Immigration Justice Clinic at Pace Law School, John Jay Legal Services, Inc

https://nipnlg.org/work/resources/practice-advisory-united-states-v-texas-supreme-courts-decision-bidens-enforcement

Practice Advisory: United States v. Texas - The Supreme Court’s Decision on Biden’s Enforcement Priorities On June 23, 2023, the Supreme Court issued a favorable decision in United States v. Texas, 599 U.S. (2023), a case brought by Texas and Louisiana challenging the Biden administration’s immigration enforcement priorities. The Court held that the States lack Article III standing to challenge the pri...

A quick, preliminary comment on the “emergency order” "migrant ban" recently issued by the Supervisor of the Town of Mount Pleasanthttps://www.mtpleasantny.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif4741/f/alerts/town_of_mt._pleasant_state_of_emergency_5.26.2023.pdf :

I just found the text of the Mount Pleasant emergency order on its website. First basic problem: as far as I can see, it does not contain a definition, and there is no general legal definition, of “migrants or asylum seekers.” Who is a “migrant”? If the noncitizen grandmother of someone who lives in Mount Pleasant has received lawful permanent residence (a “green card”) to live and work lawfully in the United States, and is coming to live with the family from her current home in Oshkosh, Wisconsin -- or if that grandmother is coming to visit the family on a temporary visa for the holidays -- is that person a “migrant” under this Order? This Order says that “no person” . . . “may make contracts with persons” . . . “doing business within the Town to transport migrants or asylum seekers to locations in the Town for any length of time without the express written permission of the Town Supervisor.” So if a Town resident calls an Uber to pick up his grandmother at the airport, he could be violating this Order unless he first gets the written permission of the Supervisor?

Similarly, numerous “asylum seekers” -- again, does that mean someone who has already filed an application for asylum, specifically, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency? Does that mean someone who is in the process of preparing such an application? Thinking about applying for asylum? Seeking information about eligibility for asylum? – anyway, many people who might be called “asylum seekers” are completely financially independent and self-sufficient, and may be living in or visiting the Town of Mount Pleasant without any contact with or action by the City of New York or any other municipal government. This Order apparently applies to them. These same people may already have lawful immigration status within the United States, such as for example Temporary Protected Status or Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, quite independent of whether they may also be seeking or considering seeking asylum protection. This Order apparently applies to them, as well.

Just pointing out some of the problems that arise when government officials who may not be well-informed about our extremely and unnecessarily complex immigration law start legislating or issuing orders on this topic. Let’s remember that this entire “crisis” has been manufactured over a very long time, during the past thirty years at least, by a refusal of members of Congress, largely Republicans, to engage in meaningful reform of our grossly outdated and dysfunctional immigration law, even though the American public very much favors comprehensive immigration reform. It is not surprising that government officials and law-makers and the general public do not know about and understand the structure and operation of our immigration system because unfortunately, teaching about this topic is not part of the curriculum of most high schools or other mandatory education programs, and otherwise there is little opportunity for people to learn about it. For that matter, most lawyers know very little about our immigration law. There is also a great deal of mythology and stereotyping about the very broad category of “immigrants”, such as the idea that immigrants are the source of additional criminal activity, when most responsible studies show that the opposite is true: rates of crime committed by noncitizens are by and large substantially lower than the rate of crimes committed by U.S. citizens. See, e.g.,

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/undocumented-immigrants-are-half-as-likely-to-be-arrested-for-violent-crimes-as-u-s-born-citizens/

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2014704117 or https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/comparing-crime-rates-between-undocumented-immigrants-legal-immigrants-and

https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/sep/06/surprising-number-americans-believe-these-false-cl/
https://www.mtpleasantny.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif4741/f/alerts/town_of_mt._pleasant_state_of_emergency_5.26.2023.pdf

www.mtpleasantny.com

DO THESE LOWLIFE XENOPHOBES GET ANY WORSE THAN THIS?

NY AG, Orange County DA Probe Inflammatory Lie About Migrants In HV Several politicians in New York who helped spread the story last week called for the investigations, saying they were duped.

https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/
2022 STATE DEPARTMENT COUNTRY REPORTS ARE OUT -- should review to see changes from last year's for your clients' countries.

https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/

2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - United States Department of State The annual Human Rights Reports cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements.

