Practice resources
Search immigration practice advisories, sample filings, manuals, brief banks, and government guidance from trusted practitioner sources.
ASISTA Practice Alert: What Just Happened in Matter of Ibarra-Vega? (March 11, 2026) from ASISTA.
Frequently asked questions for attorneys representing immigrant clients on the Federal Tort Claims Act, sovereign-immunity waiver, administrative exhaustion, and damages claims against the federal government.
The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) waives the United States’ sovereign immunity and authorizes suits for money damages based on the negligent acts or omissions of federal employees, and, in some instances, intentional misconduct of such employees. This resource answers frequently asked questions about the FTCA for immigration attorneys.
The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA or Board), the U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court have issued many decisions in the past year that implicate the rights of noncitizens. This resource is designed to help immigration practitioners familiar with the categorical approach stay current on significant case law developments over the past year at the intersection of immigration and criminal law. This resource begins with an overview of notable case law developments before the BIA, the U.S
Explains March 2026 visa-bulletin movement affecting SIJS youth in the EB-4 category and the resulting timing and adjustment consequences for pending cases.
The March 2026 Visa Bulletin reflects significant forward movement in the EB-4 category, with a Final Action Date of July 15, 2021, and a Filing Date of January 1, 2023. This movement means that on March 1, 2026, many youth with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) will be able to apply for adjustment of status and accompanying work authorization. This resource is meant to provide guidance to advocates who work with SIJS youth who are eligible to file for adjustment of status based on the Ma
Analysis of Buenrostro-Mendez and its effect on detention under 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(2)(A), with practical implications for habeas strategy in the Fifth Circuit.
On February 6, 2026, the Fifth Circuit issued Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi , No. 25-cv-20496, 2026 WL 323330 (5th Cir. Feb. 6, 2026), a split decision with a strong dissent in which the Fifth Circuit sided with DHS and the BIA to determine that all noncitizens who are present in the United States without lawful admission are subject to mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A) during removal proceedings, rather than discretionary detention under § 1226(a). Despite Buenrostro , habeas opti
On January 13, 2026, the Ninth Circuit issued an en banc decision holding that a violation of California Penal Code § 245(a)(1) (assault with a deadly weapon) is not a crime of violence. United States v. Gomez, No. 23-435 (9th Cir., Jan. 13, 2026) (en banc). After this decision, no conviction for PC § 245(a)(1) can be an aggravated felony. For criminal defenders, the best practice is to avoid a PC § 245(a)(1) conviction until the timeline for certiorari on Gomez has expired—the ninety-day period
This Amicus Brief was filed by Crowell and Moring on behalf of the NIWAP, Inc and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence in the 3rd Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. The brief was filed in support for a mother of a domestic violence victim from Honduras who interceded to protect her daughter who was experiencing domestic violence and was stalked and threatened by her daughter’s abuser. The Honduran mother had helped her daughter escape from a domestic violence perpetrator who had t
Reviews USCIS policy-manual updates issued on December 22, 2025 affecting VAWA adjudication and flags the practical consequences for current filings.
Breaks down USCIS policy-manual updates on 8 U.S.C. 1367 confidentiality protections and highlights what practitioners should watch in sensitive filings.