Immigration Law

Why a federal judge ruled against the DACA program protecting some immigrants from deportation

President Joe Biden said Saturday the U.S. Department of Justice will appeal a judge’s determination that the Obama administration exceeded its authority when it moved to protect immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

Jul 19, 2021 10:07 AM CDT

Garland restores discretion to immigration judges in ‘administrative closure’ decision

Attorney General Merrick Garland has overturned a Trump administration decision that prohibited immigration courts from using a practice known as “administrative closure” to temporarily pause removal proceedings.

Jul 16, 2021 11:25 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: High-rise Miami courthouse closed for emergency repairs; Lawyers criticize National Guard border deployment

Miami courthouse closes after engineering firm identifies safety issues The Miami-Dade County Courthouse began undergoing immediate repairs on Friday after an engineering firm that examined the 28-story building identified safety concerns with various floors. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Chief Judge Nushin G. Sayfie and Miami-Dade…

Jul 13, 2021 4:30 PM CDT

ICE will no longer routinely detain pregnant and nursing women

In a reversal of a Trump administration rule, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will limit the detention of pregnant women.

Jul 12, 2021 9:35 AM CDT

Lawyers’ group helps ease path to citizenship for low-income New Yorkers with interest-free loans

This year, Ana Mclean paid the naturalization application filing fee of $640 and the additional $85 for biometric services using a loan from the Citizenship Loan Program. The initiative offers interest-free loans to permanent residents who live in one of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester or Long Island.

Jul 12, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

ABA files amicus brief in Guantanamo detainee’s case

A Yemeni citizen who allegedly maintained contact with several affiliates of Al Qaeda and two associated terrorist organizations until he was brought to Guantanamo Bay in 2004 is entitled to due process in the hearing challenging his detention, the ABA told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday.

Jul 6, 2021 12:00 PM CDT

Biden reverses course on Trump’s immigration policies—but will high-skilled workers return?

President Joe Biden has made clear that he wishes to make it easier for immigrants to live and work in the U.S.—and he’s connecting this to America’s ability to succeed.

Jun 22, 2021 1:01 PM CDT

Run your immigration practice with this software

It’s not easy managing a law firm in 2021. That’s where cloud-based law practice management software can make all the difference.

Jun 21, 2021 2:00 PM CDT

Garland vacates DOJ opinions restricting asylum in cases of domestic abuse and gang violence

Attorney General Merrick Garland has vacated opinions by his Trump-era predecessors that made it more difficult to obtain asylum as a result of domestic abuse and gang violence.

Jun 21, 2021 10:00 AM CDT

How legal practice is like working retail

Customers and clients need to realize their attitude can affect the level of service they receive. Lawyers can fire clients, but hourly workers can simply avoid certain customers and render themselves unhelpful, writes retired lawyer Margaret Makar.

May 20, 2021 9:20 AM CDT

Outgoing immigration judge says he encountered ‘soul-crushing bureaucracy’

The assistant chief immigration judge who oversaw judges and staff members in San Francisco has quit in frustration after only 14 months on the job.

May 19, 2021 10:00 AM CDT

New AI-powered legal writing tool aims to help lawyers craft winning briefs

A gratifying legal victory sparked Jacqueline Schafer’s desire to create a legal technology product that would help other lawyers efficiently craft case-winning briefs full of compelling evidence. Clearbrief is an AI-powered legal writing tool.

May 19, 2021 9:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Cops charged with selling crash info to lawyers; deal reached on McGahn testimony

Officers charged with selling crash info to lawyers A retired New York police officer and two current officers were charged Tuesday with taking kickbacks from towing companies. Heather Busch, Robert Hassett and Robert Smith are charged in a federal indictment with using interstate facilities to commit bribery. Smith and Hassett…

May 12, 2021 4:30 PM CDT

Are you good in a crisis? There may be a growing practice area for you

When they were putting together their new book, Crisis Lawyering: Effective Legal Advocacy in Emergency Situations, editors Ray Brescia and Eric K. Stern didn't know that the world would soon be gripped by a pandemic. But they knew that being ready for crises large or small could benefit lawyers.

May 12, 2021 9:24 AM CDT

Justice Barrett has aligned most often in argued cases with these 2 SCOTUS justices

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the U.S. Supreme Court’s newest justice, has aligned 100% of the time in argued cases with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil M. Gorsuch, according to an analysis by CNN reporter Joan Biskupic.

May 6, 2021 12:00 PM CDT