Virtual CLE: The Immigration Enforcement and Detention Policy Landscape in Colorado

Colorado Lawyer Article: RMIAN Turns 20

CO Hispanic Bar Association CLE with RMIAN: COVID-19's Impact in 2020 and Beyond

City of Denver Approves $500,000 for the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund for FY 2021

This week, the city of Denver took bold action for immigrant communities and approved $500,000 for the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund—providing vital legal protections for Denver’s immigrant communities as they continue to face the radiating impacts of criminalization, deportation, & detention amid a pandemic.

We are grateful to our community partners and the Vera Institute of Justice who continue to fight tirelessly for #DueProcess4All in Denver and advance a roadmap for lasting federal change.

"When I ended up in immigration detention, I didn’t have a penny to do anything. I was going to face the judge myself without an attorney, and just be there at their mercy. That’s when RMIAN appeared. If it wasn’t for my attorney, then I would probably be deported by now. Instead, I was released on bond, and I am fighting my case to stay here with my six U.S. citizen children."

- RMIAN client represented through the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund

Film Screening and Panel Discussion Featuring RMIAN Attorney Javier Garcia

Hear RMIAN attorney Javier Garcia speak at the CBA event, "The Undocumented Lawyer: A Short Film Screening and Panel Discussion" on Nov. 18th at 5pm. We hope to see you there!

New Report "Medicine Beyond Borders" Provides Roadmap for Healthcare Providers to Assist Immigrants

A new report, Medicine Beyond Borders - A Call to Action: Providing Care via Forensic Examinations and Legal Referrals, published by Puja Shah, MPH; Janine Young, MD; Shale Wong, MD, MSPH of the Denver Health Human Rights Clinic and the UC Anschutz Farley Center for Health Policy, details how medical providers can assist immigrants through forensic evaluations and legal referrals. The report is a byproduct of a relationship with RMIAN and the Denver Health Human Rights Clinic to assist immigrants and asylum seekers throughout the state. See the Colorado-specific report here and the national report here.

RMIAN Optimistic for Change Following Presidential Election Results

RMIAN Stands with Immigrants, Optimistic for Change Following Presidential Election Results 

Justice for Immigrants Means Justice for All

Westminster, Colorado — Following the election of a new president, the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) is optimistic that our country will work towards its ideals as a nation of immigrants and progress towards providing dignity and respect for all human beings. We hope that the new administration will not only act swiftly to withdraw the harmful policies enacted in the last four years, but also to create a more just and humane immigration system.  

RMIAN Executive Director, Mekela Goehring, says, “The anti-immigrant policies of the last four years have been devastating to immigrant communities in Colorado and beyond, terrorizing families and children, incarcerating community members for civil violations, and stripping essential protections for asylum-seekers and other vulnerable individuals.  We hope this election means the United States can dismantle these harmful policies and work to live up to the ideals of equal justice for all.”

RMIAN Founding Board Member, Hiroshi Motomura, says: “We now have a historic opportunity. It starts by undoing the inhumane policies that this country has suffered over the past four years. But more importantly, this is a time for a new beginning, for respecting the basic humanity of immigrants, and for recognizing their many contributions to these United States. The path forward will not be easy, but it’s now time to walk it, a step at a time and with resolve, knowing that justice for immigrants is justice for all.”

RMIAN will always stand in solidarity with our clients, their families, and our impacted neighbors. RMIAN will provide zealous legal advocacy for our clients, promote knowledge of legal rights, work to improve detention conditions, and promote a humane immigration system. While we are hopeful for change, we will continue to collaborate with our partners across the nation to assure that our collective advocacy leads to an immigration system that reflects our values and promotes justice for all. We will monitor any changes the new administration implements to assure positive progress. Most importantly, RMIAN will continue to provide free legal services to people impacted by immigration enforcement and detention, and to children and families throughout Colorado.

If you are a RMIAN client or an affected community member, and you have questions about how the election impacts your immigration status, please call RMIAN’s office for a free consultation at (303) 433-2812. If you have a question relating to a person in immigration detention, you can call RMIAN’s detention hotline at (303) 866-9308. RMIAN’s list of resources for impacted people can be found here in English and here in Spanish.

