The EB5AN team was pleased to participate in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) 2026 Spring Texas/New Mexico/Oklahoma Chapter Conference, held April 8–10, 2026, at the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.
The annual conference brought together leading immigration attorneys, policymakers, and industry professionals for three days of advanced programming focused on both family-based immigration and business immigration practice. With two dedicated tracks—Advanced Family-Based Immigration/Removal Defense and Advanced Business Immigration—the event provided a valuable forum for discussing evolving legal trends, litigation strategies, and practical solutions for clients navigating the U.S. immigration system.
EB-5 and Related Investment-Based Immigration Topics Discussed in Business Track
Insights From Advanced Business Immigration Sessions
EB-5 Investment Immigration in a Broader Employment-Based Strategy Landscape
Engagement With Immigration Practitioners on EB-5 Structuring and Client Needs
EB5AN Representation and Strategic Engagement
Strengthening Collaboration in the Immigration Community
EB-5 and Related Investment-Based Immigration Topics Discussed in Business Track
The business immigration track featured a wide range of sessions addressing current developments in employment-based immigration, including H-1B policy updates, PERM processing challenges, litigation trends, and strategic pathways beyond labor certification.
Of particular relevance to EB-5 investors and stakeholders were discussions on alternative immigrant visa strategies such as EB-1, NIW, and long-term planning for employment-based permanent residency. These sessions emphasized the importance of early-stage strategic decision-making in structuring immigration pathways, especially in an environment of increasing adjudication complexity and processing delays.
Another key theme throughout the conference was the intersection between immigration compliance, federal policy changes, and litigation. Presenters provided updates on H-1B proclamation litigation, EAD automatic extension cases, and broader federal court strategies affecting business immigration practitioners and their clients.
Insights From Advanced Business Immigration Sessions
Sessions such as “Beyond PERM: EB-1, NIW, and Strategic Alternatives to Labor Certification” and “H-1B Debrief and 2026 Filing Strategies” underscored the continued demand for flexible, forward-looking immigration solutions. Panelists explored evidentiary standards, adjudication trends, and strategic timing considerations that impact both temporary visa holders and individuals pursuing permanent residence.
The conference also addressed compliance-related topics such as worksite enforcement trends, and DHS/FDNS site visits; issues that remain critical for employers sponsoring foreign talent in the United States.
EB-5 Investment Immigration in a Broader Employment-Based Strategy Landscape
A recurring theme throughout the AILA 2026 Spring Texas/New Mexico/Oklahoma Chapter Conference was the increasing need for comprehensive, long-term immigration planning that considers multiple employment-based pathways. While many sessions focused on H-1B strategy, PERM labor certification, and litigation trends, the broader takeaway was clear: practitioners are increasingly advising clients to evaluate a wider set of permanent residence options earlier in the process.
In this context, EB-5 investment-based immigration continues to play a unique and important role. As other visas face growing backlogs, stricter adjudication standards, and regulatory uncertainty, EB-5 remains a viable alternative for qualifying investors seeking a more direct route to permanent residency. The program’s structure, based on qualified capital investment and job creation, positions it differently from employment-based categories that depend on employer sponsorship or labor market testing.
Conference discussions highlighted the importance of timing and strategy when advising clients who may be eligible for multiple pathways. For example, individuals on H-1B or F-1 OPT status often face uncertainty around long-term sponsorship opportunities, particularly in competitive labor markets or in cases where PERM timelines are significantly delayed. In such scenarios, EB-5 can function as a parallel or alternative strategy that allows families to pursue permanent residency independently of employer constraints.
Speakers across several panels also emphasized the growing complexity of immigration planning in an environment where regulatory changes, litigation outcomes, and agency processing delays can materially affect case outcomes. This has led many practitioners to adopt a more diversified approach to immigrant visa strategy; one that considers EB-1, NIW, EB-5, and employer-sponsored categories as part of a broader portfolio of options.
For investment-based immigration professionals, this shift underscores the importance of clear communication with both attorneys and clients regarding eligibility requirements, investment structuring, and project selection. It also highlights the value of collaboration between legal counsel and regional center operators in ensuring that EB-5 offerings are aligned with current adjudication trends and investor expectations.
Engagement With Immigration Practitioners on EB-5 Structuring and Client Needs
Beyond the formal conference sessions, the AILA Spring Conference provided an important opportunity for direct engagement between EB-5 stakeholders and practicing immigration attorneys from across the region. These discussions are often where practical insights emerge regarding client demand, case strategy, and evolving market conditions.
EB5AN representatives met with attorneys practicing in both business and family-based immigration to discuss how investment-based immigration fits into broader client portfolios. Many practitioners noted increased client interest in alternative pathways to permanent residency, particularly among individuals impacted by H-1B lottery uncertainty and the new $100,000 fee, PERM backlogs, or changing employment circumstances.
A key area of discussion was the importance of structuring EB-5 projects in a way that aligns with both regulatory compliance requirements and investor expectations regarding transparency and risk management. Attorneys emphasized the need for clear documentation, straightforward capital deployment models, and strong job creation methodologies to support successful adjudications under current USCIS standards.
EB5AN Representation and Strategic Engagement
EB5AN was represented at the conference by Jordan Lawrence, Director at EB5AN. Jordan plays a key role in structuring EB-5 project offerings and developing strategic partnerships across the firm’s investment platform.
With a background in real estate finance, development, online marketing, and international business, Jordan brings over five years of experience in investment-based immigration and real estate strategy.
Throughout the conference, EB5AN engaged with immigration attorneys from across the region to discuss evolving client needs, investment-based immigration planning, and the role of EB-5 in long-term residency strategies for global investors.
Strengthening Collaboration in the Immigration Community
Events such as the AILA Spring Conference provide an important opportunity for collaboration between attorneys, investors, and industry stakeholders. The exchange of ideas on topics ranging from federal litigation to employment-based visa strategy helps strengthen the broader immigration ecosystem and supports more informed client representation.
EB5AN’s participation in these conversations reflects its ongoing commitment to working closely with immigration attorneys to better understand client needs and evolving legal trends. By engaging directly with practitioners, EB5AN aims to support more informed decision-making and contribute to the development of investment structures that are both compliant and strategically responsive to the current immigration landscape.
More than 2,700 families from over 70 countries have selected EB-5 projects sponsored by EB5AN regional centers. Our expert team has more than a decade of experience and offers clients first-rate, low-risk EB-5 regional center projects with a 100% USCIS project approval rate.
If you would like to know more about your EB-5 investment options, book a free call with our expert team today.
