ACLU of Colorado to Honor RMIAN with Ralph Carr Award
The ACLU of Colorado will honor RMIAN with the Ralph Carr Award at its annual Bill of Rights Dinner on September 28, in Denver.
The ACLU of Colorado's Bill of Rights Dinner is an annual event where community members come together to celebrate victories, honor leaders, and inspire the community to continue its critical work of defending and preserving civil rights and civil liberties for all.
RMIAN is honored to be the recipient of this year's Ralph Carr Award. Other honorees include Harold Fields, who will receive the Carle Whitehead Memorial Award, and Susan Greene, who will receive the Larry Tajiri Media Award.
The dinner is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 28, in Denver.
Immigrant Liberty Awards Inspire, Raise Funding for RMIAN
The Immigrant Liberty Awards were held on Friday, June 16, in Denver.
The 12th Annual Immigrant Liberty Awards, with the theme "Illuminating Justice," was held on Friday, June 16, in Denver.
More than 350 community members gathered to honor the outstanding achievements of immigrants, refugees, and those who advocate on behalf of the immigrant and refugee community. This year's event honored:
Yana Vishnitsky, who first came to Colorado with her family as a persecuted Jewish refugee from Soviet Russia in 1978. Yana's family was committed to building a better and freer life in the U.S. and received resettlement support from the Jewish Family Service of Colorado (JFS) upon her arrival. Vishnitsky became a case manager and translator with JFS, launching a successful career as a nonprofit leader. She retired from the agency as its President and CEO last year.
The Colorado African Organization Community Navigators, a unique group of individuals who are refugees themselves and help other new refugees bridge the gap between resettlement and self-sufficiency. These Community Navigators help others access the resources and support they need to integrate fully into Colorado and American society, including employment, housing, health care, and education.
Edgar Barraza, who made history as the first DREAMer admitted to the Colorado Bar. Edgar came to the U.S. at the age of 11 with his family and, although he could not speak English, he was motivated by his mother to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to him. Barraza, who worked his way as a top student first through Denver Public Schools, then the University of Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and finally the Sturm College of Law, is a model of academic success. He received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Barraza was admitted to the Colorado Bar as its first DREAMer and is working for a private commercial litigation firm, Rollin Braswell Fisher, LLC, remembering to take time to give back to others through volunteering and mentoring programs.
In addition, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP received the 9th Annual Pro Bono Service Award in recognition of the exemplary pro bono legal services the firm has provided to clients through RMIAN's Children's Program and Detention Program.
Community Activist Nadeen Ibrahim served as the Master of Ceremonies.
The inspirational event raised over $100,000 of funding for RMIAN's programs. RMIAN wishes to thank all of the honorees, attendees, and individuals who helped make the event such a success.
Edgar Barraza (left) accepts his Immigrant Liberty Award from Master of Ceremonies, Nadeen Ibrahim.
Free Training on "Ethical Considerations for Attorneys Representing Detained Immigrants"
Practicing Law Institute will be hosting a program on how to most effectively address certain ethical challenges that arise in the context of representing detained immigrants
Practicing Law Institute will be hosting a program on how to most effectively address certain ethical challenges that arise in the context of representing detained immigrants under the ABA Model Rules and the California Rules of Professional Conduct. The panelists will discuss how to ethically address consent and confidentiality, how to keep clients reasonably informed, how to address conflicts of interest that are more likely to arise in the context of detained cases, how to handle concerns about the validity of evidence or testimony, how to prepare clients to testify without eliciting unnecessary information, and how to talk to clients about which forms of relief to pursue and potential settlement offers.
More information on the training can be found here.
Free Training on Secondary Trauma with ABA and RMIAN's Megan Hope
The head of RMIAN's Social Service Project, Megan Hope, MSW, is presenting on secondary trauma at a free webinar organized by the ABA's Working Group on Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants on June 26, 2017.
The American Bar Association Working Group on Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants presents a FREE 45 minute webinar on secondary trauma. Secondary trauma is a common consequence of listening to and witnessing the effects of others' traumatic experiences. Attorneys and other service providers who work with unaccompanied minor immigrants are exposed to a great deal of content that can trigger this kind of stress. This webinar will define primary and secondary trauma, explain how to recognize signs of secondary trauma in oneself and colleagues, and identify healthy ways to respond. The webinar will be interactive, drawing on participants' experiences, practices and ideas.