PILS LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 7
6:00 pm - O-202

The lunar new year event that was originally scheduled for 2/28 has been rescheduled for March 7th, Tuesday, from 6PM-8PM in O-202. We will be watching the Oscar nominated Sci-Fi/Adventure Film: Everything Everywhere All at Once. The plot centers on a Chinese-American immigrant who, while being audited by the IRS, discovers that she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent a powerful being from destroying the multiverse. Food and drinks will be provided. See you all there!

Please RSVP using the same link:

Lunar New Year RSVP O202 from 6-8 pm March 7th, 2022

FREE PUBLIC WEBINAR ON HAITIAN TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS March 17, 2023 -- 1:00 pm

Online from ABA Commission on Immigration -- register here:

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians in Removal Proceedings [CC] The presentation aims to provide information, practical pointers, and creative solutions to common issues to guide advocates in their representation.

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2023/01/aba-immigration-primer/

ABA releases primer on immigration enforcement at the border WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2023 – The American Bar Association Commission on Immigration has released a primer on immigration enforcement mechanisms at the U.S. border.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2023/01/07/biden-immigration-border/

Immigration pivot shows Biden facing hard reality of border politics The unveiling of new border policies Thursday was a deflating and lonely moment for a president who promised to abandon Donald Trump’s harsh approach.

Kudos to Pace Law's Woorod Atiyat and Maria Montenegro-Bernardo, winners of the inaugural American Immigration Lawyers Association DEI Scholarships!

Congratulations to Woorod and Maria for scoring two out of the only ten AILA inaugural Diversity Equity and Inclusion Scholarships. (And Pace is the only law school with TWO winners.)

Not only the cash award and the nice entry on your résumés, but this comes with some incredible extra benefits. See https://www.aila.org/membership/diversity-and-inclusion-committee/aila-diversity-inclusion-law-school-scholarships?utm_source=Recent%20Postings%20Alert&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RP%20Daily.

You will be recognized as Law Student Scholarship Award Recipients by AILA’s DEI Committee throughout all of AILA’s national emails, newsletters, the AILA website, and AILA DEI Committee correspondence – not too shabby!
You will also have the opportunity for major professional career development by publishing a blog post on an immigration-related topic on the Think Immigration Blog, which reaches an audience of 16,000+ AILA members. I would be honored to work with you on developing your blog posts – two of them, yet – which, if you were willing, could help us advance one of the major research and law reform goals of the Immigration Justice Clinic: the expansion of U visa options for undocumented noncitizens who are victims of notario fraud and bad lawyering, by showcasing the concept for a national audience of prominent immigration lawyers.

And perhaps we can start off the next semester of the Pace Immigration Law Society with a little presentation from you both about your submissions and your planned AILA Blog posts. Meanwhile, please enjoy this accomplishment, and again, congratulations!

Well this should be interesting.

Top Border Official Says He Was Asked to Resign The commissioner, Chris Magnus, has refused to step down amid criticism over his agency’s lack of accountability.

Opinion athttps://s3.documentcloud.org/doc.../23119347/daca-ruling.pdf So now Texas and Louisiana and Florida and Arizona really are allowed to make their own immigration law.

Yet another awesome post-grad Fellowship -- also intended for those finishing up a prior fellowship. If you've ever wanted to check out life in LA or DC, here's your chance. NILC is very respected for both cutting-edge advocacy and righteous service to the community.

National Immigration Law Center - Law Fellowship 2023 NILC Law Fellowship This two-year fellowship is designed for an attorney who has just graduated from law school or who graduated no more than two years before the Fellowship would start, has spent the intervening time either clerking for a judge or in another fellowship or term-limited position, and...

An opportunity to show up in solidarity for immigrant justice! Essential immigrant workers need our support.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network is hosting a march this Saturday, October 1 at 4:00 pm at Washington Market Park (199 Chambers Street, New York City, NY 10007) to urge the Biden administration to fight the injustice of undocumented workers facing poor working conditions. Please see below for more information:

This year, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) together with member organizations were able to push the Department of Labor to announce labor issued guidance, in the form of an FAQ, for immigrant workers denouncing workplace abuse and unsafe work conditions.

In the month of July, NDLON member organizations throughout the country threw multiple actions to call out the Department of Homeland Security and President Biden's administration for a formal position or issue guidance on the policy but undocumented workers have had no response.

We invite you to walk along our member organizations and workers from the states of NY, NJ, CT, CA, NV, MS & GA that will be marching to uplift undocumented workers who have contribute to this nation yet continue to be abused in their workplace.

