Ben Johnson
@ailaexecdir.bsky.social
Executive Director of @aila.org. The views expressed here are my personal opinions. RT ≠ Endorsements.
Let’s be clear: this is not an official extension or decision by DHS as to the fate of TPS for El Salvador. The Administration is still leaving more than 170,000 people, their families, and their employers in limbo.
Salvadorans to Keep Temporary Protected Status for Now, Trump Officials Say (Gift Article)
Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador was set to expire on Wednesday. The Trump administration said it would make an announcement about the program’s future at the “appropriate time.”
www.nytimes.com
September 9, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Let’s be clear: this is not an official extension or decision by DHS as to the fate of TPS for El Salvador. The Administration is still leaving more than 170,000 people, their families, and their employers in limbo.
The proposed pay-to-play fees do not make our country great, but signal to the world that the United States is closing its doors to scientists, doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs who help build companies, expand research, and strengthen communities.
Today, the Trump Administration laid out plans to impose a fee of more than $103,000 per petition on U.S. employers seeking to file petitions for new cap-subject H-1B visas. AILA leadership responds. https://bit.ly/4qADCOI
AILA: Trump Administration Proposes Astronomical H-1B Fees, Undermining U.S. Innovation
AILA President Jeff Joseph and Executive Director Ben Johnson respond to a proposed rule through which the Trump Administration laid out plans to impose a more than $100,000 fee, essentially a tax, on...
bit.ly
August 24, 2026 at 7:05 PM
The proposed pay-to-play fees do not make our country great, but signal to the world that the United States is closing its doors to scientists, doctors, engineers, and entrepreneurs who help build companies, expand research, and strengthen communities.
USCIS’s new public charge guidance is a massive step backward. A policy that discourages families from accessing health care, food assistance, or education support undermines public health, family stability, and long-term economic resilience.
August 20, 2026 at 10:27 PM
USCIS’s new public charge guidance is a massive step backward. A policy that discourages families from accessing health care, food assistance, or education support undermines public health, family stability, and long-term economic resilience.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
The U.S. wants high-skilled immigrants to treat patients, drive innovation, conduct research...
But what happens when those workers want to build a more permanent life in the U.S.?
They face increased uncertainty and mounting obstacles. (1/7)
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/press-releas...
But what happens when those workers want to build a more permanent life in the U.S.?
They face increased uncertainty and mounting obstacles. (1/7)
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/press-releas...
New Data: Workers Seeking Green Cards Face Uncertain Path
New data shows that workers seeking employment-based green cards are facing greater uncertainty and mounting obstacles.
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org
August 18, 2026 at 9:40 PM
The U.S. wants high-skilled immigrants to treat patients, drive innovation, conduct research...
But what happens when those workers want to build a more permanent life in the U.S.?
They face increased uncertainty and mounting obstacles. (1/7)
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/press-releas...
But what happens when those workers want to build a more permanent life in the U.S.?
They face increased uncertainty and mounting obstacles. (1/7)
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/press-releas...
Under a new policy, ICE is detaining massive numbers of people despite federal courts having ruled over 16,000 times that ICE is violating the law. ICE is separating families and flooding courts with emergency cases.
‘We’ve never seen anything like this’: ICE’s detention crackdown swamps the courts
Families, lawyers and judges describe a year of frantic emergency cases after ICE began detaining people who have lived in the U.S. for years.
www.politico.com
August 11, 2026 at 3:39 PM
Under a new policy, ICE is detaining massive numbers of people despite federal courts having ruled over 16,000 times that ICE is violating the law. ICE is separating families and flooding courts with emergency cases.
A nationwide network of legal providers represented more than 20,000 unaccompanied children in immigration court cases. The administration has undermined their right to legal representation by cutting off funding and demanding confidential client information.
