RMIAN Client Featured in Rose Community Foundation Video
Thank you Rose Community Foundation for highlighting RMIAN's work at your 2019 Annual Breakfast. We are honored to receive your support!
Town Hall Meeting in Fort Collins: Saturday, April 27
RMIAN Executive Director, Mekela Goehring, will be a panelist in a Town Hall Meeting on How Family Separation Impacts Our Communities Every Day. The Meeting will take place at the Old Town Library in Fort Collins on Saturday, April 27, from 1:00-3:00pm.
RMIAN Celebrates the 2019 Immigrant Liberty Awards with U.S. Representative Jason Crow, Colorado Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, and Other Distinguished Guests
RMIAN Celebrates the 2019 Immigrant Liberty Awards with U.S. Representative Jason Crow, Colorado Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, and Colorado State Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez
Honorees include Harry Budisidharta; State Senator Julie Gonzales; and Juan Pérez Saéz.
Westminster, Colorado, April 9, 2019—The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) is celebrating the 14th annual Immigrant Liberty Awards on Friday, April 12, 2019 to honor Asian Pacific Development Center CEO Harry Budisidharta; Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales; and The Wilderness Society’s Energy and Climate Campaign Manager Juan Pérez Saéz.
Approximately 400 guests will attend the annual event at the Seawell Ballroom at the Denver Center for Performing Arts to celebrate the immense contributions these exceptional advocates have made to advance the rights and well-being of immigrants and refugees in Colorado, and to raise funds to support RMIAN’s life-changing legal services for immigrant adults and children. Former clients of RMIAN will be present to share their incredible stories of courage and perseverance aligned with the theme of the evening: “We All Belong.”
Honoree and Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales said, “Even as immigrants and asylum and refugee applicants are under unprecedented attack by our government, it is important to celebrate our victories and take time to build community. I am deeply humbled to be recognized along such fierce leaders, and am excited to continue fighting for access to justice for all alongside RMIAN.”
RMIAN also will honor the Denver office of law firm WilmerHale with the Pro Bono Service Award, in recognition of the firm’s leadership in providing extraordinary pro bono legal services through RMIAN to immigrant parents separated from their children at the height of last summer’s family’s separation crisis.
“This year has seen relentless attacks on the immigrant community nationwide and in Colorado, from the civil immigration detention center in Aurora expanding to detain an additional 400 individuals on any given day, to the surge of asylum-seeking families and children placed in fast-tracked immigration proceedings before the Denver Immigration Court. Against this devastating backdrop, this year’s honorees and their collective work for a more just society provide powerful inspiration and hope,” said RMIAN Executive Director Mekela Goehring.
U.S. Representative Jason Crow will welcome a former RMIAN client at the event. “The community I represent is stronger and more vibrant because of the contributions of immigrants. As we face an administration that deals in fear-mongering and promotes draconian immigration practices, the work of RMIAN is more important than ever," said Crow. "As a member of Congress, the promise I make is to never stop fighting for your communities and the comprehensive immigration reform this country so desperately needs."
Mayor Michael B. Hancock will share remarks to open the awards ceremony. In 2017, Mayor Hancock signed Executive Order 142 to establish the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund to provide immigration legal representation for Denver residents. As a grantee of the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund, RMIAN has been able to hire two full-time attorneys dedicated to representing Denver residents who are ensnared in immigration enforcement actions and detained at the Aurora immigration detention center.
“Denver is proud to work alongside these outstanding leaders to support our immigrant residents, ensure that they feel safe, and promote due process and access to justice for vulnerable members of our communities,” said Mayor Hancock. “In the face of a continuing push at the federal level to target immigrants with inhumane policies, it’s never been more important to further our ability to meet a core mission—to preserve and protect families and children living in Denver and cities across the country.”
Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser will welcome guests to the reception. “RMIAN is a terrific organization that provides legal services for immigrants here in Colorado, helping us welcome and support valued members of our community. As Attorney General, I look forward to working with RMIAN to ensure the fair and legal treatment of immigrants, recognizing the contributions they make to our society,” said Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold will offer remarks to celebrate the honorees. "I congratulate this year's Immigrant Liberty Awards honorees and commend the tireless work of RMIAN to support immigrants and refugees in Colorado," said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold. "As Secretary of State for Colorado, I recognize the immeasurable contributions by immigrants to our economy and culture, and I am committed to foster a prosperous and just society for all."
This year’s event will include dinner, a silent and live auction, and an awards ceremony.
For more information about tickets or how to become an event sponsor, please contact libertyawards@rmian.org or visit www.rmian.org.