The March will take place on Saturday, October 1st at 4:00 PM.
It will begin at Washington Market Park located at 199 Chambers St. NYC, NY 10007

If you’re unable to join, please consider making a donation to NDLON and sharing this event with your friends in the city!

https://ndlon.org/

You can also donate to Yonkers Sanctuary Movement, which supports immigrants here in Westchester. Thank you!

In solidarity,
Alice, Annie, Doug, Ken, Melissa & Mary
SURJ Coordinating Committee

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Westchester
Contact: [email protected]
For more information about SURJ http://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/

Indigenous land acknowledgment: We recognize all land that is claimed by the United States is Indigenous land. SURJ Westchester organizes and lives on the lands of the Lenape & Wappinger Peoples. We are committed to Indigenous self-determination. You can learn whose land you are on here: https://native-land.ca/

Welcome - National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) NDLON is a national network of over 50 member organizations through out the country and we work to unify and strengthen our members to develop leadership, mobilize, and organize day laborers in order to protect and expand their civil, labor and human rights. We build power from the bottom up through...

Interesting job in the Hudson Valley

Immigration Staff Attorney Positions – Albany, Buffalo or Newburgh, New York
Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLS) is seeking to hire an immigration attorney to work from its Albany, Buffalo or Newburgh offices. The attorney will provide free legal representation to individuals incarcerated in New York State prisoners in removal proceedings in the Institutional Hearing Program (IHP), and to individuals in immigration detention at the Albany and Clinton County Jails, whose cases are calendared at the Batavia Immigration Court in Batavia, NY.

Overview
PLS is a non-profit legal services organization providing civil legal services to indigent individuals in New York State correctional facilities in cases where no other counsel is available. Founded in 1976 in response to the Attica uprising, PLS has regional offices in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca and Newburgh.

As part of the New York State Upstate Immigration Program, PLS provides free legal representation to non-citizens incarcerated in New York State prison facing immigration removal proceedings under the Institutional Hearing Program (IHP) and individuals in immigration detention at the Albany, Rensselaer and Clinton County Jails. These proceedings take place at the Bedford Hills and Ulster Immigration Courts, located inside New York State correctional facilities in upstate New York and at the Batavia Immigration Court in Batavia, NY.

Job Description
The ideal candidate would have strong research, writing, and oral advocacy skills; the ability to work in a collaborative and dynamic team environment; excellent organizational skills; and a commitment to serving indigent clients convicted of crimes. Clinical or professional background in immigration and / or criminal law is preferred. At the time of application, applicants must be admitted to the New York State bar or a lawschool graduate awaiting New York State bar admission.

Languages
Fluency in Spanish is preferred. Please note all language skills and level of proficiency in your application.

Salary and Benefits & EEO Policy
Salary is commensurate with experience. PLS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, short and long-term disability, life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of s*x, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, s*xual orientation, gender identity, citizenship, pregnancy or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

Deadline to Apply
Applications will be reviewed on an on-going basis.

How to Apply
Please submit your cover letter, resume, writing sample, and at least three (3) references by mail or email to: Patricia Kane, Prisoners’ Legal Services of NY, 41 State St., Suite M112, Albany, NY 12207 or to [email protected]. Include “PLS Immigration Attorney” in the subject line along with your preference for office location. No phone calls please.

Below is a clear FAQ explanation of the new DACA Rule that just came out -- which could have life-changing impact on perhaps a million inhabitants of this country: over 800,000 DACA recipients and their families, and all those who might still be able to qualify if the program were fully reinstated. (Let us hope the Steve Bannons of the world don't make a thing out of the fact that the new rule goes into effect on Halloween.)

Here is the current status of the program for the moment:
“The final rule is effective Monday, October 31, 2022. However, while a July 16, 2021, injunction from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas remains in effect, DHS is prohibited from granting initial DACA requests and related employment authorization under the final rule. Because that injunction has been partially stayed, DHS presently may grant DACA renewal requests under the final rule.” https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/08/24/dhs-issues-regulation-preserve-and-fortify-dacahttps://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/sites/default/files/DACA%20UPDATE%20FINAL%208%202022.pdf

We still await the ruling from the Fifth Circuit on the fundamental legality of DACA, and assuming someone appeals whatever that ruling is -- and if it does not strike down DACA, we have to expect that the anti-immigration State leaders will do so -- this Supreme Court could still demolish DACA and the whole concept of prosecutorial discretion in immigration enforcement. But this new rule will go a long way to making it clear, if it does that, just how lawless the Court has become.
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/08/24/dhs-issues-regulation-preserve-and-fortify-daca
https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/sites/default/files/DACA%20UPDATE%20FINAL%208%202022.pdf

DHS Issues Regulation to Preserve and Fortify DACA | Homeland Security DHS Issues Regulation to Preserve and Fortify DACA Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced that the Department has issued a final rule that will preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy for certain eligible noncitizens who arrived in the...

