AILA Quicktake #278: AILA Joins the Supreme Court Fight to Decriminalize Ethical Advice to Clients

AILA recently helped draft and then signed on to a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief opposing a provision of 8 U.S.C. that criminalizes ethical legal advice immigration lawyers frequently offer to their clients. AILA member Cyrus Mehta explains why members need to be mindful of this language unless and until the Supreme Court strikes it down.

Related Resources

• Immigration Representatives and Organizations Submit Amicus Brief to SCOTUS in U.S. v. Sineneng-Smith
• New York Times: Is It a Crime to Encourage Unauthorized Immigration? The Supreme Court Will Decide - November 11, 2019
• Follow the case on SCOTUSblog
• CA9 Finds Law Prohibiting Individuals from Encouraging Unauthorized Immigration Violates Constitutional Right to Free Speech (United States v. Sineneng-Smith, 12/4/18)