The Children’s Immigration Law Academy (CILA) is an expert legal resource center created by the American Bar Association (ABA). CILA’s small but dedicated expert team helps legal and social services practitioners and pro bono attorneys stay up to date on frequent changes in immigration law and policy.
CILA’s mission is to empower champions for unaccompanied children, advocates who guide children through complex legal procedures, to do so with courage, competency, compassion, and creativity.
With a one-to-many model, by providing training, writing practice advisories and guides, hosting working groups, and answering technical assistance questions, CILA helps practitioners stay up to date on complex immigration law changes, and provides skills-based training and materials on working with children and trial advocacy.
CILA also connects pro bono attorneys with children needing representation and showcases expert tips, ideas, and resources to enhance pro bono programs. CILA is the only expert legal resource center focused entirely on children’s immigration matters nationwide.
CILA builds capacity for those working to advance the rights of children seeking protection through trainings, technical assistance, resource development, and collaboration.
CILA is a project of the American Bar Association's Commission for Immigration (COI), which is part of the Center for Public Interest Law, a group within the ABA. CILA is closely aligned with it's sister projects within the COI, the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR) and the Immigration Justice Project (IJP).
CILA's mission
Through our work, we hope to ensure more immigrant youth are represented and to provide the resources and expertise needed to support those who endeavor to assist them.
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Data as of October 2024, obtained from: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/media/1344931/dl?inline