Blog: Think Immigration
We believe that immigration law is an integral part of America’s past, present and future. We also know that immigration law is complicated. Here you’ll find experts writing in an accessible way about immigration issues, from big, broad ideas down to specific cases. Our members bring knowledge they’ve gleaned from the daily practice of immigration law to this space and offer their expertise to readers.
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Let These Women Go
There is a town in El Salvador where a woman named M-C- lived. In 2003, her husband beat her face until the purple welts glowed. Your bloody face means you are mine, he said. He hit her for asking why he hit her. An open palm. A closed fist. On her arms. On her face. […]
Action on Immigration is Long Overdue
Over the past week I spent some time considering the pros and cons of President Obama taking executive action on immigration. Is this really the right approach to handling our mounting immigration problem? Should we wait on Congress to finally get a bill passed? If we wait on Congress will our curre
The United States Must Do Better for Same-Sex Partners of Asylum Grantees
Through established asylum and refugee laws, the United States offers protection to individuals who have been persecuted or who have a well-founded fear of persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or because they are perceived to be part of those communities. It is clearly docu
Ignoring the Economics of Immigration
Jeffrey Dorfman's recent opinion piece in Forbes purporting to make the economic case against comprehensive immigration reform doesn't stand up once his underlying data and unstated premise are examined. With regard to the data, his piece relies almost entirely on a Heritage Foundation report relea
After a Month in Artesia
I left Artesia on Saturday morning after about a month of volunteering. In that month, the days were approximately 16-19 hours long and full of horrific stories and circumstances that attorneys outside of Artesia can barely begin to imagine. So it's not surprising I'm sure, to those who have volunte
When Justice Isn’t Allowed to be Blind
When I saw the name “Tabaddor“ in this article, it grabbed my attention. As soon as I read it, my jaw dropped. Judge Tabaddor, one of the most impartial and brilliant judges that I have encountered in my 18-year career as an immigration attorney, was actually ordered by the Department of Justi
Beyond Artesia: Without a Choice in Karnes Detention Center
I attended the first Know-Your-Rights (KYR) presentation as a volunteer lawyer at the Karnes Detention Center on Friday. The KYR was offered by American Gateways in Austin. The organization has stepped up to offer weekly presentations, but does not have funding to do more. Just like Artesia, ther
Leaving Artesia
Only a few members of our Oregon chapter are able to stay on longer in Artesia at this time. I'm not one of them, and I'm feeling really guilty about leaving. I think it is amazing that our chapter has rallied behind the effort in Artesia and that people are making personal donations to support [
A Volunteer’s Experience at Artesia
I spent last week at the Artesia “family detention“ center, a 4-hour drive from both Albuquerque and El Paso. We had a group of roughly ten volunteers (attorneys, translators, and administrative staff) trying to stop the rapid deportations and see that the women and their children get some mo
What Do Starfish and Artesia, NM Have in Common?
Artesia is a tiny town in Southeastern New Mexico that has been thrown into the national spotlight because the federal training center located there has been turned into a make-shift detention center for women and children fleeing violence in Central America. It's dry, it's dusty, it's hot, and it'
The Heartbreak of Artesia
Driving home from a week in Artesia, New Mexico to Glenwood Springs, Colorado and all the emotions start overwhelming me. I think because the need was so constant and so immediate while I was there with the families and undaunted volunteers I never had time to stop and acknowledge the emotional side
Artesia, Day Two (and a half)
Has it really only been two days? I guess technically, it's three since I'm writing this at 1:30am. I have another long day ahead, but it's important to get this out and, you know, you can sleep when you're dead. I feel like I've been here for weeks. The intensity of this experience has everyone [&#
University of Houston Law Center Helps UAC Immigrants Coming to Houston
The University of Houston Law Center is spearheading efforts to help UACs beginning immediately and continuing into the next few months. Our Law Center's clinical program, specifically the immigration and civil clinics, are engaging in a number of projects designed to address the needs of UACs who w
Day One in Artesia: Notes from the Front Lines
We drove from Denver to Artesia yesterday, a small town in central New Mexico, about three hours from anywhere. It's about a nine hour drive down from the last high passes of southern Colorado, through the low scrub of northern New Mexico into the high barren desert. For hundreds of miles, the hor
America’s Leaders Are Failing the Children
Our country is facing one of its greatest moral challenges in years: how will we treat the migrant children fleeing violence in Central America and seeking refuge within our borders? I know how I want us to treat them. Fairly, humanely, and within the parameters of the anti-trafficking law passed by
A Victory for the Arizona DACAmented
In Arizona, a high school student that has been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA“) can create an award-winning underwater robot from Home Depot parts, but can't legally drive to school (more about that below). Thanks to a mean-spirited August 15, 2012 executive order from
Fireworks: A Beacon in the Sky for the World
Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. My husband and I like to spend it with friends and “America's Favorite Pastime“ at Nationals Park. After the ballgame comes more time with friends and family, grilling and a table full of food, juicy watermelon, red, white, and blue décor galo
Let’s Dance
This blog post is adapted from the speech I gave when I was installed as AILA's President for the 2014-15 term. I was thrilled to be able to reflect at the Annual Conference hosted by my home chapter, the New England Chapter of AILA. New England is where I found immigration and, if I hadn't […
Turning Our Backs on Our Own History
The humanitarian crisis involving the arrival of thousands of unaccompanied minors at our borders has brought out diverse opinions within our government and country. Some politicians would like to send these minors back to Guatemala on a bus. Before we become too critical about the future of these
Getting a Little Serious about the Need for Immigration Reform
This is a post adapted from my speech last week in accepting an award from AILA for outstanding contributions made as a young lawyer in the field of immigration and nationality law. While the occasion was a happy one and I was honored to receive that award, I took the opportunity, as I do here, [
Responding to the Increase in Child Migrants: We’ve Managed These Crises Before
In my first week as an immigration lawyer, 286 Chinese migrants waded ashore in Queens, and a significant number were detained at a county prison near me in York, Pennsylvania. In 1993, there was no significant infrastructure for handling those hundreds of cases in the Northeast - no detention faci
Re-Inspired by the Unafraid and Undocumented
Last week, as a representative of AILA, I joined Jose Antonio Vargas for two post-screening panels after his film “Documented.“ Vargas has been a lightning rod since he, a Pulitzer Prize winner, revealed to the world that he was in fact unauthorized. The fact that one of the nation's most ce
The Good, the Not-so-Bad and the Ugly: USCIS Announces DACA Renewal Procedures
Today, USCIS published long-awaited guidance for renewals under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program, including a new Form I-821D for both initial and renewal applications. The guidelines should mean a streamlined process for most renewals, but the agency missed a real opportu
What the Tony Awards Can Teach Us About Immigration
This year's Tony Awards will be presented on Sunday, June 8 in New York City. I've always been a fan of the ceremony and, having seen a fair number of the nominees, I was struck by the strong intersection between Broadway theatre and immigration this year. Take for example, A Raisin in the Sun, nom
Cities and Counties Stand Up for the Constitution
Cities across the country have been following a federal policy that law enforcement officials increasingly describe as harmful to public safety and that courts now call unconstitutional. I'm glad to know that Philadelphia is no longer one of them. My mayor, Michael Nutter, signed an executive order