The AILA Annual Conference 2026 runs June 17 to 20 at the Marriott Marquis and Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. It is one of the largest yearly gatherings of immigration lawyers in the country. Expect more than 90 sessions across all levels, four days of CLE and networking, and a strong focus this year on practice technology and AI.
US Immigration AI will be there too, at booth 704. We make software that automates the immigration case lifecycle for law firms, from intake through filing, with a lawyer reviewing every file. Here is what the conference covers and how to plan your days, whether or not you stop by to see us.
Key Takeaways
- AC26 runs June 17 to 20, 2026, across two adjacent waterfront hotels in San Diego.
- The program runs more than 90 sessions across all levels, most of them eligible for CLE credit.
- Tracks span a Fundamentals course for newcomers plus specialized tracks in family, business, humanitarian, removal defense, and litigation.
- AI and law-practice technology are a major theme this year, with several dedicated sessions.
- US Immigration AI is exhibiting at booth 704, and you can book a time to meet the team.
What Is the AILA Annual Conference?
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) runs this conference every June, and it is the association's flagship event. It pulls in thousands of attorneys, paralegals, law professors, and students from across the country. Four days of training, case-law updates, and connection draw the immigration bar together each summer.
AC26 is the 2026 edition. Sessions spread across the Marriott Marquis San Diego and the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, two hotels that sit side by side on the water. You can register and read the full agenda on the official AC26 page.
When and Where It Happens
Block off June 17 to 20, 2026, a Wednesday through Saturday. Both venues sit on the San Diego waterfront, a short walk from the Gaslamp Quarter and Seaport Village. The Exhibit Hall opens at noon on Wednesday, which is when the booths come alive, ours included.
What the Program Covers
The agenda runs the full width of immigration practice, so it helps to plan around a few tracks. More than 90 of the sessions count toward CLE credit, including the ethics, bias, and cybersecurity hours that many states require. Confirm your state's rules so you claim the right credits.
Practice Tracks
AC26 sorts its programming by experience level. A Fundamentals track gives newcomers four full days on the basics. Specialized tracks go deeper for experienced attorneys, covering family immigration, business immigration, humanitarian issues, removal defense, and litigation.
Within those, removal sessions get into trial skills, habeas corpus, and third-country removals. The humanitarian sessions take on areas like VAWA practice and the TRIG bars, the terrorism-related inadmissibility grounds that can sink an otherwise strong case.
Technology and AI
This year makes room for how firms actually run day to day, alongside the usual law and policy updates. Dedicated AI and tech sessions cover how to bring AI tools into a practice safely and ethically, to improve efficiency, case management, and client service. That focus is exactly why we are exhibiting, and you can see how our workflow fits together before the show.
Make the Most of San Diego
June in San Diego is about as easy as conference weather gets, mild and sunny and good for walking. The waterfront setting keeps restaurants, the harbor, and the Gaslamp Quarter within a short stroll of the sessions. On Saturday the conference closes with a party at the San Diego Zoo, which needs a separate ticket.
Book your room early. The AILA group rate covers the nights of June 16 to 21, and those discounted rooms usually sell out ahead of the deadline.
Plan Your Visit
A little planning goes a long way at a conference this size. Register through AILA, reserve your hotel before the block fills, and map the sessions you cannot miss. Then leave yourself time on the Exhibit Hall floor, where the practice-technology conversations tend to happen.
Two more official AILA pages are worth a bookmark before you travel:
Meet US Immigration AI at Booth 704
US Immigration AI will be at booth 704 for all of AC26, starting with the Exhibit Hall opening reception on Wednesday afternoon. Come see how the platform handles intake, document collection, form drafting, and case assembly, with a licensed attorney reviewing every file. Book a meeting to lock in a time, or just stop by between sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