Unaccompanied migrant children at risk of losing legal representation
Thousands of unaccompanied migrant children could lose legal representation, now that a federal contract with legal aid groups representing the minors is expiring. That contract, held by the non-profi...
www.pbs.org
August 6, 2026 at 2:07 PM
A nationwide network of legal providers represented more than 20,000 unaccompanied children in immigration court cases. The administration has undermined their right to legal representation by cutting off funding and demanding confidential client information.
The State Department has made its visa bond program permanent, requiring some business and tourist B-1 & B-2 visitors to put down up to $20,000 before they can travel to the U.S. For many families, entrepreneurs, and professionals, it's an insurmountable financial barrier.
August 3, 2026 at 7:42 PM
The State Department has made its visa bond program permanent, requiring some business and tourist B-1 & B-2 visitors to put down up to $20,000 before they can travel to the U.S. For many families, entrepreneurs, and professionals, it's an insurmountable financial barrier.
AILA is proud to endorse Sen. Cortez Masto’s Fairness for Immigrant Families Act, a commonsense step toward creating lawful pathways, protecting families, increasing transparency, and building a fairer immigration system. @cortezmasto.senate.gov
Often, people say that immigrants should “get in line” to achieve legal status, but for many immigrants who have lived and worked here for decades, there’s no way to do that because our system isn’t working. (1/2)
July 29, 2026 at 3:28 PM
AILA is proud to endorse Sen. Cortez Masto’s Fairness for Immigrant Families Act, a commonsense step toward creating lawful pathways, protecting families, increasing transparency, and building a fairer immigration system. @cortezmasto.senate.gov
This is one more nail the Administration has hammered into the coffin of the U.S. asylum system that has included closing off the border to asylum seekers, arresting them at court hearings, and sending them to dangerous, conflict-ridden countries where they’ve never lived or even set foot.
"This rule will worsen the massive backlogs clogging the immigration courts by shifting thousands of cases from USCIS to judges who take much longer to hear cases than asylum officers," said AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson. aila.org/about/press/aila-executive-director-responds-to-asylum-rule
AILA Executive Director Responds to Asylum Rule
Ben Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) responded to the interim final rule “Affirmative Asylum Referrals Without Interview” published on 7/27/26.
www.aila.org
July 28, 2026 at 12:04 PM
This is one more nail the Administration has hammered into the coffin of the U.S. asylum system that has included closing off the border to asylum seekers, arresting them at court hearings, and sending them to dangerous, conflict-ridden countries where they’ve never lived or even set foot.
Reports from airports in Colorado, Connecticut, Tennessee, California, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, New Jersey, and more show a troubling rise in ICE detentions involving travelers and airport workers.
Practice Alert: Reports of Increased Detention at U.S. Airports for Individuals Traveling Domestically
AILA has received a number of reports over the past few days of individuals without lawful status, including those in a period of authorized stay based on pending applications, being detained at airpo...
www.aila.org
July 27, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Reports from airports in Colorado, Connecticut, Tennessee, California, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, New Jersey, and more show a troubling rise in ICE detentions involving travelers and airport workers.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
The Trump Administration has filed the first ever application to remove a non-citizen through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). AILA member Eric Lee describes the implications in a new #ThinkImmigration blog post. https://bit.ly/3THGb53
Think Immigration: Trump Moves to Weaponize Decades-Old “Alien Terrorist Removal Court”
AILA Member Eric Lee describes how a 30-year-old, never-used tribunal may be weaponized by the Trump Administration, writing that “its use today should be concerning to all as there are significant im...
bit.ly
July 27, 2026 at 1:35 PM
The Trump Administration has filed the first ever application to remove a non-citizen through the Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC). AILA member Eric Lee describes the implications in a new #ThinkImmigration blog post. https://bit.ly/3THGb53
AILA thanks @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social & @durbin.senate.gov for championing this vital legislation to restore independence, integrity, and fairness to America’s immigration courts.