About RMIAN
RMIAN is a nonprofit organization that serves low-income adults and children in immigration proceedings. RMIAN promotes knowledge of legal rights, provides effective representation to ensure due process, works to improve detention conditions, and promotes a more humane immigration system, including alternatives to detention.
RMIAN Celebrates Passage of Vulnerable Youth Bill
On March 28, Governor Polis signed into law Colorado House Bill 19-1042, Extension of Court Jurisdiction for Vulnerable Youth, creating vital protections and opportunities for immigrant youth in Colorado.
On March 28, Governor Polis signed into law Colorado House Bill 19-1042, Extension of Court Jurisdiction for Vulnerable Youth, creating vital protections and opportunities for immigrant youth in Colorado. This bill was sponsored by Representative Serena Gonzales Gutierrez and Senator Julie Gonzales.
“I am deeply honored and grateful to have been a part of the dedicated team of people that came together to pass this law and change the lives of immigrant youth in need of protection,” said RMIAN’s Children’s Program Managing Attorney Ashley Harrington. “RMIAN has worked for over a decade promoting the rights of immigrant youth in Colorado, and this new law will help many of the children and families we have the honor to work with every day.”
“I am so proud of our Colorado legislature and Governor for acknowledging the vulnerability of immigrant youth and aligning Colorado law with the federal statute, thereby opening the door for Colorado’s youth to access the protection of Special Immigrant Juvenile Status,” says RMIAN Pro Bono Mentoring Panel member Katie Glynn, an attorney at Grob & Eirich LLC.
Under federal law, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status provides a pathway to lawful permanent residency for certain immigrant youth who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned and who are under the jurisdiction of a state court. In order to apply for this protection, children must first obtain an order establishing their eligibility from a state court that has jurisdiction to make custody decisions for them. Under federal law, unmarried youth under the age of twenty-one are eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile classification. However, in Colorado, youth over the age of eighteen have been largely excluded from this protection because they were unable to access Colorado’s juvenile courts once they turned eighteen.
This new law expands the jurisdiction of Colorado courts in custody and guardianship proceedings to include youth up to the age of twenty-one who are living with and dependent upon a caregiver and who are seeking findings to support an application for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. This brings Colorado law in line with federal law, as well as other states like New York, Maryland, Nevada, Connecticut, Washington and California, to ensure that Colorado’s vulnerable youth have equal access to our state courts and to federal protections.
RMIAN will continue to fight to advance the legal rights of our fellow Coloradans of immigrant backgrounds. We stand for inclusion, equality, and justice and will fight for due process and equal access to justice for all.
If you would like more information about this law, please call Ashley Harrington at (720) 370-9104, or email aharrington@rmian.org.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver Selects RMIAN as Small Nonprofit of the Year
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver awarded RMIAN the Small Nonprofit of the Year Award at the 32nd Annual Bravo Awards celebration, held March 23, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Denver. RMIAN is humbled by this incredible honor, and grateful for its important partnership with the Chamber. Pictured (left to right) are RMIAN Board Member Rachel Lee-Ashley, RMIAN Director of Development My Lo Cook, and RMIAN Executive Director Mekela Goehring.
VICE: ICE's Rapid Expansion Has Led to Chickenpox, Quarantines, and Desperation
“We have multiple quarantines in both facilities,” said Laura Lunn, Managing Attorney of RMIAN’s Detention Program, which conducts intakes at Aurora five days a week. Lunn explained that the residents sleep in dorms, so if one is sick his whole dorm faces a quarantine, which typically lasts about a month. “When there’s a quarantine, attorneys cannot meet in person with their clients so there’s only telephonic access, and the people who are quarantined can’t go to court.”
KUNC: Rep. Crow Visited Aurora ICE Site To See Facility Conditions, But Was Turned Away
RMIAN has seen an exponential increase in the detained population in Aurora. Laura Lunn, Managing Attorney of RMIAN’s Detention Program, notes that, “Ordinarily we see about 100 people a week. We saw about 100 people on Friday of last week. We have about 700 people on our list to see.”
Photo: Anne Feldman
Westword: Denver Health Provides Free Medical Evaluations for Asylum Seekers
RMIAN works closely with the Human Rights Clinic at Denver Health to ensure that asylum seekers in Colorado have access to physical and mental health evaluations. “We see that for our clients, these evaluations can often mean the difference between winning and losing a case,” says RMIAN Executive Director, Mekela Goehring.
Purchase Immigrant Liberty Award Tickets & Sponsorships Today!
