AILA Blog

Extraordinary Strength in Numbers: AILA Launches New Interest Group for ACES

AILA members – if you have an “ace” of a client, you have a new tool in your toolbox:  the ACES Interest Group. Previously a national committee focused on identifying trends in O, P, EB-1 and EB-2 adjudications, “ACES” has been relaunched as an interest group that any AILA member with clients seeking benefits based on their work in the entertainment, motion picture, television, sports, cultural or scientific industries can join. That’s right – if you haven’t guessed yet, ACES stands for athletics, culture, entertainment, and sciences. Though of course, ACES is so much more than that.

What does this mean for you? If you are one of the more than 15,000 AILA members in the trenches, dealing with issues as they arise in our world of immigration every day, you can plug in to the ACES network immediately.  What makes AILA such a unique organization, and what makes us great, is that AILA members are eager to share information and experiences, and identify trends as they are developing.  The ACES Interest Group is the newest resource in our fight. What does this mean for your clients? Your clients will take comfort that you will always be on top of the latest goings on in the area of immigration law that is most relevant to them.

Knowledge is power. As the Trump administration continues to roll out new policies and the “Buy American and Hire American” ethos takes hold and infiltrates immigration adjudications, we must band together, share our knowledge, and fight back against arbitrary decisions, abuse of discretion, and ever-changing policies and trends that affect our clients and our practices.

The ACES listserv is already showing its value, as members share their experiences with the U.S. Embassy in London’s crackdown on O visa applications.  Murmurs among members of the denial of meritorious O visa applications in London led to broader conversations on the ACES listserv.  This then led to conversations about how to ensure clients are better prepared for interviews and the sharing of strategies to improve applications and overcome denials.  The AILA Department of State (DOS) liaison committee also tapped into the ACES group by sending a targeted call for case examples, to raise the issue with DOS. This led to a practice pointer that is now available to the entire AILA membership.

The pace at which the adjudication of immigration benefits is changing is fast.  The ACES Interest Group’s real time forum for this niche practice is shaping up to be an invaluable resource for those who practice in these areas. Follow this link to sign up and join the conversation.

by Anastasia Tonello