Contact: Juliet Gilbert, staff for the Working Group on Unaccompanied Minor Immigrants, ABA Center for Pro Bono. juliet.gilbert@americanbar.org
Presenter: Megan Hope, MSW, is the Coordinator of the Social Service and Human Trafficking Projects at the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), a non-profit provider of free immigration legal assistance to immigrant children throughout Colorado and to adults in immigration detention.
Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. CST
To register, please click here: https://shop.americanbar.org/ebus/ABAEventsCalendar/EventDetails.aspx?productId=279420283
Please register no later than Friday, June 23, 2017. A link to the webinar will be emailed to you the morning of June 26, 2017.
2017 Immigrant Liberty Award Winners Announced!
2017 Immigrant Liberty Award Winners Announced! Awardees include first Colorado DREAMer Attorney, Refugee Nonprofit President, and Colorado African Organization Community Navigators
The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) has announced the honorees for the 12th Annual Immigrant Liberty Awards, an uplifting event themed “Illuminating Justice,” to be held at the McNichols Civic Center Building in Denver on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 5:30 pm.
Each year, attendees at the Immigrant Liberty Awards gather to honor the outstanding achievements of immigrants, refugees, and those who advocate on behalf of the immigrant and refugee community. This year, the awardees will include Colorado attorney and DREAMer Edgar Barraza, refugee and nonprofit leader Yana Vishnitsky, and the Colorado African Organization Community Navigators.
Edgar Barraza made history as the first DREAMer to be admitted to the Colorado Bar. He came to the U.S. at the age of 11 with his family and, although he could not speak English, he was motivated by his mother to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to him. Barraza, who worked his way as a top student first through Denver Public Schools, then the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and finally the Sturm College of Law, is a model of academic success. He received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Barraza was admitted to the Colorado Bar as its first DREAMer and is working for a private commercial litigation firm, Rollin Braswell Fisher LLC, remembering to take time to give back to others through volunteering and mentoring programs.
Yana Vishnitsky first came to Colorado with her family as a persecuted Jewish refugee from Soviet Russia in 1978. Her family was committed to building a better and freer life in the U.S. and received resettlement support from the Jewish Family Service of Colorado upon their arrival. Vishnitsky became a case manager and translator with Jewish Family Services, launching a successful career as a nonprofit leader. She retired from the agency as its President and CEO last year.
The Colorado African Organization Community Navigators are a unique group of individuals who are refugees themselves and help other new refugees bridge the gap between resettlement and self-sufficiency. These Community Navigators help others access the resources and support they need to integrate fully into Colorado and American society, including employment, housing, health care, and education.
In addition to the honorees, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP will receive the 9th Annual Pro Bono Service Award in recognition of the exemplary pro bono legal services the firm has provided to clients through RMIAN’s Children’s Program and Detention Program.
At the event on June 16th, Nadeen Ibrahim, Community Activist and Member of the Denver Immigrant & Refugee Commission, will serve as Master of Ceremonies. Ibrahim’s personal story of immigrating to the U.S. from Jerusalem as a baby, becoming a U.S. Citizen, studying public health, bridging cultural and religious differences as a Muslim, and devoting her life to advocating for the respect and awareness of diversity will powerfully connect to the themes of the evening.
The Immigrant Liberty Awards benefits the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), a nonprofit organization that fights for justice for the most vulnerable immigrants in Colorado. RMIAN provides free immigration legal services to adults held in immigration detention and children who have suffered from abuse, neglect or violence. By contributing essential financial support to RMIAN, this annual event makes it possible for RMIAN to give meaning to a core value, that “Justice for Immigrants means Justice for All.”
This year’s event will include dinner, a silent and live auction, musical entertainment, and an awards ceremony. Event sponsors include The Colorado Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (Platinum Sponsor), Kolko & Associates, PC (Gold Sponsor), Stern & Curray LLC (Gold Sponsor), Elkind Alterman Harston PC (Silver Sponsor), Faegre Baker Daniels (Silver Sponsor), Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP (Bronze Sponsor), and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (Bronze Sponsor).