Gillibrand, Durbin Introduce Two Bills To Reform America’s Broken Immigration System - Kirsten Gillibrand | U.S. Senator for New York
Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced two bills to reform America’s broken immigration system. The Protection of Kids in Immigrant Detention (PROKID) Act wo...
www.gillibrand.senate.gov
July 23, 2026 at 8:36 PM
AILA thanks @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social & @durbin.senate.gov for championing this vital legislation to restore independence, integrity, and fairness to America’s immigration courts.
Reposted by Ben Johnson
DHS has published its Final Rule to eliminate "duration of status" for F, J & I nonimmigrants. One of the most significant changes to international student, exchange visitor & foreign media programs in decades, it will be costly, cause chaos, and cut legal immigration.
July 16, 2026 at 5:33 PM
DHS has published its Final Rule to eliminate "duration of status" for F, J & I nonimmigrants. One of the most significant changes to international student, exchange visitor & foreign media programs in decades, it will be costly, cause chaos, and cut legal immigration.
The President's reversal of the day-old policy is clear evidence that temporary directives won’t work. After multiple deaths tied to ICE enforcement, Congress must act now to create lasting protections require enforceable standards and accountability.
White House overturns DHS halt to ICE traffic stops despite killings of two men
Move comes after Trump rebuked his own homeland security department and insisted ICE maintain policy
www.theguardian.com
July 15, 2026 at 9:17 PM
The President's reversal of the day-old policy is clear evidence that temporary directives won’t work. After multiple deaths tied to ICE enforcement, Congress must act now to create lasting protections require enforceable standards and accountability.
An ICE-involved shooting has claimed another life just days after the fatal shooting in Houston. Another family grieving, another community left searching for answers. The growing number of fatal encounters tied to immigration enforcement should alarm every American.
"A person was killed Monday in an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, according to the state’s speaker of the house — just days after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a traffic stop in Houston." https://cnn.it/4fwxEu6
One person killed in Maine in second fatal ICE-involved shooting in less than a week | CNN
A person was killed Monday in an ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, according to the state’s speaker of the house — just days after a federal agent fatally shot a Mexican immigrant during a tr...
www.cnn.com
July 13, 2026 at 4:46 PM
An ICE-involved shooting has claimed another life just days after the fatal shooting in Houston. Another family grieving, another community left searching for answers. The growing number of fatal encounters tied to immigration enforcement should alarm every American.
Another life has been tragically lost during an ICE operation. Immigration enforcement should never become synonymous with fatal encounters. Every use of deadly force demands independent investigation, full transparency & accountability. The public deserves answers, and the rule of law demands them.
"A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a Mexican national Tuesday morning in Houston...Calls for transparency and an independent investigation...came from local elected officials and other civil rights organizations." https://bit.ly/4pboRkK
ICE agent fatally shoots man in Houston during ‘targeted enforcement operation’ | Houston Public Media
A spokesperson for the federal agency alleged that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, whom ICE identified as a Mexican man without legal status in the U.S., attempted to run over an ICE officer before he was sho...
bit.ly
July 8, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Another life has been tragically lost during an ICE operation. Immigration enforcement should never become synonymous with fatal encounters. Every use of deadly force demands independent investigation, full transparency & accountability. The public deserves answers, and the rule of law demands them.
Today, AILA President Jeff Joseph and I sent a letter to Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio urging the Administration to take immediate immigration-related actions to protect those affected by the devastating earthquakes that have recently struck Venezuela.
July 2, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Today, AILA President Jeff Joseph and I sent a letter to Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio urging the Administration to take immediate immigration-related actions to protect those affected by the devastating earthquakes that have recently struck Venezuela.
Today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a fundamental constitutional promise: if you're born in the United States, you're a U.S. citizen. Our rights are rooted in the Constitution, not changing political agendas.
June 30, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed a fundamental constitutional promise: if you're born in the United States, you're a U.S. citizen. Our rights are rooted in the Constitution, not changing political agendas.