The 14th Annual Immigrant Liberty Awards, themed "We All Belong," will be held Friday, April 12, in Denver and feature a dinner, a silent and live auction, and the Immigrant Liberty Awards Ceremony. Purchase your tickets today!
Government Shutdown Information for Pro Bono Attorneys
Federal agencies that adjudicate immigration matters may operate differently during the government shutdown. For all current and prospective RMIAN pro bono attorneys, click here to learn more about how the government shutdown may affect your case and clients.
We are writing to provide some guidance for your pro bono cases in light of the government shutdown. In the event that the government shutdown continues, federal agencies that adjudicate immigration matters will operate as follows:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): USCIS will continue normal operations, with several exceptions that do not pertain to RMIAN pro bono cases. All applications should continue to be filed according to the instructions and all applicants should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. See https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/lapse-federal-funding-does-not-impact-most-uscis-operations
Immigration Court (Executive Office for Immigration Review): EOIR has advised the following with respect to the immigration courts:
Cases on the detained docket at the Aurora Immigration Court will continue to go forward normally.
Cases on the non-detained docket at the Denver Immigration Court will be re-scheduled.
See: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/file/1122956/download
If you represent a client with a hearing scheduled on the non-detained docket at the Denver Immigration Court during the shutdown period, you will receive a new Notice of Hearing in the mail advising you of the re-scheduled hearing date. You can also call the immigration court hotline at 1-800-898-7180 to find out the new hearing date; as long as the hotline remains operational, it should reflect the new hearing date.
During the previous government shutdown, the immigration court continued to accept court filings for both detained and non-detained cases. Therefore, we are advising pro bono attorneys to continue to comply with the filing deadlines in their cases.
We hope this information provides you with some guidance in this time of uncertainty. Do not hesitate to contact RMIAN should you have any questions about your case.
CPR - The Immigration System Is A Challenge Without A Lawyer. Denver Wants To Change That
Around 90 percent of those detained at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Aurora, Colorado, don’t have a lawyer. Denver is trying to improve that statistic. The city officially opened a fund in November for people who can’t afford legal representation in their immigration cases. RMIAN will receive funding and hire two full-time attorneys through this initiative.
Vera Institute of Justice - Local Government on the Right Side of History
The SAFE Network is a diverse group of local jurisdictions dedicated to providing publicly funded representation for people facing deportation. This short video describes the need for and impact of SAFE from the perspective of network members and those directly impacted—local government leaders, attorneys, and clients.
5280: The European Refugee Crisis Inspired This Denver Artist’s Latest Collection
Artist Calvin Lee will donate 90 percent of the money he makes during December’s First Friday Art Walk to the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, which provides free legal services to immigrants in the United States.
During the upcoming First Friday Art Walk (December 7), Calvin Lee will be both an artist and a benefactor. Denverites who venture into his RiNo studio will see a collection inspired by the two weeks Lee spent volunteering in the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos, Greece. 90% of the proceeds raised will be donated to RMIAN.
Refugee Art Show Benefiting RMIAN - Friday, December 7th
Calvin Lee, lawyer, artist, and RMIAN volunteer attorney, recently went to the Greek island of Lesvos to help refugees landing at night on rafts. On Friday, December 7, Calvin will be showing refugee art in watercolor and oil inspired by his experience. Join Calvin and RMIAN staff members for wine, appetizers, and art this Friday in Denver.
Denver Celebrates One Year of the SAFE Network Providing Public Defense to Immigrants Facing Deportation
At a time when harsh immigration policies are disrupting our community, separating children and parents, and increasing detention and deportation, the City and County of Denver celebrates the successes of the first year of work with the Vera Institute of Justice’s Safety and Fairness for Everyone (SAFE) Network. The SAFE Network is a diverse group of a dozen cities and counties across America dedicated to providing publicly-funded universal representation for people facing deportation and to build evidence for its effectiveness.
RMIAN Receives Grant from Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund
Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, The Denver Foundation and the Vera Institute announced the first $377,000 in grants from the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund. The grants will support RMIAN and other local grantees in providing access to legal representation for qualified individuals in immigration detention and facing deportation and those seeking assistance in such areas as citizenship and asylum-seeking or renewals for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
RMIAN to Hold Volunteer Interpreter Orientation
RMIAN seeks volunteer interpreters to provide critical language skills to clients in need. RMIAN pairs volunteer interpreters of all languages, though mainly Spanish, with volunteer attorneys to allow for attorney-client communication. RMIAN will hold a Volunteer Orientation on Monday, October 15, in Denver. Information here.
