Agency Memos & Announcements
USCIS issues policy memo asserting that adjustment of status is "administrative grace," not a right and directs officers to weigh all factors requiring applicants to show outstanding equities to overcome adverse factors.
Accessible to Public.
Correspondence
AILA letter to USCIS urgently requesting adjudication of pending immigrant visa petitions for approved EB-5 beneficiaries in reserved categories by 9/30/26. The letter also details other EB-5 process improvement requests.
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements
EOIR announced the swearing in of 77 immigration judges and 5 temporary immigration judges to serve in immigration courts across the United States. This is the largest class of new adjudicators in the agency's history.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Tired? Check out these simple tips to help you sleep better tonight.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Memo & Regulatory Comments
AILA and the Council oppose this Proposed Rule as it does not offer an accurate assessment of the current prevailing wage methodology and fails to consider less burdensome alternatives to achieve its objectives.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
In this series, AILA’s National Pro Bono Committee interviews Chapter Pro Bono Champions, asking them five questions to learn more about how they began doing pro bono work and the impact of their work.
Accessible to Public.
CBP announcement of DHS Secretary's decision to redirect flights departing after 11:59 PM ET on 5/20/26 with passengers recently present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan to arrive at Washington-Dulles International Airport in Virginia. (91 FR 29896, 5/21/26)
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Learn more about how AILA’s 2026 Well-Being Week combined practical resources, popular live roundtables, and engaging chapter challenges to build momentum for a healthier, more connected legal community year-round.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
AILA members may share the attached flyer with clients preparing for U.S. citizenship. Welcome.US’s Citizen Guide Program offers free, flexible online tutoring for lawful permanent residents, pairing each participant with a volunteer tutor for guidance and support. Available in Spanish.
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
The Verification Committee provides a comprehensive chart on current status and EAD notes for TPS and parole programs.
Special thank you to Kathleen Campbell Walker, Meredith Jolie, John Mazzeo, Timothy D’Arduini, Sarah Peterson, and Kimberley Best Robidoux for their contributions to the chart.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on May 21, 2026.
5/21/26
Accessible to Public.
FR Regulations & Notices
CDC notice of the Title 42 Order issued 5/18/26 suspending entry, with some exceptions, of non-U.S. passport-holders who were in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan in the last 21 days due to an Ebola outbreak. It is effective for 30 days. (91 FR 29961, 5/21/26)
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
On April 28, 2026. USCIS updated its web page to note that the Employment Authorization Documents for TPS El Salvador recipients with an expiration date of March 9, 2025 were automatically extended through July 22, 2026. Please see alert for employee and employer implications.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
AILA Announcements
Join us on May 28th for a seminar where expert panelists will walk attorneys through the lifecycle and roadmap of a denaturalization case, from referral and investigation to litigation and collateral consequences, offering defense strategies to protect clients facing these devastating proceedings.
5/21/26
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
This summer, join thousands of immigration attorneys, law professors, paralegals, students, exhibitors, and special guests in San Diego, California—set against the calm beauty of the Pacific coast. Together, we’ll recharge, sharpen our expertise, and fortify the bonds that strengthen our community.
5/20/26
Accessible to Public.
AILA Announcements
AILA National and the Global Migration Section (GMS) invite you to attend its annual Global Migration Forum, which this year will be held in the beautiful border city of San Diego on the southern coast of California.
5/20/26
Accessible to Public.
FR Regulations & Notices
ICE notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to increase the fee for “aliens ordered removed in absentia” established in H.R. 1 from $5,130 to $18,000. It also states that ICE will adjust the fee for inflation each year. Comments are due 6/22/26. (91 FR 29380, 5/20/26)
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
AILA members have continued to report the rise in "mega masters" at various courts around the country. These include 100+ respondents being scheduled in a single master calendar hearing, raising serious practical and due process concerns.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Agency Memos & Announcements
CBP’s Carrier Liaison Program issued a bulletin requiring travelers arriving from DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan to enter the United States through Washington-Dulles International Airport.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Practice Resources
AILA members have reported across the country that hearings are appearing on their online court calendars without any notice being issued. The EOIR National Liaison Committee is encouraging all removal defense practitioners to check their online calendars for unexpected hearing changes.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
AILA Blog
In this blog post, AILA AROL Task Force Member Karen Grisez describes how “this administration has mounted a less visible attack on due process inside the U.S. immigration court system” and reviews “what due process means and how it applies in the immigration context.”
5/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 26052002.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Explore how ethics and professionalism guide the management of doubtful evidence in extraordinary ability immigration cases and similar situations when client-provided documentation is inconsistent.
5/20/26
AILA Doc. No. 26052001.
Ethics
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on May 20, 2026.
5/20/26
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
AILA’s DOS Liaison Committee provides an overview of the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System and guidance for practitioners with clients traveling to the United States for the World Cup.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, DOJ/EOIR Cases
The BIA held that the closer in time a change of venue request is made to an individual hearing, the less likely a party can show good cause, and absent extraordinary circumstances, venue should not be changed on the day of a hearing. Matter of I–B–M–S–, et al., 29 I&N Dec. 628 (BIA 2026)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
AILA Announcements
AILA’s listserv service has now been restored. Messages are currently processing through the delivery queue, so there will be noticeable delays as the backlog clears. Thank you for your patience while we worked through this issue.
