Panelists will discuss how unconscious attitudes or stereotypes related to race, sex, gender, age, and/or national origin affectlegal representation, particularly in the context of immigration law.

• Recognizing bias in laws and systems
  • Advocating for clients in light of systemic bias
• Recognizing your own biases and how to remedy them
• Building resilience and allyship in daily life and community
• Strategies to reduce the effects of bias on your client’s case

• Antoinette Gonzalez (DL), Berkeley, CA
• Melissa O. Nonaka, AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, San Diego, CA
• Angela G. Moore, San Francisco, CA

Whatever the national election results, AILA members will remain steadfast in their solidarity and dedication to advocating zealously for our clients. Hear from seasoned AILA leaders on policy updates, key developments at agencies, and federal litigation.

• Expected changes in:
  • Employment-based practice
  • Family-based practice
  • Removal practice
  • Humanitarian practice
• Potential avenues for future litigation

• Jesse Matthew Bless (DL), Benefits Litigation Committee Vice Chair/ Federal Court Litigation Section Steering Committee, Georgetown, MA
• Farshad Owji, AILA Immediate Past President, San Francisco, CA
• Benjamin Johnson, AILA Executive Director, Washington, D.C.
• Zahra Billoo, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco, CA

Panelists will address the latest developments in family immigration and how to prepare for potential changes. They will focus on practical ideas, tips, and strategies to navigate the current climate.

• Processing delays and relationship changes due to delays
• Interview waiver policy
• I-864s: using income sources other than traditional wages and assets
• New filing fees and deciding whether to file optional forms
• Carrying the burden of proof on “admission”
  • Quilantan entries
  • Other challenges with lack of entry documentation

• Elisabeth Ann Pellegrin (DL), Conference Planning Committee, Berkeley, CA
• Nicholas Jesus Mireles, AILA Board of Governors/AILA CBP Liaison Committee/Standing Committee on Political Engagement (SCOPE), Los Angeles, CA
• Jesse Lloyd, Oakland, CA

Over 200,000 people in the United States are considered stateless. Join us for a discussion in this cutting-edge area of the law that can help expand immigration relief and flexibilities available to clients. Learn how the latest USCIS guidance on statelessness can benefit your clients in family, employment, asylum, humanitarian, and even removal matters.

• Overview of USCIS’s statelessness guidance memo, published on August 1, 2023
• How to screen clients for statelessness claims
• Options to address evidentiary concerns while representing stateless clients in:
  • Asylum
  • Humanitarian cases
  • Family and employment petitions
  • Removal
• Current protections and vulnerabilities faced by stateless clients, including indigenous populations

• Ban Al-Wardi (DL), AILA Client Resources Committee/Conference Planning Committee, Rolling Hills, CA
• Lina Baroudi, Family Section Steering Committee, San Jose, CA
• Samantha Marie Sitterley, Boulder, CO

From start to approval, the U visa journey may be filled with road bumps along the way, especially as the wait for a final approval lengthens. Panelists will discuss updates to qualifying criminal activities, the Bona Fide Determination and waitlist processes, and potential challenges.

• Locals and procedures for certifying the Supplement B
• Employment authorization and travel outside the United States
• Scheduling appointments abroad
• Changes in family situations after filing
• Adjustment of status under INA §245(a) and 245(m)

• Medya Ansari (DL), AILA Santa Clara Chapter Chair/Conference Planning Committee Co-Chair, San Jose, CA
• Alison Kamhi, AILA VAWA, Us, and Ts Committee, San Francisco, CA
• Catherine Seitz, AILA VAWA, Us, and Ts Committee, San Francisco, CA
• Michelle L. Carey, Los Angeles, CA

Panelists on this cutting-edge session will discuss legal issues surrounding noncitizen voting initiatives in California. They also will highlight the efforts being made statewide to advance immigrant voting rights for local and state elections. Other topics to be discussed will include:

• California initiatives allowing for noncitizen voting in local election
• The impact of voting on citizenship applications and new questions on the N-400
• Educating clients and USCIS on noncitizen voting
• Screening for options for false claims to citizenship

• Shannon Reed (DL), Conference Planning Committee Co-Chair, San Jose, CA
• Olivia Serene Lee, AILA Board of Governors, San Francisco, CA
• Karl William Krooth, San Francisco, CA
• Annette Wong, Managing Director of Programs, Chinese for Affirmative Action, San Francisco, CA

Panelists will review critical elements for powerful client and witness declarations to support your case for relief. They also will discuss how to craft compelling declarations for your asylum, VAWA, U visa, waiver, and humanitarian parole cases.

• Documenting your client’s narrative
• Trauma sensitive approaches
• Declaration dos and don’ts
• Creative ways to use declarations in humanitarian cases

• Maria C. Chavez (DL), Distance Learning Committee Chair/ AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, San Diego, CA
• Farida Chehata, Corona, CA
• Diana Tafur, Glendale, CA

What is going on at the border now for those seeking asylum? Panelists will detail the newest border rule, compare it to prior rules, and discuss the current climate for representing asylum seekers at the border and new arrivals.

