American Immigration Lawyers Association Day of Action is observed on January 28. Immigrants deeply influence the socio-economic environment and American Immigration Lawyers Association (A.I.L.A.) was founded to justly safeguard the immigration system.
A.I.L.A. is an association of law practitioners and teachers of immigration law. Annually, the National Day of Action is organized by A.I.L.A. to lobby for better immigration laws. American Immigration Lawyers Association Day of Action seeks to educate members of congress about the issues plaguing the immigration system so that they ease the red tape and improve the infrastructure that supports immigrants in the country.
American Immigration Lawyers Association was established on 14 October 1946. It was originally called the Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers. When it was founded, there were only 19 members from Manhattan, New York, now, the number has risen to 15,000 with advocates from across the country. A.I.L.A. is currently headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Members of A.I.L.A. support families who seek to live in the U.S. They also support athletes, entertainers, students, or any immigrant individual seeking asylum — most of these cases are taken up on a pro bono basis because it’s a non-profit organization.
The A.I.L.A. is divided into smaller ‘chapters’ for better management and communication. There are 39 chapters and 50 national committees.
The National Day of Action was inaugurated in 1996. The key focus of A.I.L.A. with National Day of Action has been to build a better immigration system by enacting legislation to ensure lasting change and create sustainable immigration benefits that serve the nation as well as immigrants. Another focus of theirs is to rehabilitate and reform the immigrant court to ensure well-rounded, just, and humane enforcement of it all.
The event calls upon new and professional immigration law practitioners, professors, members of Congress, as well as legislative and administrative representatives to participate.
For a country with a 14% immigrant population (that translates to almost 45 million people), just and inclusive immigrant laws are paramount.