RMIAN Stands with Immigrants as the Country Waits for Election Results

As the United States Waits for Election Results, RMIAN Stands with Immigrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers Across Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Region, and the Country.

RMIAN stands resolutely with our clients and will continue to monitor any developments in the presidential election. If you are a RMIAN client or an affected community member, and you have questions about how the election impacts your status, please call RMIAN’s office for a free consultation at (303) 433-2812. If you have a question relating to a person in immigration detention, you can call RMIAN’s detention hotline at (303) 866-9308. RMIAN’s list of resources for impacted people can be found here in English and here in Spanish.

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Mientras Estados Unidos Aguarda los Resultados de la Elección Presidencial, RMIAN Apoya a los Inmigrantes, Refugiados, y Solicitantes de Asilo en Todo Colorado, la Región de las Montañas Rocosas, y el País. 

RMIAN apoya decididamente a nuestros clientes y continuará monitoreando cualquier desarrollo en la elección presidencial. Si usted es un cliente de RMIAN o un miembro de la comunidad afectada, y tiene preguntas sobre cómo la elección afecta su estado migratorio, llame a la oficina de RMIAN para una consulta gratuita al (303) 433-2812. Si tiene una pregunta relacionada con una persona en detención de inmigración, puede llamar a la línea directa de detención de RMIAN al (303) 866-9308. La lista de recursos para personas afectadas de RMIAN se puedeencontrar aquí en inglés y aquí en español.

"I Was Sure I Would Be Deported Until an Attorney Informed Me of My Rights"

Upcoming Webinar: “From the Ground Up: Advocating for Immigrant Clients"

Please join UCLA Law’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy and David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy for a special discussion, “From the Ground Up: Advocating for Immigrant Clients,” on Friday, Oct. 23, 12:15 to 1:30 pm Pacific.  Please RSVP here for the webinar details.  California MCLE credit available. Among the panelists for this discussion are RMIAN Founding Board Member, Hiroshi Motomura, and RMIAN Executive Director, Mekela Goehring.

Many law students and lawyers want to work with immigrants and on immigration issues, but in today’s climate of significant anti-immigrant hostility and policymaking, it is not always clear how to make the most meaningful impact for these communities.  Join a national panel of lawyers and advocates exploring how their work representing individual immigrant clients and advocating at local and regional levels protects and lifts up immigrants “from the ground up.”   

• Professor Hiroshi Motomura, Susan Westerberg Prager Distinguished Professor of Law and Inaugural Faculty Director, Center for Immigration Law and Policy, UCLA School of Law (moderator)  

• Gabriel Arellano, Director of Legal Representation, Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project 

• Judith Clerjeune, Policy and Legislative Affairs Manager, Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition  

• Mekela Goehring, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network  

• Lisa Weissman-Ward, Lecturer in Law and Supervising Attorney, Stanford Law School Immigrants’ Rights Clinic

Today is RMIAN's twentieth anniversary!

Community Event on the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund

Info Sessions on Becoming a Sponsor for an LGBT Asylum Seeker

The American Friends Service Committee, RMIAN, the Asylum Seekers Sponsorship Project and the Transgender Law Center are hosting a series of information sessions on how to become a sponsor for an LGBT asylum seeker in Colorado. For more information, visit: RMIAN talks LGBTQ Sponsorship in Colorado & bit.ly/LGBTSponsor.

César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández Denver Post Guest Commentary

“In this moment of exceptional trauma when ordinary people carry extraordinary burdens, funding immigrant defense remains necessary. I’m proud to live in a community committed to improving the quality of justice in our immigration courts.”

Registration Open for RMIAN Annual CBA CLE: Oct. 15, 2020

Overview: Registration is open for RMIAN’s annual all-day CLE with the Colorado Bar Association. The training will be held Oct. 15, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. - 4:10 p.m. and will be virtual. The program has been submitted for 7 general CLE credits, and costs just $75 for those who commit to taking a case pro bono through RMIAN. Registration is here.

