Family-Based Immigration
Through family-based immigration, U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can sponsor relatives for immigration. We aim to be a leading force in transforming family-based immigration policy in order to maintain family unity, foster cohesive communities, and strengthen America’s economic growth. Read more about our approach below.
Judicial Review of Visa Decisions After the Supreme Court’s Decision in Department of State v. Muñoz
In Department of State v. Muñoz, 602 U.S. 899 (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that a U.S. citizen and her noncitizen spouse had no access to… Read More
Biden Expands Immigration Protections to Undocumented Spouses and Streamlines Employment-Based Visas for DACA Recipients
On June 18, the Biden administration announced policy changes that will provide immigration relief to thousands of deeply-rooted immigrants in the United States. Read More
Amicus Brief to Supreme Court Asserting Judicial Review of Consular Visa Denials Available
The American Immigration Council filed an Amicus Brief with the American Immigration Lawyers Association to challenge the government's theory that judicial review is never available when a consular officer decides to deny a visa application. Read More
USCIS Updates Key CSPA Interpretation to Protect Some Immigrant Youth, But Backlogs Continue to Cause Hardships
On August 24, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a new update to its policy manual clarifying a previous policy change aimed at expanding green card eligibility under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) for children who lost eligibility, or “aged out,” due to the years-long visa… Read More
Expansion of Central American Minors Program Offers New Opportunities for Families to Reunite
The Departments of State and Homeland Security announced recently that the Central American Minors (CAM) Program is being expanded, which will allow more children from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala to safely reunite with parents and guardians already living in the United States. The… Read More
Practice Tip: Opposing a Motion to Dismiss Asserting the Consular Nonreviewability Doctrine in Agency Delay Cases
Practitioners who challenge delays in visa processing often face a motion to dismiss based on the consular nonreviewability doctrine. This practice tip examines the scope of the doctrine. It provides arguments, with supporting documentation, to oppose common situations that the government claims are final, nonreviewable decisions. Read More
Coalition Letter Calling for Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act provisions
The American Immigration Council and 13 other organizations urged USCIS to expand premium processing to ensure the agency remains solvent while efficiently and effectively adjudicating all immigration benefit applications and petitions. Read More
Coalition Effort Advocates for the Inclusion of Visa-Related Provisions in Budget Reconciliation
The Council joined 89 other organizations in a letter calling for Congress to include visa-related provisions in the budget reconciliation. Read More
Council Urges Biden Administration to Ensure All Immigrant Visas are Processed
The Council led a letter urging the Biden administration to ensure that all immigrant visas are processed up to the numerical limits by September 30, 2021 to avoid the loss of visas and further increase to the backlog. Read More
Supporting Detained Individual’s Right to Access ICE Detention Records through a State FOIA Request
In the amicus brief, the Council and partners reject Calhoun County's position to withhold records that otherwise would be released under the Michigan state FOIA. Read More
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