Immigration Benefits and Relief
The immigration laws and regulations provide some avenues to apply for lawful status from within the U.S. or to seek relief from deportation. The eligibility requirements for these benefits and relief can be stringent, and the immigration agencies often adopt overly restrictive interpretations of the requirements. Learn about advocacy and litigation that has been and can be undertaken to ensure that noncitizens have a fair chance to apply for the benefits and relief for which they are eligible. Providing avenues for legal status, protection, and family reunification is vital to ensuring humanitarian protection for immigrants. We are leading policy changes that open more opportunities like asylum, visas for victims of crime or human trafficking, and relief for long-term residents. Explore the resources below to learn more.
The 5th Circuit Fight for DACA Is a Personal One
Written by Ilse Ramirez, Paralegal, and Andrea Rathbone Ramos, Digital Communications Specialist The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, heard oral arguments on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative on October 10. The court is deciding whether DACA is unlawful, potentially paving the way for… Read More
DACA Recipients Need Permanent Protection from Congress
So long as Congress fails to step up and provide a permanent solution, DACA recipients will continue living in constant fear and uncertainty, the Council said today. Read More
Fighting Over Whether Haitian Immigrants Are ‘Legal’ Misses the Point: They’re Legally Vulnerable
As Springfield, Ohio, and its purported (largely invented) problems with its Haitian population have continued to dominate both national news and the presidential campaign, people on both sides have struggled to fit the newly-arrived Haitian population into the conventional boxes of immigration politics: “legal immigrants” versus “illegal” ones. So-called… Read More
Judge Grants Texas’ Request to Keep Families Apart, At Least For Now
A mere three days after 16 Republican-led states sued the Biden administration over its “Keeping Families Together” parole process, a federal judge in Texas handed the plaintiffs a temporary “administrative stay,” ordering the federal government to stop granting any applications under the new process while the… Read More
Republican-Led States Sue to Block DACA Recipients from Accessing Affordable Health Insurance
A group of Republican-led states, headed by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, have sued to block a new rule that allows Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients to access health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It is yet another legal assault on Dreamers, while the… Read More
President Biden’s Keeping Families Together Program Has Begun
Updated: August 22, 2024 This is an update to our blog first posted on June 18, 2024, when President Biden first announced two policies to help provide streamlined paths to legal status for certain undocumented immigrants. On August 19, 2024, details regarding the two policies described below were… Read More
Kamala Harris’ Opportunity to Reframe the Immigration Conversation
The American Immigration Council does not endorse or oppose candidates for elected office. We aim to provide analysis regarding the implications of the election on the U.S. immigration system. As the country continues to dissect the ramifications from President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential race, the… Read More
State Department Streamlines Temporary Visas for College-Educated Noncitizen Workers—But Questions Remain About Its Impact
Some immigrants who have graduated from college in the United States and have a pending job offer will have an easier time receiving a temporary employment-based visa, thanks to recent changes from the Biden administration. This will include Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries and other college-educated noncitizens. The… Read More
Over 3,360 Texans Attend Houston’s Largest-Ever Citizenship Ceremony
As the “Citizenship Capital” of the United States, Harris County, Houston hosted its largest-ever oath ceremony to naturalize thousands of new U.S. citizens. Read More
Amid Deadly Heat, Migrant Farm Workers are Keeping Americans Fed
New data analysis by the American Immigration Council found that migrant farm workers are playing a key role in feeding Americans, even as they are increasingly vulnerable to extreme heat. Read More
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