Program Description: COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for immigrant communities and individuals in immigration proceedings. The need for legal representation is now greater than ever.

In the morning, the program will focus on zealous immigration advocacy, asylum, and practice before immigration courts and agencies in the time of COVID-19. Then participants can choose from two tracks that will dive into immigration enforcement and detention and bond practices, plus the intersection of immigration law and criminal law; or protections for immigrant crime victims and special immigrant juvenile status. The day will conclude with a mock immigration court hearing.

• Defend and advance the rights of non-citizens

• Serve the community by taking a pro-bono case

• Choose from a variety of helpful sessions

Event, 9/16, 6pm, Facebook - Know Your Rights: CO Immigration Court & COVID-19

Join RMIAN and the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, Wednesday, 9/16 from 6:00 - 7:30 pm, for a Know Your Rights event on rights in immigration court during the COVID-19 crisis. The event will feature RMIAN attorneys Javier Garcia, Laura Shoaps, and Lucia Ornelas. Log on via Zoom here.

We're Hiring: Development & Communications Specialist

As a growing nonprofit, RMIAN aims to be as efficient and effective with the resources we have. In fundraising, that means following a sales-based system: having a focus on connecting 1x1 with our best prospects, sharing the story of our impact, and inviting people to invest in the change we are creating. With the Executive Director as the lead salesperson for the organization, we are looking to bring in a rockstar writer and process manager to orchestrate the overall fundraising process, produce the bulk of our written fundraising materials, and support general communications work. 

This position is meant for someone who enjoys being behind the scenes, thrives in finding the best way to help the team be even more effective, and is a systems thinker who is proactive and can work independently. This is an ideal position for someone who has learned the ropes of grant writing and development processes (has 3-5 years of nonprofit experience, not necessarily only in development work), and is ready to grow to the next level in responsibility.  

The ideal candidate: 

• Has knowledge and experience around immigration legal and social services and a strong commitment to immigrant justice — this person has worked either directly with or closely with immigrants’ rights or other social justice organizations and is passionate about RMIAN’s work and mission. 

• Is an exceptional writer and storyteller – they ask questions and listen carefully to capture the details and find the connections that others will care about, and then uses their well-honed writing skills to document these stories. This is a person who is curious about the “why” and the impact, who wants to understand all the aspects that contributed to success, who can find the stories that need to be told. 

• Is a natural builder – this person has gravitated toward roles that didn’t exist before, has a start-up mentality, and creates things with minimal resources. This person is constantly assessing how processes could be improved and actively working to share those ideas and implement improvements. 

• Gets how to keep people focused on the goal – they have experience with project management and positively influencing people to get things done. In particular, this person excels at engaging and motivating colleagues at all levels to keep moving toward results. 

• Feels a real sense of ownership to get things done as a partner to the team – this person sees it as their responsibility to help others be effective, using creative ideas, finding joy in routine tasks, and staying focused on the goal. 

• Is an organizational whiz. This person LOVES handling details and multiple projects running in parallel, methodically creating and working through checklists. This is the kind of person who might color-code their calendar or create a spreadsheet to plan a trip. 

• Has a comfort level engaging with and speaking to small groups. This is someone who loves to promote issues they care about, and enjoys sharing compelling stories - they may not see themselves as a key public speaker, but has confidence in hosting smaller gatherings on their own. 

Responsibilities 

RMIAN is a growing team, and this is a new position. The set of responsibilities outlined here will evolve over time, based on the organization’s needs and the strengths of the person hired. Key duties include: 

Development Writing (50%) 

• Develop and maintain the grants calendar, with key deadlines and actions 

• Serve as project manager for each proposal and report, pulling in other team members at appropriate times in the process 

• Research potential grant opportunities and support the prospect strategy process 

• Craft grant proposals, letters of intent, and reports 

• Prepare and customize written correspondence for prospects and funders, including predisposition letters, follow-up materials, and thank-you notes 

• Create PowerPoints and other funder presentation materials 

• Develop templates and write stories of RMIAN’s impact for use in development materials 

