Client Spotlight: Sandra's Story
Sandra fled Guatemala alone at age 15 after she was abandoned by her father, neglected by her mother, and subjected to gang violence. After a long and dangerous journey, she eventually made it to safety with a family member in Colorado. RMIAN attorneys represented Sandra in her guardianship case, and obtained special juvenile status. RMIAN also represented Sandra before the Denver Immigration Court, where over seven years after her arrival to the US, her application for permanent residence was finally recently granted. As a new resident, and the single mother of a four-year-old US-citizen child with cognitive disabilities, she looks forward to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), to help her child, and other intellectually disabled children.
RMIAN Attorney Shaleen Morales Awarded Colorado Hispanic Bar Association Community Service Award
This month, the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association honored RMIAN Detained Representation Attorney Fellow, Shaleen Morales, with its Community Service Award. The CHBA chose Shaleen because of her role on the RMIAN team piloting the state’s first universal representation program, for Denver residents detained in Aurora -- a model that hopefully will be replicated statewide. Shaleen was selected because she, "pours her heart and soul into her work and makes miracles happen – keeping families together and securing the safety of migrants fleeing for their lives. She is determined to offer exceptional legal representation and ensures not only that her clients feel seen but also creates space that allows them to lift their voices and be heard." Congratulations, Shaleen!
RMIAN and Coalition of Medical Professionals Call for Vaccination of Individuals in Immigration Detention
This month, RMIAN and the Colorado Medical Coalition for Human Rights sent a letter to Governor Jared Polis and Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, urging the state to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination for individuals in immigration detention in Colorado. The letter cites the risks to the safety and wellbeing of detained people and the public health risks to the whole community. For eight months, there has been an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the Aurora facility, yet individuals confined there have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. RMIAN is proud to partner with so many concerned medical professionals across the state. Together, we will continue to fight for health justice for those in immigration detention.
Immigrant Rights Bills Introduced at the Colorado General Assembly
The U Visa Certification Requirements Bill (HB21-1060) would create a statewide system for U Visa certification requests for victims of serious crimes in Colorado. If passed, the bill would enhance protections for immigrant crime victims in the state and increase access to immigration relief. On March 9, 2021, the bill passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. Read more about the U Visa Bill here.
The Immigration Legal Defense Fund Bill (HB21-1194) would create a state-wide legal defense fund for indigent immigrants in removal proceedings in Colorado. The bill is a campaign of the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, of which RMIAN is a member. If established, the Legal Defense Fund would fund free, public-defender style representation for immigrants in removal proceedings, prioritizing people in immigration detention and in rural, underserved parts of Colorado. Join the Legal Defense Fund campaign here.