• Details of the “Securing the Border” proclamation and final interim rule and how it affects asylum seekers
• Litigation updates
• Latest updates on how asylum cases are proceeding at local offices
• How to handle delays
  • Preparing clients, cases, and ourselves

• Amanda S. Alvarado-Ford (DL), Conference Planning Committee, San Mateo, CA
• Yolanda Felix, San Diego, CA
• Taylor Levy, Hayward, CA

Panelists will provide an overview of T-visas, including what practitioners should screen for. They also will explain how to advocate for victims of severe labor and sex trafficking.

• What is a T visa?
• Screening for T visa candidacy
• Domestic violence and involuntary servitude in domestic partnership
• Religious T visas
• New T visa regulations

• Payal Sinha (DL), AILA VAWA, Us, and Ts Committee, San Bruno, CA
• Andrea Montavon-McKillip, AILA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee/ VAWA, Us, and Ts Committee, Vista, CA
• Lynette M. Parker, San Jose, CA

Join us for networking and drinks following the conference. This event is co-sponsored by the AILA Santa Clara Valley Chapter.

The PERM-based green card process historically has been the path of least resistance. It still may be! Learn practice tips and the latest and greatest on the state of play with DOL PERM adjudications and timeframes from seasoned experts. Topics will include:

• Achieving optionality with beneficiary employee’s career trajectory and managing expectations throughout
• Triaging up front for a potential National Interest Waiver alternative given U.S. STEM policies
• Conquering PERM recruitment paradigms
• Solving for high prevailing wages in many parts of the United States

• Laura J. Mazel (DL), Conference Planning Committee, Oakland, CA
• Tiffany Martinez, San Francisco, CA
• Claudia P. Martorell, San Diego, CA
• La Verne A. Ramsay, San Francisco, CA

Finding options for entrepreneurs and corporate leaders can be complex. Panelists will provide strategic planning pearls to get your top talent over the finish line for temporary employment.

• L visas versus E visas: Which can work better?
  • L-1A executive and/or manager visa: What is the distinction between the two?
  • Use of business plans
• Are O visas or H-1Bs visas ever an option?
• USCIS climate for blanket or individual L visas versus consular climate for blanket L visas
• Temporary versus pathway to Green Card
• International Entrepreneur Parole for founder owners of startups: anecdotes

• Ganesh Kalyanaraman (DL), Sacramento, CA
• Amanda Meghan Mullane, San Diego, CA
• Dan Revich, Woodland Hills, CA

Experts in O-1B visa preparation will provide key takeaways in representing artists, entertainers, and performers in unusual or niche industries with uncommon talents, such as social media influencers, models, ghost hunters, and feng shui experts.

• Preparing exhibits for USCIS review: what to include and what to leave out
• Utilizing social media and other nontraditional forms of evidence
• Preparing clients for visa interviews abroad

• Edith Nazarian (DL), Conference Planning Committee, Woodland Hills, CA
• Flavia Santos Lloyd, Newport Beach, CA
• Richard Yemm, Santa Monica, CA

Overwhelmed with all the chatter on AI options and tales of woe slamming your inbox? Struggling with implementing new case management systems promising to incorporate AI into your practice? Or just wondering whether you should continue to keep your head in the sand on this topic? If any of the above applies, this panel is for you! Come learn best practices and ethical obligations in this area while getting updated on key offerings to maintain sanity in your practice.

• ABA Model Rules 1.1 and 1.6, competence and client confidentiality
• Empowering responsible use of AI: addressing racism and bias
• Best practices in incorporating a new system into your practice
• Using AI in litigation and immigrant advocacy
• Using AI in employment-based cases

• Brittany Faith (DL), AILA Board of Governors/ Member Experience Committee/ Well-Being Committee, Chattanooga, TN
• Jeffrey O’Brien, Innovation & Technology Committee, Berkeley, CA
• Hendrik Pretorius, Innovation & Technology Committee, Seattle, WA
• Charity Anastasio, AILA Practice & Ethics Counsel, Washington, D.C.

Increasing delays and inconsistent decisions at consulates abroad can be difficult to navigate. Our experts will discuss the current landscape of consular review, strategies for advising clients, and where to seek assistance.