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/18/1117953720/a-majority-of-americans-see-an-invasion-at-the-southern-border-npr-poll-finds

A majority of Americans see an 'invasion' at the southern border, NPR poll finds A new NPR/Ipsos poll shows that half of Americans say there's an "invasion" at the southern border. And that false and misleading claims about migrants are taking hold, particularly with Republicans.

Westchester County Launches $10M Landlord Tenant Assistance Program (LTAP)
Funds May Be Used For Needed Repairs To Rental Properties In Exchange For Landlords Maintaining Affordable Rents

County Executive George Latimer and the Westchester County Board of Legislators announced the Landlord Tenant Assistance Program (LTAP) on Tuesday, furthering their commitment to preserving affordable housing in communities across Westchester. LTAP will allow small landlords who own eight units or less and who maintain rent levels that are affordable to residents, to apply for up to $25,000 per unit for repairs to their rental properties. To be eligible, landlords/owners must charge rents that are affordable to households earning between 60% and 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and home improvements may include, but are not limited to, roof replacement, or upgrades to electrical, windows, accessibility ramps, plumbing and heating systems. With $10M available in funds, 400 units can be rehabilitated.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A39a7719e-faa4-3915-9440-266d362b38ae =1

Adobe Acrobat - Landlord-Tenant Housing Assistance English and Spanish.pdf View this file, and add comments too.

Why do people flee Guatemala? One more aspect of the answer: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/09/opinion/guatemalas-corrupt-officials-train-their-sights-on-the-press.html

Opinion | Guatemala’s Corrupt Officials Train Their Sights on the Press The arrest of José Rubén Zamora, an award-winning journalist and president of the elPeriódico newspaper, marks an escalation of the government’s assault on democratic values.

A must-read. Let us be clear: this, and worse, could all start up again if Republicans succeed in their relentless effort to disrupt election administration, seize control of the vote-counting apparatus, process, and personnel, and prevent free and fair elections with appropriate cybersecurity protection. This one issue controls what happens on every other issue you care about. Go to SmartElections.US to learn more.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/09/trump-administration-family-separation-policy-immigration/670604/

An American Catastrophe The secret history of the U.S. government’s family-separation policy

Hard to believe, but thrilled to report that Class of 2009 Pace Law/Immigration Justice Clinic Alum Najia Khalid has reached a significant milestone in her career: 10 Years of Service for Wiggin and Dana's Business Immigration Practice (a practice she developed and leads). While at Pace Najia was a co-founder of the Muslim Law Students Association, on Honor Board, and was on the Board of the Asian American Law Students Association. We congratulate Najia on her continued success. To learn more about Najia and her practice see: Attorney - Najia S Khalid (wiggin.com); Business Immigration and Compliance Practice - Wiggin and Dana LLP — Attorneys At Law. Many congratulations, Najia!!

Immigration Staff Attorney -- GREAT OPPORTUNITY
MRNY - White Plains Office

Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. Make the Road New York operates community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island and White Plains, Westchester County.

Current Opening: We are hiring a Staff Attorney to join our dynamic immigration team. The attorney will fully integrate into our team’s immigration practice and work on a broad range of cases. MRNY staff are currently working both remotely and in-person, but this position will be based from our Westchester office in White Plains full-time when our offices fully reopen later this year. Job responsibilities and requirements are detailed below.

About MRNY: With a membership of over 25,000, MRNY tackles the critical issues facing our communities, including workplace justice, tenants’ rights, immigrant and civil rights, public education, health care access, policing, and TGNCIQ justice. (TGNCIQ = transgender, gender non-conforming, inters*x and q***r)

MRNY is a multi-service organization. Our member-led organizing committees -- which work on the issues named above -- implement strategies to combat shared problems, and develop members’ leadership and the capacity for civic participation. We also provide an array of high-quality bilingual services: English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Spanish-language literacy, computer literacy, citizenship preparation, and in-school and after-school youth programs. Our health program offers facilitated enrollment into health insurance programs and SNAP benefits, a community health worker home visit program, nutrition education and emergency food pantries, health care navigation, and more.