This 6-3 decision from SCOTUS ignores the reality that justice cannot exist when people fleeing persecution are blocked from even accessing our asylum laws. Denying a person the chance to seek protection undermines both fairness and the rule of law.
In Blow to Asylum Rights, Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Block Asylum Seekers at Border - American Immigration Council
The Supreme Court ruled today that the Trump administration could turn back asylum seekers at ports of entry along the southern border, and that doing so does not violate federal immigration law. The ...
www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org
June 25, 2026 at 8:40 PM
This 6-3 decision from SCOTUS ignores the reality that justice cannot exist when people fleeing persecution are blocked from even accessing our asylum laws. Denying a person the chance to seek protection undermines both fairness and the rule of law.
On its path to end legal immigration, this Administration continues to weaponize every policy option they have to force immigrants into unlawful status and make them vulnerable to deportation. Congress must not allow this to continue.
AILA is deeply alarmed by the Supreme Court’s refusal to preserve protections for individuals with TPS despite the Administration’s failure to follow proper procedures. Read the latest from AILA President Jeff Joseph & Executive Director Ben Johnson. https://bit.ly/3QMLKOq
Supreme Court’s Decision on Temporary Protected Status Undermines National and Economic Interests
AILA is deeply alarmed by the Supreme Court’s refusal to preserve protections for individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) despite the Administration’s failure to follow proper procedures.
bit.ly
June 25, 2026 at 6:55 PM
On its path to end legal immigration, this Administration continues to weaponize every policy option they have to force immigrants into unlawful status and make them vulnerable to deportation. Congress must not allow this to continue.
Immigration courts should never become traps for people seeking their day in court. AILA applauds today's nationwide ruling blocking ICE from arresting individuals at immigration courthouses.
Federal Judge Bars ICE From Making Arrests in Immigration Courts
www.nytimes.com
June 24, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Immigration courts should never become traps for people seeking their day in court. AILA applauds today's nationwide ruling blocking ICE from arresting individuals at immigration courthouses.
The D.C. Circuit's ruling subjects even more people to the unfair “expedited removal” procedure with no court review or any due process – just a DHS official making a unilateral deportation.
Appeals court allows Trump to fast-track deportation process nationwide
Ruling lets DHS apply expedited removal to non-citizens who are living far from border
www.theguardian.com
June 23, 2026 at 8:19 PM
The D.C. Circuit's ruling subjects even more people to the unfair “expedited removal” procedure with no court review or any due process – just a DHS official making a unilateral deportation.
I'm excited to announce the public release of A Better Way on Immigration: Principles for America's Future, AILA's vision for how our nation can modernize and right-size our immigration system to better serve America's interests and values. aila.org/library/a-better-way-on-immigration
A Better Way Forward: Principles for America’s Future
Informed by the experience of the more than 18,000 immigration attorneys who are members of AILA, this document outlines five core principles to restore trust, strengthen the rule of law, and build a ...
www.aila.org
June 23, 2026 at 6:06 PM
I'm excited to announce the public release of A Better Way on Immigration: Principles for America's Future, AILA's vision for how our nation can modernize and right-size our immigration system to better serve America's interests and values. aila.org/library/a-better-way-on-immigration
Today #SCOTUS announced in Blanche v. Lau that border officials can impose serious consequences on green card holders reentering the US with little evidence of wrongdoing if they believe the person committed certain crimes.
June 23, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Today #SCOTUS announced in Blanche v. Lau that border officials can impose serious consequences on green card holders reentering the US with little evidence of wrongdoing if they believe the person committed certain crimes.
On the 14th anniversary of DACA, continued uncertainty affects not only recipients, but also employers, educational institutions, families, and communities across the country. Dreamers have invested in America's future. It's time for Congress to provide a lasting solution.
June 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM
On the 14th anniversary of DACA, continued uncertainty affects not only recipients, but also employers, educational institutions, families, and communities across the country. Dreamers have invested in America's future. It's time for Congress to provide a lasting solution.