Advocating for Vulnerable Youth: Highlights from the 2026 AILA Annual Conference
This past weekend, San Diego played host to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference on Immigration Law (AC26).
As an organization with over 18,000 members worldwide, AILA represents the leading edge of immigration advocacy. This year’s event was nothing short of massive, drawing nearly 4,000 immigration attorneys, legal scholars, and advocates together to tackle the most pressing issues facing our legal landscape today.
Among the distinguished voices invited to take the stage was our very own Tifany Markee.
At Foster + Bloom, we operate at the unique intersection of immigration and family formation law. Tifany’s selection as an invited speaker underscores the critical need for compassionate, highly specialized advocacy when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable members of our global community: immigrant children.
The Intersections of Family & Immigration Law
Tifany’s presentations cut straight to the heart of current legal battles, focusing on three deeply interconnected areas that dictate the safety and future of immigrant youth.
1. Countering Targeted Attacks on Immigrant Youth
In shifting political climates, immigrant children are frequently treated as policy chess pieces rather than vulnerable individuals. “Targeted attacks” aren’t just loud headlines; they manifest as quiet, bureaucratic adjustments—increased evidentiary burdens, delayed processing times, and narrowed interpretations of existing protections designed to wear down applicants.
To shield these children, legal advocacy cannot just be reactive. We must anticipate policy pivots before they happen.
Our ultimate goal is to move families from a state of survival and anxiety to a place of permanent security. Defending youth against these systemic attacks is the first step in reclaiming their right to a peaceful childhood.
2. Navigating Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) is a unique legal hybrid. It requires an attorney to successfully navigate state family courts (to establish abuse, neglect, or abandonment) and federal immigration agencies (to secure lawful permanent residency).
These two systems speak completely different legal languages, and a misstep in one can permanently derail the other.
SIJS highlights why holistic family law expertise is mandatory for immigration success. It is not enough to be a paperwork filer; you have to be a storyteller who can translate a child’s trauma into a legally binding protective order at the state level, then leverage that order federally.
We bridge these bureaucratic divides so children don’t fall through the cracks.
3. Creating Paths to Permanency Via Adoption
Adoption is an inherently emotional journey, but when an international or cross-border element is introduced, it becomes a rigid, statutory race against the clock.
Navigating immigration pathways via adoption means managing strict age cut-offs, Hague Convention regulations, and complex state adoption finalizations. A single day’s delay or an improperly sequenced filing can leave a child legally orphaned or without status.
Love builds a family, but precise legal framework secures it. Pathways via adoption remind us that family formation is a global reality. Our work ensures that when a family opens their heart to a child, the law rises to meet that commitment with bulletproof permanence.
In Her Words: A Commitment to the Future
Tifany’s perspective on the conference encapsulates why Foster + Bloom remains at the leading edge of these complex legal intersections:
“It was a tremendous honor to be selected to speak at the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Annual Conference on the unique vulnerabilities facing immigrant youth. These issues sit at the forefront of both immigration and family formation law, requiring thoughtful advocacy and innovative legal solutions.
At Foster + Bloom, we are deeply committed to remaining engaged in the evolving legal landscape affecting immigrant children and families, ensuring that vulnerable youth are protected and that every child has the opportunity to achieve safety, permanency, and belonging. I am proud to contribute to these important conversations and to the ongoing work of protecting and strengthening families.” — Tifany Markee, Attorney at Foster + Bloom
Why This Matters to the Foster + Bloom Family
The legal landscape is constantly evolving, but our mission remains fixed. True advocacy doesn’t just happen in a silo; it happens by showing up on national stages like AC26, collaborating with thousands of peers, and pushing for systemic clarity.
When we understand the macro-level shifts in immigration policy, we are better equipped to protect your family on a micro-level. Whether navigating a complex adoption or fighting for a child’s right to stay safely in the United States, we bring elite, up-to-the-minute expertise straight back to the clients we serve every day.
If you have questions regarding Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), adoption-based immigration pathways, or how current legal shifts affect your family formation goals, reach out to the Foster + Bloom team today.
Our Immigration + Adoption Attorneys