Legal and Support Services at Make the Road New York:

We have a robust legal program that offers direct representation across a spectrum of practice areas, including employment law, immigration law, housing and benefits, and TGNCIQ civil rights; we also take on impact litigation as a strategy for achieving broad change.

The Legal Department at MRNY works to strengthen the organization’s organizing work by (1) helping to envision and implement strategies (including strategic litigation) that support our organizing campaigns; (2) providing technical legal support for policy work; and (3) providing legal and support services to meet the immediate needs of the community members who MRNY serves. The Department currently employs approximately 45 attorneys, advocates, and case managers. Our legal team is integrated into all aspects of the organization’s work.

Job responsibilities will include:
• Providing individualized assistance to clients currently in removal proceedings or eligible for immigration relief, in a broad range of categories including SIJ, Asylum, U/T Nonimmigrant Status, and Cancellation of Removal, including representing individuals in immigration, family and federal district court
• Assisting in community education efforts, including through the creation of written materials, KYR presentations, and popular education workshops
• Supporting MRNY members and organizing campaigns through strategic litigation, legislative advocacy, research, media work, and action support
• Participating in team and department meetings and assisting with grant reporting
• Continuous learning and application of movement lawyering principles as well as other critical concepts that underscore our organizational approach to building power, such as racialized capitalism

Requirements:
• Eligible to work in the U.S
• Required to be fully vaccinated with an FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine prior to first date of employment
• At least 2 years of immigration legal practice experience, which may include clinic and/or legal internships.
• Admission (or eligibility for admission) to practice law in New York State or the possibility of waiving into the state
• Spanish language proficiency
• Interpersonal and organizational skills of the highest caliber
• Experience with populations that make up major portions of Make the Road’s membership – such as documented and undocumented immigrants, individuals facing domestic violence, members of TGNCIQ communities, those who have experienced the criminal legal system, and youth
• Interest in supporting community organizing, campaigns, and policy and advocacy initiatives
• Desire to work collaboratively

Preferences:
• Relevant lived experience, including, but not limited to, having been a member of a low-income, immigrant community
• Experience with community organizing
• Expertise in a specific area of value to our collaborative team, including, but not limited to, the Department of Homeland Security’s use of tech, the intersections between workers and immigration issues, and the intersections between education/youth and immigration issues
• Excellent writing skills
• Spanish language fluency

Salary and Benefits:
Starting salary is calculated on a step scale based on years of experience. Generous package of vacation, personal and sick days. Excellent health and dental coverage and family leave policies.

To Apply:

Please apply with a cover letter, resume, and writing sample in Make the Road New York's Career Center.

For external applicants, please click here.

Applications accepted until the position is filled.

MRNY is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse staff. Women, TGNCIQ people, people with disabilities, and BIPOC strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, s*x, age, genetic information, disability or marital status.

It’s the tacks on the floor for us. Cartoon by Lalo Alcaraz.

Pamela Guerrero '22 | Pace Law School A first-generation US Citizen, Pamela Guerrero entered law school with a passion for immigration law. Throughout law school, she followed that passion by participating in the Immigration Justice Clinic. Now, a 3L, after the bar exam, Pamela is set to follow her dreams as she was awarded a prestigiou...

Hallelujah finally: phone numbers for IJ Legal Assistants!

https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1494806/download?fbclid=IwAR2Lk36A0z9E8wj3sdE5_LqiueerpCdXg1jS0sCdyFEjFGpZxzBrfWKdp7Q

www.justice.gov

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/04/15/secretary-mayorkas-designates-cameroon-temporary-protected-status-18-months

Secretary Mayorkas Designates Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months | Homeland Security Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.

De Colorado a Washington DC en dos ruedas: ciclistas llevan más de 20 días pedaleando para pedir una reforma migratoria Varios inmigrantes y activistas que salieron hace 24 días de Denver, en Colorado, en sus bicicletas y que han recorrido más de 1,100 millas esperan llegar pronto a Washington DC con el fin de reunirse con organizaciones proinmigrantes el 1 de mayo y pedir de manera conjunta una reforma migratoria....