Community Explainer: Week 1 Under Donald Trump 2.0

On the first day of his presidency, President Trump signed dozens of Executive Orders, including at least twelve that relate directly to immigration. This explainer gives an overview of what’s happened in week 1 and what we can expect next.

Explaining Current US Refugee Resettlement Policies

This article summarizes the new changes to American refugee policy under Donald Trump. Available in: English, Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Pashto, Dari, French, Portuguese Last updated: April 21, 2025

Governor Landry's Executive Order Explainer

On January 16, 2024, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued an executive order titled “Identifying, Quantifying, and Mitigating the Adverse Effects of Illegal Immigration of Louisiana.” This community explainer explains the memo and answers some frequently asked questions.

IRAP Practice Advisory on Preparing Afghan SIV Holders for Travel to the US

Navigating EOIR Directives Under Trump 2.0: Practical Guidance for Advocates and Programs

Since returning to office, the Trump administration has issued a wave of executive orders, policy actions, memoranda, and guidance documents that significantly impact immigration law and the adjudication of cases. This resource seeks to highlight the key impacts of the new Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) memos for legal services providers (LSPs) and their clients and offers practical guidance for effective representation in immigration court. Last Updated: April 22, 2025

Practice Advisory: The Laken Riley Act's Mandatory Detention Provisions

On January 29, 2025, President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act (LRA) into law. The law expands no-bond detention for certain noncitizens in immigration proceedings, and it also purports to give states the ability to sue the federal government over immigration decisions they dislike, opening the door to politically motivated and discriminatory actions. The goal of this practice advisory is to support practitioners in defending noncitizens impacted by the LRA's detention provisions. It summarizes the law’s detention provisions, discusses groups of noncitizens whose detention should not be impacted by the LRA, provides potential arguments for a narrow interpretation of the provisions’ scope, describes procedural options for contesting a client’s mandatory detention under the LRA, and identifies considerations for criminal defense attorneys.

Protective Federal Immigration Enforcement Policies

Florida’s aggressive anti-immigrant laws imperil and harm thousands of noncitizen state residents, including the state’s estimated nearly 800,000 undocumented residents. However, noncitizens in Florida may be able to benefit from federal immigration policies. These federal policies guide immigration officers in deciding how and against whom to enforce immigration laws. Noncitizens may therefore use one or more of these policies to argue that they should not be subject to arrest or deportation by ICE, notwithstanding Florida’s state laws.

September 30th Mayorkas Memo - Quick FAQ

This quick explainer discusses DHS Secretary Mayorkas September 30th memo entitled “Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law.” This Memo replaces the two earlier prosecutorial discretion memos from January 20 and from February 18, but it will not go into effect until November 29, 2021.

Setting the Record Straight About Sanctuary Policies: A Response to Threats Against Sanctuary Cities

This resource explains how and why sanctuary policies are lawful and constitutionally protected, despite recent attacks from America First Legal and the Department of Justice.

Supreme Court Roundup: What Immigrant Rights Advocates Need to Know

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

What is Section 1324? Understanding the Federal Crimes of Smuggling, Transporting, Concealing, Harboring, Encouraging or Inducing.

This resource explains Section 1324, the federal law that criminalizes smuggling, transporting, concealing, harboring, encouraging or inducing someone to enter or stay in the United States without authorization. It explains the criminal actions involved when someone does or tries to help another person come to or stay in the United States unlawfully.