RMIAN is currently seeking bilingual volunteers to provide interpretation and translation services to support volunteer attorneys and their non-English speaking clients. A volunteer orientation will be held:
Monday, October 15 from 4:30pm-6:30pm at;
Clayton Early Learning Training Center
Meera Mani Room
3975 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Denver, CO 80205
Additional information about the training, volunteer requirements, and how to RSVP can be found here.
RMIAN Honored with 2018 Mayor's Diversity and Inclusion Award in Denver
On Wednesday, October 3, Mayor Michael B. Hancock and members of his community commissions honored 10 individuals and organizations, including RMIAN, with 2018 Mayor's Diversity and Inclusion Awards.
RMIAN Attorney Natalie Petrucci reflects on her time volunteering in Dilley, Texas
RMIAN Staff Attorney Natalie Petrucci recently spent a week volunteering with families detained in Dilley, Texas. Here she provides a reflection of her time in Texas and the ways in which family detention has lasting effects on the families RMIAN works with here in Colorado.
Dilley, TX: Population 3674. Home to watermelons, a prison, and the nation’s largest family detention center, the South Texas Family Residential Center. Run by one of the nation's most notorious private prison companies, the Dilley “baby jail” houses over 2,000 women and children tucked away on a barren desert landscape. The water is not potable and upon entry, signs warn pregnant women to keep out due to the presence of hazardous chemicals. It is here, that the U.S. government detains women and children who have arrived at our borders seeking asylum. It is also where the cruelest impacts of the administration’s “zero tolerance” family separation policy can be witnessed in the eyes of mothers and children who only recently were reunited, yet behind detention walls.
With the generous support of RMIAN, I recently spent a week in Dilley, TX as a legal volunteer with the CARA Pro Bono Project. Every week, the fiercely dedicated CARA team shepherds a new group of lawyers and Spanish language volunteers through an immigration/asylum 101 training followed by 14+ hour days of legal triage and assistance to the women and children in the detention center. It felt more like an ER than a legal clinic.
Among other pressing legal work, volunteers prep each individual woman to prepare them for their Credible Fear Interviews; the first hurdle in a lengthy legal process to apply for asylum in the U.S. Every meeting was daunting. Many of the women left our meeting emotionally drained, but empowered. Ultimately, 99% of the clients served by the project are found to have a credible fear of persecution in their home countries. This high success rate can be attributed to the courage of the individual women telling their stories, the strength of their claims, and finally, to the essential access to legal counsel provided by the CARA Pro Bono Project.
My week volunteering in Dilley will continue to inform my work with RMIAN’s Children’s Program. Now when I encounter unrepresented families at court and see the familiar paperwork provided by CARA volunteers, I find myself pausing and thinking back. While I can never know all that they have endured in family detention, I now have more information, a better sense of one aspect of their journey to Colorado. Still, these families are not yet fully safe, nor fully free. Many continue to be shackled with ankle monitors. Many continue to carry the non-visible scars of detention. And all of them lack legal counsel, a key predictor of ultimate case outcome, as represented immigrants are nearly five times more likely than their unrepresented counterparts to obtain relief.
Dilley reminded me that dedicated individuals can make a difference. Lawyers, teachers, and even bilingual musicians can use their skills to promote justice for immigrant and refugee populations in profound ways. However, this is not enough. Universal legal representation should be a right for every immigrant and asylum seeker awaiting their day in court. As the threat of prolonged and expanded family detention looms large, we must support permanent measures to ensure due process for these families who have so much at stake. For many fleeing heinous violence, the situation is truly one of life or death.
Natalie Petrucci
Representation Fellow / Staff Attorney
RMIAN Children's Program
Upcoming Presentations by RMIAN's Children's Program
RMIAN’s Ashley Harrington will be presenting at two upcoming events. Details below.
Colorado Bar Association/Denver Bar Association lunch training on Friday, September 21. Intersections Between Family Law and Immigration Law: Special Juvenile Status (SIJS) Training
The Office of the Child’s Representative Fall Conference on Monday, September 24: Beyond the GRID: Integrating Law & Social Science to Improve Outcome for Children, Youth & Families
RMIAN’s Ashley Harrington will be presenting at two upcoming events. Details below.
Colorado Bar Association/Denver Bar Association lunch training on Friday, September 21. Intersections Between Family Law and Immigration Law: Special Juvenile Status (SIJS) Training
The Office of the Child’s Representative Fall Conference on Monday, September 24: Beyond the GRID: Integrating Law & Social Science to Improve Outcome for Children, Youth & Families