Immigration Removal Defense

Removal defense involves representing and advocating for immigrants facing deportation from the United States. For many immigrants facing removal from the United States, the process involves appearing before an immigration judge in immigration court. Most immigrants cannot afford to have an attorney represent them in court. Sadly, legal representation is the single most important factor in determining whether someone will win or lose their case.

The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) builds the capacity of practitioners to represent clients in immigration court proceedings. As national experts in immigration law, the ILRC publishes a hands-on comprehensive manual, Removal Defense: Defending Immigrants in Immigration Court, and offers trainings on this topic. We also support practitioners and pro bono attorneys in their specific cases through our Attorney of the Day (AOD) technical assistance service.

Latest in Removal Defense

Immigrant Legal Resource Center v. Department of Homeland Security

07/24/2018

Overview of ILRC’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request Since 2013, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) has been tracking policies dealing with the various ways in which state and local law enforcement is entangled with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in deporting members of immigrant communities. In November 2016, we received data from a FOIA request to DHS that provided...

Living in Limbo: A Guide to Understanding Your Rights, Benefits, and Obligations When You Have No Immigration Status

07/20/2018

Every year, millions of people wait for Congress to advance a solution that would provide stability for undocumented persons and their families. The numbers left waiting and worrying without a pathway to citizenship, protection from deportation, or the ability to work under the Trump Administration has only increased with the limitations on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)...

A Beginner’s Guide to Bond Hearings

06/29/2018

Are you thinking about helping detained immigrants? It’s time to get your feet wet. This guide talks you through the initial basic steps to support someone requesting from bond from the immigration judge. This guide includes simple steps to get you started, including how to find your client and what to present to the court.

After TPS: Options and Next Steps

06/07/2018

Over 300,000 people currently benefit from Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and many have been protected by it for nearly 20 years. However, the current administration is terminating the program for certain countries and is reviewing the designation of several others. This practice advisory describes what TPS recipients and their advocates can do now to understand their legal options. It will...

Non-LPR Cancellation of Removal: An Overview of Eligibility for Immigration Practitioners

06/06/2018

Cancellation of removal for Non–Permanent Residents under INA § 240A(b)(1) is a critical defense to deportation available to certain non-citizens with family in the United States. A person who is granted non-LPR cancellation of removal receives a green card, but the eligibility requirements for non-LPR cancellation are distinct from other means of applying for a green card, and also from other...