For information about tickets or how to become a sponsor of the event, please contact libertyawards@rmian.org
Congressman Polis and Others Announce the Saved by American Immigrants National Taskforce (SAINT)
Several U.S. Representatives, including Jared Polis, have launched the SAINT Taskforce to collect stories of immigrants who have saved lives in the United States.
Congressman Jared Polis of Boulder, along with Norma Torres (D - Calif), Pramila Jayapal (D - Wash.), and Tony Cárdenas (D - Calif.), today announced the start of the Saved by American Immigrants National Taskforce (SAINT). This Taskforce will collect and share stories of documented and undocumented immigrants who have positively contributed to U.S. society through heroic of lifesaving acts.
A Press Release describing the Taskforce can be found here. Additional information has been provided by The Denver Post as well as an Editorial written by Congressman Polis himself.
Photo: Steve Nehf/Denver Post
A Review of Trump's First 100 Days
RMIAN's Laura Lunn will be among the panelists at an upcoming CLE hosted by the Colorado LGBT Bar Association entitled: A Review of Trump's First 100 Days.
Managing Attorney of RMIAN's Detention Program, Laura Lunn, will be among the panelists at an upcoming CLE hosted by the Colorado LGBT Bar Association entitled: A Review of Trump's First 100 Days.
This panel discussion will be held in Downtown Denver on the evening of Wednesday, May 10. Additional event information, including registration instructions, can be found here.
May 11 Training - U Visas Under Trump: Advanced Topics & Emerging Issues
SAVE THE DATE: May 11 Training - U Visas Under Trump: Advanced Topics & Emerging Issues. Event link here.
SAVE THE DATE
RMIAN is co-sponsoring an upcoming training along with ASISTA, Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Project Safeguard, and Swenson Law Office.
The training, U Visas Under Trump: Advanced Topics & Emerging Issues, will take place on Thursday, May 11, in Denver.
Additional training information, a list of speakers, and registration instructions can be found here.
Free Immigration Practice Training on Law Day 2017
In Celebration of Law Day 2017, RMIAN invites you to a free immigration practice training focusing on children's asylum claims before the immigration court. Model Hearing Program: May 1, 2017, 9:30am to 4pm.
In Celebration of Law Day 2017, RMIAN invites you to a free immigration practice training focusing on children's asylum claims before the immigration court.
Model Hearing Program: May 1, 2017, 9:30am to 4pm
This free seminar will provide hands-on immigration court training to a small group of pro bono representatives emphasizing practice, procedure, and advocacy skills, in order to improve the quality of representation before the Denver Immigration Court.
A substantive training in the morning will be followed by a simulated hearing in the afternoon, during which participants will have an opportunity to serve in the role of Respondent's Counsel or Witness. Sample case scenarios will be provided in advance of the training.
This training is designed for attorneys with little or no immigration law experience.
Program
9:30-11:30am: Immigration Court 101, Best Practices for Representing Children in Immigration Court, Asylum & Protection-Based Forms of Relief for Children
Presenters: Emily Brock, Children's Program Staff Attorney, RMIAN
Ashley Harrington, Children's Program Managing Attorney, RMIAN
Location: Faegre Baker Daniels, LLP
3200 Wells Fargo Center
1700 Lincoln St.
Denver
1:00-4:00pm: Model Hearing, including an Introduction to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Presenters: Honorable Melanie Corrin, EOIR, Denver Immigration Court
Location: Denver Immigration Court
1961 Stout Street, Suite 3101
Denver
Please register for this event at: https://goo.gl/forms/qm3iifebOW2tBkxy2
Space is limited to 30 participants, 5 General CLE credits pending.
Free Bono Bono Attorney Q&A Session
Join RMIAN attorneys Alex Gavern, Ashley Harrington, and Laura Lunn to hear the latest updates and procedures in immigration law and policy as they relate to your RMIAN pro bono cases.
Join RMIAN attorneys Alex Gavern, Ashley Harrington, and Laura Lunn to hear the latest updates and procedures in immigration law and policy as they relate to your RMIAN pro bono cases. In addition to a general overview and updates to court practices and case processing, these RMIAN attorneys will answer individual questions and share best practices with the group. The presentation will also cover information regarding the most common client concerns and questions in this time of increased immigration enforcement.
