CLINIC's 12th Annual Convening took place at the Doubletree Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO, May 20-22. The three day conference offered a variety of workshops, networking opportunities and special events for staff and attorneys that serve low income and indigent immigrants.

CLINIC Convening Agenda

Click here for workshop descriptions and materials.

Wednesday, May 20

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Convening Registration/Information
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Plenary Session

•              Welcome - CLINIC Executive Director Mark Franken
•              Opening Prayer - Bishop Jaime Soto, CLINIC Board Chairman

SPEAKERS: Kevin Appleby - Director, Office of Migration and Refugee Policy, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration and Refugee Services.

                    Allison Posner - Director of Advocacy, CLINIC

                    Patricia Medige - Senior Attorney, Colorado Legal Services

                    Mekala Goehring - Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Welcome Reception

Thursday, May 21

7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. Mass
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Convening Registration/Information
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. WORKSHOPS

• Adjustment of Status and Mock Interview (Beginner)
• Good Moral Character in Naturalization Cases (Advanced)
• Overview of VAWA (Beginner)
• Raids Planning
• Exploring Models of Immigrant Integration (Management)

10:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• Recent Developments in Family-Based Immigration (Advanced)
• I Think My Client is Lying. What Do I Do?
• Recent Developments in the Law of Asylum, Withholding of Removal and Convention Against Torture (Advanced)
• Basics of the Religious Immigration Worker Program - Part I: The Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Religious Worker (Beginner)
• Fundraising 101 (Management)

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Awards Luncheon
1:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• Consular Processing (Beginner)
• Unlawful Presence (Advanced)
• Selected Issues in T and U Nonimmigrant Visas (Advanced)
• Advanced Issues and Topics in the Religious Worker Program - Part I: Nonimmigrant Religious Workers (Advanced)
• Fundraising 102 (Management)

3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• Affidavit of Support
• Conditional Permanent Residence
• Was Your Client Really “Deported” Five Times at the Border? Determining Immigration Violations (Beginner)
• Immigration Program Management: Surviving the Recession: 10 Ways to Deal with the Downturn (Management)
• Engaging the Public and Press: Talking about Immigration Reform from a Faith-based Perspective

6:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m. Outing to Manitou Springs; Dinner on Your Own

Friday, May 22

7:00 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. Mass
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Convening Registration/Information
7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. WORKSHOPS

• Introduction to Crimes of Moral Turpitude: What Are They, How Do You Know If You Have One, What Does It Mean If You Do? (Beginner)
• Naturalization Delays and Denials (Advanced)
• Advanced Issues and Topics in the Religious Worker Program - Part II: Immigrant Religious Workers (Advanced)
• Basics of Asylee and Refugee Adjustment and Family Reunification (Beginner)
• Advanced Program Management for Program Directors (Management)

10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• Advanced Issues in Crimes (Advanced)
• Acquisition and Derivation of U.S. Citizenship (Beginner)
• Responding to Enforcement Actions: Post-Raid Issues (Advanced)
• Getting the Most from Your CLINIC Membership

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Awards Luncheon
1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• Child Status Protection Act
• Adjustment of Status and Mock Interview (Beginner)
• Using International Law Arguments in Your Immigration Cases (Advanced)
• Workplace Justice for Immigrants
• BIA Recognition and Accreditation (Management)

3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. WORKSHOPS

• State and Local Issues: Promoting a Positive Agenda
• Inadmissibility vs. Deportability Grounds (Beginner)
• Basics of the Religious Worker Immigration Program - Part II: Permanent Residency, the Immigrant Religious Worker (Beginner)
• Road to Naturalization: The Role of ESL Classes in Citizenship Preparation (Management)

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Closing Reception

 

Scholarship Opportunities

CLINIC has a limited amount of funds available to provide scholarships to organizations attending its 12th Annual Convening. To be considered applicant(s) must register and pay the registration fee.

Hotel Information, Room Reservations and Transportation Information

The Convening will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, 1775 East Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities

Are you interested in supporting new Americans? CLINIC is offering organizations and businesses sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at the 2009 Convening.

Special Events and Colorado Springs Attractions and Activities

CLINIC Awards

Nominate a dedicated staff member from your organization for recognition

Has a staff member served in your organization for five or more years? Submit a nomination form and help CLINIC recognize his or her commitment and dedication to your organization at the Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 21, 2009.

Nominate a New Immigration Program for the Lily Guiterrez Memorial Fund

In memory of Lily Gutierrez, former CLINIC Regional Director and longtime CLINIC board member, who devoted her life to serving migrants and newcomers, in 2008 CLINIC established the Lily Gutierrez Memorial Fund.  The fund supports an award, presented at CLINIC’s Annual Convening, to recognize the accomplishments of a charitable immigration program started within the last two years.  The award is intended to give a new program a one-time, unrestricted donation to build its service capacity.

Presented in partnership with: