Timeline

... of AILA History

For a full timeline of U.S. immigration laws, check out AILA’s Kurzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook.
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November 22, 1946
Association of Immigration and Nationality Lawyers is created in New York City
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1954
Lena Orlow Ginsberg becomes the first female president of AINL
1977

Benjamin Gim becomes AILA’s first Asian-American president

1978-1979

AINL’s Immigration Newsletter is first produced

1979-1991

AINL’s Immigration Journal is first produced

1981

AINL changes its name to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)

1981-1999

AILA’s Monthly Mailing is first produced

1982

AILA hires its first executive director, Warren Leiden, and opens a national office in Washington, D.C.

May 28, 1982

AILA holds its first Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX

1987

The American Immigration Law Foundation is founded

1991-1992

AILA’s Inside Immigration periodical is first produced

1993

AILA Dispatch is first produced

1996

AILA held its first "Lobby Day," now known as a National Day of Action

1996

Denyse Sabagh becomes AILA’s first Arab-American president

1997

Jeanne Butterfield becomes Executive Director of AILA

1997

Launch of AILALink

2000

AILA purchases its first national headquarters building

2000 - 2008

Immigration Law Today publication is first produced

2006

Carlina Tapia-Ruano becomes AILA’s first Latina president

Carlina Tapia-Ruano, the first Latina president of AILA, was later named in Hispanic Business Magazine as one of America’s Most Influential Hispanics.
January 1, 2008

AILA sold 918 F Street NW, and moved to 1331 G Street NW

September 28, 2009

Crystal Williams became the Executive Director of AILA

June 2010-April 2015

VOICE: An Immigration Dialogue is produced

June 21, 2012

AILA produces its first AILA8, a daily e-newsletter that allows members to read the top 8 immigration items of the day in 8 minutes or less.

February 19, 2015

AILA reincorporates in Washington, D.C.

June 18, 2015

Victor Nieblas-Pradis becomes AILA’s first Mexican-American president

January 11, 2016

Ben Johnson becomes the executive director of AILA

June 19, 2017

AILA and Council launch the Immigration Justice Campaign

June 10, 2021

Allen Orr becomes AILA’s first African American, openly gay president

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