Fundraising Process Management & Support (40%) 

• Manage the fundraising process: 

• Own the process and tools of managing funder prospects and progress to goals 

• Manage the complete list of funding prospects, including securing updates from relationship managers 

• Run regular sales team meetings to ensure accountability and progress to fundraising goals 

• Coordinate with team members on grant budgets and supporting documents 

• Strengthen systems around processing and acknowledging gifts, and long-term stewardship of funder relationships 

• Maintain and update donor database and establish related systems, processes, and training for the team 

• Provide high-level project management and vision for special events, including coordinating with other team members, external event planners, and vendors 

• Represent RMIAN at small fundraising events, including brief oral presentations 

• Provide research and support for prospect visits as needed 

• Attend some prospect visits to listen, take notes, and support 

Communications (10%) 

• Work with the team to support the communications strategy, identifying projects and processes for development 

• Craft talking points for speeches, thought leadership, and other activities 

• Provide other communications support as needed 

 Location: This position is based in Westminster, Colorado. 

Compensation: Salary is commensurate with experience, and includes a generous benefits package. 

CONTACT AND FURTHER INFORMATION 

If this profile calls out to you, please send a tailored, authentic cover letter that explains 1) why this mission excites you; and 2) why this particular role is a fit for you – along with your resume – to hr@rmian.org  

RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

Westword: Colorado Advocates Pushing for Statewide Immigrant Legal Defense Fund

Immigration is an LGBTQ Issue: Love Across Borders

Virtual Immigrant Liberty Awards - Honoring Patricia Medige

Patricia Medige accepts the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Immigrant Liberty Award at the 15th Annual Immigrant Liberty Awards event, benefiting RMIAN.

Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award to Patricia Medige

For 20 years — two decades! — Pat Medige has been the leader of RMIAN’s Board of Directors, a resolute but gentle hand on the tiller, always with compass in hand and a keen sense of where our North Star lies. Pat has guided RMIAN from its early days as a band of volunteers through the broadening of its service net to include RMIAN’s programs for children and for social services, and now through today’s urgent moment, when the lives of immigrants — and of so many of the vulnerable in our communities — are in peril. Through her constant willingness to ask the right questions at the right time, to pay attention to the details that matter, and above all her willingness to do the hard and often unsung work that needs doing, Pat Medige has not only transformed the social justice movement in Colorado and beyond, but also brought light and hope to so many people, families, and communities. 

- Hiroshi Motomura, RMIAN co-founder, Board Member, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law

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Patricia Medige, a RMIAN co-founder and President of RMIAN's Board of Directors, has represented low wage workers and immigrant crime victims with Colorado nonprofit organizations since 1995. In 2014 she was appointed to the Colorado Human Trafficking Council, established under HB 14-1273. Honors include: co-recipient of the Freedom Network’s Paul and Sheila Wellstone Award recognizing outstanding anti-trafficking work (2009) and the AILA Colorado Chapter Outstanding Member Award (2016).

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RMIAN Launches Endowment Fund

In honor of RMIAN’s 20th anniversary, and during its weeklong celebration of the 2020 Immigrant Liberty Awards, themed “Here to Stay,” RMIAN is delighted to announce the launch of the RMIAN Endowment Fund. This Fund will be housed at Rose Community Foundation. RMIAN’s endowment fund is designed to create a permanent, self-sustaining, and reliable source of funding to support RMIAN’s work long into the future.

"RMIAN's Endowment Fund represents the strength of our organization and is an announcement to the greater community that RMIAN is truly here to stay," says RMIAN Board member Stephanie Aretz, part of the RMIAN Endowment Fund planning team.

“Rose Community Foundation is honored to be partnering with RMIAN and stewarding an endowment fund that will help ensure justice for immigrants long into the future,” states Amelia Fink, Director of Nonprofit Funds and Endowments at Rose Community Foundation.

If you are interested in supporting RMIAN’s work for future generations and ensuring RMIAN is HERE TO STAY as a stalwart for immigrant justice long into the future, please contact RMIAN.

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