5/20/26
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements
CBP’s Carrier Liaison Program issued a bulletin concerning enhanced medical screening at U.S. ports of entry in response to the May 18, 2026, Title 42 order regarding the outbreak of Ebola in DRC and Uganda.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
AILA Announcements
Learn how AILALink is the perfect tool for electronic access to the books and other research resources you need. Sign up for our next group training at 2:00 pm (ET) on Tuesday, June 9.
5/19/26
AILA Doc. No. 15082740.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Check out these AILA resources to help protect your practice from allegations of fraud.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
AILA Announcements
AILA members are encouraged to share inefficiencies and concerns arising in frontline adjudications. This campaign provides a template covering relevant topics to help you submit personalized comments. Get involved!
5/19/26
AILA Doc. No. 26051900.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on May 19, 2026.
5/19/26
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that threats from masked men, two brief beatings, and a short detention of the Sikh Mann party member petitioner did not rise to the level of past persecution, and found he could avoid future persecution by relocating within India. (Singh v. Blanche, 12/1/25, amended 5/15/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
FR Regulations & Notices
DHS notice that the DHS Secretary has determined it is necessary to waive certain legal requirements in order to construct barriers and roads near the international border in the U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend Sector of Texas. The waiver is effective 5/15/26. (91 FR 27969, 5/15/26)
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements
The CDC has issued a Title 42 Order regarding the outbreak of Ebola in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The order bars entry for non-U.S. passport holders who departed from or were present in DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the last 21 days. The order will be in effect for 30 days.
Accessible to Public.
Agency Memos & Announcements
DOS announced that, effective 5/18/26, all visa services are temporarily paused at the U.S. embassies in Juba, South Sudan; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Kampala, Uganda. DOS states that the pause is due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
Accessible to Public.
AILA and the American Immigration Council’s practice resource provides background for attorneys to understand the J-1 process, and to ask informed questions of program sponsors.
Accessible to Public.
AILA Blog
AILA Member Soon Young Joe Kwon urges the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) community “to raise our voices not just in celebration of what AAPI communities have built, but loudly and on the record on behalf of every immigrant community standing where we once stood.”
5/18/26
AILA Doc. No. 26051800.
Accessible to Public.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on May 18, 2026.
5/18/26
Accessible to Public.
Practice Resources
This practice pointer explains how CBP Home’s “Intent to Depart” function works, outlines the user process, and highlights legal and strategic risks for practitioners advising clients considering app-based self-reporting and departure from the United States.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that DHS is not constitutionally required to translate the entirety of a Notice to Appear (NTA), including a noncitizen’s obligation to provide changes of address to the immigration court, to the noncitizen in their native language. (Urquia-Yanez v. Blanche, 5/8/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that it lacked jurisdiction to review the agency’s denial of asylum as untimely where petitioner failed to engage with the government’s jurisdictional challenge, and found that substantial evidence supported the denial of withholding of removal. (Mohammed v. Blanche, 5/5/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that the BIA did not abuse its discretion in denying the Salvadoran’s untimely motion to reopen, finding that his MS-13 father-in-law’s arrest reflected a change in personal circumstances, not changed country conditions excepting the time bar. (Prado-Majano v. Blanche, 5/7/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Get the most out of your AC26 experience!
5/15/26
AILA Doc. No. 24020500.
Accessible to Public.
Cases & Decisions, Federal Court Cases
The court held that two IJs failed to fulfill their statutory duty to develop the record for a pro se, detained respondent seeking a waiver under INA §209(c), asylum, withholding, and CAT deferral by failing to explain key legal standards and his procedural rights. (Diahn v. Blanche, 5/5/26)
Accessible to: Member, Student, Govt/Policy, Paralegal.
Agency Memos & Announcements
SAVE and E-Verify provided updated guidance regarding extension of EADs for TPS-holders from Somalia in response to the 3/13/26 order in African Communities Together v. Noem staying TPS termination. Expiration dates for such EADs should be listed in E-Verify and SAVE as 7/1/26.
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
The Practice and Professionalism Center explains how immigration law firms can evaluate whether a virtual mailbox service is a practical, secure, and compliant fit for their mail handling, address needs, and long-term operations.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Examples & Questions
AILA National has received reports of case rejections across all case types for a myriad of reasons. With this call, AILA aims to collect data to help us find where the most common issues for rejections are found to raise to the attention of USCIS as needed. Call closes on 06/05/2026 at 11:59pm ET.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Immigration News
Aggregated local and national media coverage of major immigration law news stories being discussed throughout the U.S. on May 15, 2026.
5/15/26
Accessible to Public.
Professional Resources
Here are four tips from the John Michelle, the Purple Coach, and AILA’s Practice and Professionalism Center on how to discover the strengths of your people and yourself and use them to improve performance and resilience. It includes three recommended strengths assessments.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.
Professional Resources
Dan Maranci, leader of the Innovation and Technology Government Subcommittee, writes about the ways the government is leveraging AI tools and how immigration attorneys can stay vigilant to protect themselves and their clients.
Accessible to: Member, Student, Paralegal.