number of other requirements, to qualify for deferred action a person must not be convicted of a felony, a significant misdemeanor, or multiple misdemeanors, and not pose a threat to public safety or national security.
This advisory for criminal defense counsel outlines defense strategies to preserve a client’s possible eligibility for deferred action.
This page from DOS provides information on how to apply for a U nonimmigrant visa, the required documents and fees, visa ineligibility and more.https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/other-visa-categories/visas-for-victims-of-criminal-activity.html
These notes were taken at the May 18-19, 2012 conference and contain lots of important practice questions, updates and filing tips for U visa cases.
Immigration Center for Women and Children (ICWC) administers a database of information sourced from more than 700 advocates nationwide with helpful information about law enforcement agencies who certify victim helpfulness for U cases and consulates abroad who issue U visas. The database includes information on who the U certifying officers are and where to send the requests, as well as the most updated policies and practices, nationwide. The goal is to update information on every state and federal agency, whether they do or don’t sign certifications. The database also includes information about consulates’ and embassies’ practices in processing U visa cases. These are both critical resources to any organization or office with a U visa caseload.For more information on these and other U-related databases that ICWC administers, go to http://icwclaw.org/services-available/icwc-u-travel-and-certifier-database/. If you’re new to using Zoho databases (the platform for ICWC’s databases), watch the helpful video below.
SB 674 is a new California law that took effect on January 1, 2016. The goal of this law is to ensure that all immigrant crime victims in California have equal access to immigration status through the U visa.
This page offers resources on “crim/imm,” the law governing the intersection of immigration and crimes, especially as it applies to California law.