Attendees are asked to submit questions before the training. Please submit your questions in advance via email to Alex Gavern at agavern@rmian.org.
Please bring your own lunch to this brown bag event. Special thanks to Faegre Baker Daniels for hosting the event and providing beverages.
Program: Q&A with RMIAN attorneys to ask questions about best practices for ongoing pro bono cases
Presenters: Alex Gavern, Pro Bono Coordinator, RMIAN
Ashley Harrington, Children's Program Managing Attorney, RMIAN
Laura Lunn, Detention Program Managing Attorney, RMIAN
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 11:30am to 1:00pm
Location: Faegre Baker Daniels, LLP
3200 Wells Fargo Center
1700 Lincoln St.
Denver
To register please go to: https://goo.gl/forms/50ZZ8M81ypPCyp2O2
Please submit questiosn in advance via email to RMIAN's Pro Bono Coordinator, Alex Gavern, at agavern@rmian.org.
RMIAN Board Member Hiroshi Motomura Selected for 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship
Hiroshi Motomura, RMIAN Founding Board Member, was selected as a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow.
Hiroshi Motomura, RMIAN Founding Board Member, was selected as a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow. Mr. Motomura is the Susan Westerberg Prager Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law and a leading scholar of immigration and citizenship law. Learn more about his previous work and the book he will be writing as a Guggenheim Fellow.
Maintaining the Rule of Law CLE Program
RMIAN's Executive Director, Mekela Goehring, will be among the presenters at an upcoming CLE Program organized by the Colorado Bar Association.
RMIAN's Executive Director, Mekela Goehring, will be among the presenters at an upcoming CLE Program organized by the Colorado Bar Association. Mekela will be discussing immigration issues while other topics include: Travel Bans, Muslims and Internment; Anti-Discrimination and Transgender Rights; First Amendment Challenges; and more. The all-day CLE will take place on Friday, May 5, in Denver. Program Agenda, Faculty, and Registration Information can be found here.
Being College Bound with DACA
RMIAN client and unDACAmented student explains how it feels to be college-bound with DACA
When I was 9 years old, my big brother was deported the day after his high school graduation. My other brother couldn't afford to pay out-of-state college tuition, despite being smart and ambitious. They did not have DACA or ASSET to protect them or offer hope and opportunities. After watching my big brothers, I didn't believe I would be able to go to college myself. There were times when I almost gave up.
So many things have changed. A lot of schools have declared themselves sanctuary campuses and will not give out information to ICE. The announcement of the ASSET program changed my life.
But while I may be temporarily safe due to having DACA, I know that my fight is not finished. The new administration has said many negative things about immigrants. Both the border wall and the Muslim ban make me feel unwelcome and unsafe in a country that has been my home for 15 years. I live in constant fear that I will start college only to have fellow students or faculty expose me to government officials. Discrimination is hard to overcome and if discrimination comes from fellow students, I fear that I will give up.
With these fears foremost in my mind, I have to draw upon the support systems in my life to get to college graduation. My family has helped me on the road to success and is only one phone call away. Also, my RMIAN attorney, Elizabeth, offers her services no matter how busy she can be. With these support systems in place, I will never quit fighting.
But my biggest motivation, what keeps me fighting, is my commitment to become a lawyer. I will not leave anyone else to drown.
- D.A., RMIAN client, unDACAmented student, college-bound future lawyer
Thanks to College Track for collecting this client's testimony.
Immigration Enforcement Has Attorneys Stepping Up
RMIAN and RBF Law partnered to give volunteer lawyers an introduction to immigration law.
Last week, RMIAN partnered with RBF Law to offer volunteer attorneys an introduction to immigration law. Law Week Colorado Covered the Event.
RMIAN Stands with Mayor Hancock on Steps of City County Building to Support Immigrant Day of Action
RMIAN Stands with Mayor Hancock on Steps of City County Building to support Immigrant Day of Action. Details here.
Photo: CBS
RMIAN Volunteer Interpreter Training - March 28th
RMIAN to hold Volunteer Interpreter Training on Tuesday, March 28, at Regis University. Details here.
