Your Trusted Source of Immigration Information

Written by IRAP. Legally reviewed by IRAP.

Updated on January 20, 2025

IRAP helps legal practitioners better represent refugees and displaced persons through a variety of resources. IRAP’s resources collect knowledge and best practices developed from over a decade of representing clients, as well as insights from reviewing thousands of government records about immigration processing obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Using this resource, you can access the variety of resources that IRAP has created, organized by the type of resource.

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

This resource explains who President Biden's 2021 marijuana pardons apply to.

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

This community FAQ explains some of the most prominent Supreme Court decisions from the 2024 term, especially those that affect immigration.

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

We can’t know for certain what will happen once Trump is in office, beginning on January 20 of 2025. However, he has announced various plans, as have people who were part of his prior administration and who will likely be part of his new one. In this explainer, we will try to lay out what his likely first moves will be – and how you can best protect yourself and your loved ones.

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

This practice advisory provides an overview of how to effectively gather criminal records for immigration matters. The advisory briefly reviews considerations for conducting a criminal contacts screening and for evaluating the possible implications of a noncitizen’s criminal history if they are applying for benefits before the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) or seeking a defense from removal in immigration courts (Section II). It then provides a summary of common criminal record terms (Section III) before reviewing steps and processes for conducting record searches both locally and federally (Section IV). Finally, it responds to some commonly asked questions about criminal record searches for noncitizens (Section V).

Written by Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). Legally reviewed by Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC).

Updated on January 20, 2025

How to request U.S. Department of State (DOS) information about previous visa applications and passport records.

Written by National Immigration Project. Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project.

Updated on January 20, 2025

People who have been ordered removed by an immigration judge or other immigration official face significant risks and hurdles in establishing eligibility for immigration benefits for which they might otherwise be eligible. For example, individuals with removal orders are generally at risk of summary removal at any time. Having a removal order may also trigger bars to eligibility for immigration relief. And in the case of applications for immigration benefits such as adjustment of status and asylum, the noncitizen must typically first reopen the order before they can apply, and reopening carries its own list of requirements. It is thus important to conduct a careful eligibility analysis at the outset, as part of case assessment.

Written by CLINIC. Legally reviewed by CLINIC.

Updated on January 20, 2025

Recent increases in U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing times for adjudicating Forms I-765, Applications for Employment Authorization, have created hardships for many noncitizens who have been unable to seek employment, have had to temporarily stop working, or have lost their jobs altogether.2 This advisory provides tips for immigration practitioners to minimize the risk that clients’ employment authorization will lapse and to advocate for faster adjudication once a Form I-765 has been filed. This resource also offers advice for navigating Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issues with employers and government agencies.

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

Criminal convictions often carry immigration consequences, including mandatory detention and deportation. A conviction is when a criminal court or jury decides that a person is guilty of a crime or a person pleads guilty to having committed a crime. This community explainer discusses the INA's distorted definition of "conviction."

Written by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG). Legally reviewed by National Immigration Project (NIPNLG).

Updated on January 20, 2025

This details the intersection of pardons and immigration and explain why increasing the accessibility, transparency, and frequency with which governors, pardoning bodies, and the president grant pardons should be an advocacy priority.