Dues Check-Off 2009

The Most Important Investment You’ll Make All Year! 

2009 is proving to be a challenging year.  As a country, we have seated a new president – one who has voiced his dedication to passing comprehensive immigration reform. In the House and the Senate, we have seen the immigration issue used as a weapon in partisan politics. In the press, we have seen an increasing number of restrictionist groups blaming immigrants for everything from unemployment to global warming. The American Immigration Council is meeting these challenges head on. 

Now, we urgently need your support to continue our important mission as 2010 is shaping up to be an even more critical year for U.S. immigration policy. 

In the coming months, the immigration debate will grow louder – and we will be there to help YOU help your clients. An important tool in our arsenal is our new name and image. Moving forward, we will be the American Immigration Council. With this change, our aim is to be more inclusive, not less. We can and will never forget that we were built on the shoulders of the passionate and dedicated lawyer members of the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association. But we also recognize that in order to reach our full potential and for our message to have the most impact we must reach more people. We must bring not only the sharp minds of those within the immigration bar to the table, but also those from like-minded organizations and others that care about our cause. By growing our organization we are also growing the visibility and efficacy of AILA and its members. 

As we embark on this new chapter in our organization’s history, we will continue to provide the invaluable resources you rely on every day. Our Legal Action Center (LAC) will continue to support impact litigation protecting the legal rights of immigrants by filing briefs in federal courts and producing dozens of invaluable Practice Advisories, Clearinghouse newsletters, and website Issue Pages. Our Immigration Policy Center (IPC) will continue to stand up against those who distort the truth about immigrants and immigration to our country. But we must also be sure to increase our presence in the public arena – on the Hill, in classrooms, and in the press. The American Immigration Council will be the most powerful, informed, and passionate advocate for CIR and immigrants in this country. But we need your help to see success.  

The Council is not a membership organization. We do not charge anyone who uses our resources, but that does not mean that our resources don’t cost money to produce. In 2010, the Council faces possibly its greatest challenge ever – or greatest opportunity ever – creating an environment where real reform of our immigration system can happen. But we need your help now. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation when paying your 2009-2010 AILA membership dues. The Council’s future – and the future of comprehensive immigration reform – depends on you.