• Preparing nonimmigrant and immigrant visa applications: what to include, and how to present information succinctly
• Preparing clients from countries that experience disproportionate delays and denials
• Can past criminal history be overcome?
• Latest experiences at consular posts
• Where to find help in the event of delay or denial

• Claire S. Pratt (DL), AILA DOS Liaison Committee Vice Chair, San Francisco, CA
• Mandy Feuerbacher, Los Gatos, CA
• Marie Puertollano, San Diego, CA

Whether you’re new to EB-5 or a seasoned practitioner, join us for an insightful panel discussion. Panelists will delve into the complexities and opportunities of the EB-5 visa program, including:

• Understanding the fundamentals and eligibility requirements
• Minimum investment thresholds, targeted employment areas (TEAs), and navigating project selection
• Analyzing job creation metrics and economic impact
• Regional Center vs. Direct Investment: benefits and considerations of each approach
• Best practices for investors in assessing projects and regional centers
• Evaluating financial implications and risk management strategies

• Joseph Martin Barnett (DL), EB-5 Investor Committee Vice Chair, Los Angeles, CA
• Cathy Chen, Campbell, CA
• Namgiao Do, Irvine, CA

Recent policy updates and White House initiatives have made National Interest Waivers (NIWs) appear more desirable and easier to get among foreign nationals. But is it really the case that NIW’s are a slam dunk? Panelists will discuss recent changes and strategies for success.

• The legal landscape since Matter of Dhanasar
• Policy Manual updates: How can they work for your client?
• Can only PhDs benefit, or do master’s holders also have a chance?
• Using the CHIPs Act and similar tech initiatives to boost your case
• Dealing with client misconceptions and managing client expectations

• Brenda Boudreaux (DL), San Francisco, CA
• Eric M. Dominguez, Los Angeles, CA
• Sweta Khandelwal, San Jose, CA

Join us for networking and drinks following the conference. This event is co-sponsored by the AILA Santa Clara Valley Chapter.

When your client’s loved one is in an accident, becomes seriously ill, suffers an unexpected emergency, or passes away, deciphering the USCIS and border expedite procedures takes time that you may not have. Panelists will provide tips for whom to contact at the local field offices, and they will discuss how to handle various emergencies, including:

• Emergency advance parole for adjustment applicants, DACA holders, TPS, U visa applicants, and U visa holders
• Parole for U visa derivatives outside the United States
• Seriously ill or disabled relatives, or relatives escaping violence outside the United States
• An accident or illness in the United States
• Missing a biometrics appointment

• Mihret Getabicha (DL), San Diego, CA
• Kristin Love Boscia, San Jose, CA
• Noemy Cruz, San Diego, CA

Panelists on this session will discuss the U.S. Supreme Court’s Campos-Chaves decision and where the case law stands at this moment with respect to defective Notices to Appear (NTAs).

• What is new with defective NTAs?
• What will happen with prosecutorial discretion?
• Strategies for motions to terminate or suppress

• Bashir Ghazialam (DL), San Diego, CA
• Matthew G. Holt, San Diego, CA
• Daniel Shanfield, San Jose, CA

Our experts will detail trends and strategize ways to handle predicate orders. Panelists will also discuss the most cutting-edge issues in SIJ practice.

• Regulatory changes
• Guardian Ad Litem issues
• Joinder challenges and tips
  • Bianka M: Child as petitioner and custodial parent as respondent
• Orders dispensing notice
• USCIS social media searches of applicants and those approved
  • Examples of notice of revocation due to photos with noncustodial parents

• Nerea Scholl Woods (DL), San Diego, CA
• Alexander J. Cooper, Los Angeles, CA
• Julianna Rivera Maul, Oakland, CA

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo has reshaped the regulatory landscape. Experts will explore the case’s impact on administrative authority, litigation strategies, and future regulatory practices. What are the advantages and disadvantages of litigation in the immigration context post Loper Bright?

• Case summary
• The case’s effects on agency power and regulatory enforcement
  • How to use this to change regulations and policies
• Litigation strategies
• Broader implications of this case on related legal and policy areas

• Joshua Altman (DL), San Diego, CA
• Kevin A. Gregg, Federal Court Litigation Section Steering Committee/ Law Student Engagement Committee, San Diego, CA
• Owais Qazi, Client Resource Committee, Corona, CA
• Nguyen D. Luu, San Jose, CA

Civility is a fundamental value in our relationships with attorneys, clients, and communities. Panelists will discuss the importance of civility in the legal profession and offer strategies on maintaining civility when faced with incivility.

• History: why context matters
• Using inclusive and civil language to build a healthy environment
• Compassion:
  • Cultural humility
  • Cross cultural communication
  • Building a culture of civility in your practice
• Overview and background of AILA’s Civility Code

• Andrew K. Nietor (DL), AILA Board of Governors/ Membership Committee, San Diego, CA
• Kyle Koichi Morishita, San Francisco, CA
• Rachel Ray, Davis, CA

Practicing immigration law can be overwhelming. Panelists will discuss how to take care of ourselves so we can maintain successful careers and personal lives. They also willshare practical tips to stay steady when you feel surrounded by chaos.

• Communication: setting expectations with clients
• Management of staff: effective leadership and making difficult decisions
• Billing: knowing and owning your value
• How to structure your workday to optimize your time and protect your mental wellbeing

• Cynthia Grande (DL), Torrance, CA
• Elham Sadri (DL), San Jose, CA
• Nanya YM Thompson, San Diego, CA