Since the election, RMIAN has received an overwhelming response from the legal community and local attorneys who would like to take a pro bono case through RMIAN. As a result, we have a huge need for volunteer interpreters to volunteer their language skills and assist attorneys with these cases.
We will be holding a training on Tuesday, March 28, at Regis University to train new volunteers on RMIAN and how to volunteer with us as an interpreter. We're hoping for a good turnout because the more interpreters we have available to us, the more legal cases we can refer out for both adults and children in deportation proceedings.
Our primary need continues to be Spanish but speakers of all languages are welcome to attend. If people in the network have questions, they can contact Mayra Prieto at RMIAN (mprieto@rmian.org).
Full Event Details Here (PDF).
Webinar on Haitian Asylum Claims
The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies and the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti will be co-presenting a Webinar on Haitian Asylum Claims on Thursday, March 30.
The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies and the Institute for Justice & Democracy in Haiti will be co-presenting a Webinar on Haitian Asylum Claims on Thursday, March 30. Increased numbers of Haitian asylum seekers have been arriving in the United States, including hundreds held in immigration detention here in Colorado, in the past year. This webinar will help attorneys better understand country conditions in Haiti and asylum eligibility for Haitians. Full Event Description Here (PDF).
Responding to Executive Actions: Essential Tools for Getting Immigrants Out of Detention
RMIAN, the ACLU of Colorado, and Colorado AILA to provide training for attorneys who are new to immigration law and are interested in providing pro bono representation for detained individuals in immigration proceedings in Colorado.
Please join the ACLU of Colorado, the Colorado Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN), and experienced immigration practitioners Laura Lichter, Hans Meyer, and Laura Lunn to learn how to best ensure justice for detained immigrants in Colorado.
This training will provide essential information and skills for attorneys who are new to immigration law and are interested in providing pro bono representation in bond hearings or parole requests for detained individuals in immigration proceedings in Colorado. Focusing on some of the most common forms of protection for individuals in detention, the panel of experienced attorneys will provided step-by-step analysis and overviews on how to advise immigrants of their rights when encountering law enforcement officials, represent detainees in their bond hearings, request parole from the Department of Homeland Security, background on the expedited removal process, and common defenses to deportation. The training will also include a mock hearing and break-out sessions to build practical advocacy skills. Special thanks to Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP for hosting.
The training is free for attorneys who agree to take a pro bono bond hearing or parole request for a detained client through RMIAN. RMIAN will screen potential pro bono cases, pair attorneys with clients, and provide legal resources, mentoring, and professional liability insurance to pro bono attorneys.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 4, 2017; 12:30pm to 6:00pm
WHERE: Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP
370 17th Street, Suite 4500, Denver, CO 80202
RMIAN & Rollin Braswell Fisher LLC to provide a presentation on new Executive Orders and policy directives
RMIAN & RBF Law to provide a one-hour presentation on the new Executive Orders and policy directives in immigration Law on Wednesday, March 10.
Rollin Braswell Fisher LLC (RBF Law) and RMIAN are partnering to provide a one-hour presentation on the new Executive Orders and policy directives in immigration law, and highlight ways that Colorado lawyers can get involved in working for justice for immigrants.
RBF Law is a commercial litigation firm seeking to empower and engage lawyers who typically do not practice in the public interest area but are interested in social justice issues. RMIAN is a nonprofit dedicated to providing immigration legal services to individuals in immigration detention in Colorado, as well as to children throughout the state.
Attendees of the presentation will come away with a general understanding of legislative framework and processes of the system to enable them to provide assistance to the local immigrant community.
WHEN: March 15, 2017, 8:00-9:00am
WHERE: Rollin Braswell Fisher LLC
8350 E Crescent Pkwy, Suite 100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
COST: Lecture is free and breakfast is provided. CLE credit pending.
RSVP to JThompson@rbf.law by March 10th to reserve your space
A Colorado class to train lawyers in representing kids with immigration issues is booked solid, with a waiting list
Denverite.com covers February 24th legal training on children's asylum law and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Denverite.com covers February 24th training offered by RMIAN, the Colorado Lawyers Committee, the Colorado Bar Association, and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies. The sold out training covered two of the most common forms of protection for vulnerable immigrant children, asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. Read Full/Original Aritcle
Photo: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite