May 11 Training - U Visas Under Trump: Advanced Topics & Emerging Issues

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.

Event Flyer PDF

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

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.

Link to PDF Event Flyer Here

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. 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.

Link to PDF Event Flyer Here

RMIAN Board Member Hiroshi Motomura Selected for 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship

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. 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

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

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

Coverage from CBS4 in Denver

Photo: CBS

RMIAN Volunteer Interpreter Training - March 28th

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. 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

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

Additional Information Here (PDF).

RMIAN & Rollin Braswell Fisher LLC to provide a presentation on new Executive Orders and policy directives

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

Additional Information Here (PDF).

A Colorado class to train lawyers in representing kids with immigration issues is booked solid, with a waiting list

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

Local Organizations that Support Immigrants and Refugees in Colorado

5280 Magazine lists RMIAN atop its list of local organizations working with this underserved population in our community. Read Full/Original Article

Photo by Haley Gray

Free Legal Training: Children's Asylum Law and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status

Please join the Colorado Lawyers Committee (CLC), the Immigration Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), and the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) for a free training to ensure justice for immigrant children in Colorado.

This training, featuring national expert Christine Lin from the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, University of California, Hastings College of Law, will train attorneys to provide pro bono representation to children in immigration proceedings in Colorado. Focusing on two of the most common forms of protection for vulnerable children, the panel of expert trainers listed below will provide step-by-step analysis and overviews on children's asylum law and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. This training is designed for attorneys new to children's immigration law. Special thanks to the American Bar Association for funding this event and Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP for hosting.

The training is free for attorneys who agree to take a pro bono immigration case through RMIAN. RMIAN will screen potential pro bono cases, pair attorneys with clients, and provide legal resources, mentoring, and professional liability insurance for pro bono attorneys.

SCHEDULE:    

8:00-8:30am:         Registration and Breakfast
8:30-8:50am:         Introductory Remarks & Immigration Law 101 (Eric Johnson
8:50-9:30am:         Children's Asylum Law (Christine Lin)
9:30-9:45am:         Break
9:45-11:05am:        Children's Asylum Law Continued (Christine Lin)
11:20am-12:30pm:  Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (Kathleen Glynn & Ashley Harrington)

WHEN:     Friday, February 24, 2017; 8:00am to 12:30pm

WHERE:   Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
                 410 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2200, Denver, Colorado 80202

Additional Information Here (PDF).

(Photo: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

RMIAN Works to Ensure Justice at Denver International Airport Over the Weekend

In response to President Trump's Executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven primarily Muslim countries, RMIAN Staff Members and Board Members worked with the Colorado Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association at Denver International Airport this past weekend in order to ensure that counsel was available to any travelers or family members who needed free legal support.

"Through the chaos of the harsh new policies and the uncertainty that they brought, it was encouraging to be a witness to the outpouring of both community and legal support that ignited over the weekend," said RMIAN Detention Program Managing Attorney Laura Lunn.

RMIAN is preparing for the profound and devastating impact that the Executive orders involving interior enforcement, border policies, immigration, and refugees will have on its work with immigrant children and detained adults throughout Colorado. Your support for RMIAN's work to ensure justice for all is needed now more than ever. If you are an attorney, please consider taking a pro bono case for a detained asylum seeker or for a child who will face complex immigration proceedings alone because they cannot afford a private attorney. The need for volunteer attorneys is enormous.

Please also consider supporting RMIAN by making a donation today. Your contribution will ensure that we continue to fulfill our values statement, "We believe that justice for immigrants means justice for all."

Additional coverage of the mobilization and demonstrations at the Denver International Airport over the weekend can be found on Denverite.com and The Denver Post. 

(Photo: Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

Training for Volunteer Interpreters and Translators

Please join us on Thursday, December 15, for a training on interpretation and translation nuts & bolts and best practices. Current and prospective interpreters and translators are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. *RSVP by December 14 to Mayra Prieto at mprieto@rmian.org. 

Duties

As a volunteer interpreter, your duties may include:

• Providing language assistance during client-attorney meetings and interviews by telephone or in-person
• Translating written documents

Requirements

• Fluency in English and another language (Spanish preferred)

• Age 18+

• An interest in learning the basic skills of interpretation and translation (no professional experience required)

• Commitment to interpreters’ ethics, including confidentiality, accuracy, impartiality, respect, cultural competency, and professionalism

• Flexible hours

• Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds

• Desire to support adults and children in immigration proceedings

• Proficient written communication skills

• Ability to meet deadlines and work in a timely fashion

• Access to transportation

• Must pass a federal background check and provide $15 to RMIAN for processing of check

  For more program information contact Mayra Prieto, Legal Assistant, mprieto@rmian.org 3489 W. 72nd Ave., Ste. 211 * Westminster, CO 80030 * (720) 370-9112 

More Information [PDF]

Know Your Rights

WHAT: Protection for everyone under the Colorado Law
WHEN: Friday, December 16th @ 6pm
WHERE: Westminster High School, 6933 Raleigh St, Westminster, CO 

Non-profit organizations, legal agencies, and the US Attorney for the District of Colorado’s Office have received many questions regarding immigration issues, hate crimes and other topics due to the tenor of recent debate in our country.

To address these concerns, we are sponsoring a community meeting at in the Auditorium at Westminster High School from 6-7:30 on Friday, December 16. The law of Colorado applies to and protects everyone in the state, no matter who you are and we want to ensure the trust and confidence of the community.

The meeting will be in both English and Spanish and speakers will be present to stress the commitment to fairness and to protecting everyone in our community.

Speakers

Silvia Munoz Martinez, Mexican Consulate

Matthew Kirsch, Assistant US Attorney, District of Colorado

Laura Lichter, Lichter Immigration and Immediate Past President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”)

Pam Resendiz, United For A New Economy (UNE)

Violeta Raquel Chapin, CU Law School, Immigration Clinic

Gabriela Flora, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) & American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)

Elizabeth Zambrana, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMAIN)

Master of Ceremonies (MC): Maria Zubia, Community Navigator 

Know Your Rights [PDF]

Immigration Detention in Colorado Nearly Doubles

Boulder Weekly covers the expansion of immigration detention in Colorado and RMIAN's work to provide legal services to the almost 400 Haitian nationals currently being held in Aurora. Read Full/Original Article

Photo: The Geo Group, Inc.

Representing Asylum Seekers in Credible Fear & Reasonable Fear Proceedings and Requesting Release from Detention

The number of individuals detained at the immigration detention center in Aurora, Colorado, has nearly doubled since the beginning of October 2016. In response to the dramatically increasing need for legal services for vulnerable asylum-seekers in detention – including hundreds of Haitians – RMIAN and AILA Colorado are hosting a free training on best practices in representing asylum seekers who are subject to expedited removal and placed in credible or reasonable fear proceedings.

The presentation will discuss the procedural posture of the cases, including the various stages of review. Additionally, it will cover advocacy strategies when representing clients in CFI/RFI proceedings, including:

•  CF/RF interviews with an asylum officer;

• IJ reviews of negative CFI/RFI adjudications by the Asylum Office;

• Humanitarian parole requests with ICE; and

• Bond redetermination hearings (when applicable) 

RMIAN currently is screening cases for referral and is able to provide sample materials and professional liability insurance for attorneys who are willing to offer pro bono representation to this exceptionally vulnerable population. 

WHEN: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2016 4:00PM TO 5:00 PM
WHERE: HIGHLAND TAVERN, 3400 NAVAJO STREET, DENVER, CO 80211
PRESENTERS: BRITTANY HURLEY, LEGAL ORIENTATION PROGRAM SUPERVISORY ATTORNEY, RMIAN  and LAURA LUNN, DETENTION PROGRAM MANAGING ATTORNEY, RMIAN
COST: Free

To register, please contact RMIAN Legal Assistant Mayra Prieto at mprieto@rmian.org CLE credit application pending 

Informative Flyer [PDF]