Center for Immigrant Rights
The Center for Immigrant Rights tackles problems faced by low-income immigrants and CLINIC member agencies that can only be resolved through advocacy, education, pro bono representation, litigation, and media. The Center identifies legal trends and issues affecting immigrants and pursues responsive solutions. The Center prioritizes its advocacy agenda in concert with its member agencies. It also collaborates with Migration and Refugee Services of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). At the national level, the Center for Immigrant Rights focuses on administrative advocacy with officials at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). At the local level, the Center supports the efforts of advocates working to combat state and local anti-immigrant measures. To increase representation to detained immigrants, the Center coordinates the Board of Immigration Appeals Pro Bono Project. Because documentation and media coverage of the human impact of U.S. immigration polices are crucial to advocacy efforts that seek to create a more just immigration system, the Center documents and facilitates media coverage of the challenges facing immigrants served by its network. It also provides support to its member and colleague agencies engaged in media outreach.
Open Letter in Response to the Closing of the Berks County Family Shelter Care Center and Solicitation of New Family Detention Beds
"We call on the administration to prioritize release of immigrant families in all cases. We
urge the administration to assign social workers to manage familiesʼ cases rather than
placing them in detention. For families without housing, the administration should
partner with non-profit shelter or child welfare organizations experienced in supporting
asylum-seeking and immigrant families to resolve any issues preventing the direct
release of families. Social workers with proven track records providing family and child
Comments on Special Immigrant Juvenile Regulations
The undersigned members of the ICLN and other interested parties are writing in response to the regulations proposed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) on September 6,
2011, regarding Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions. While we applaud the proposed
regulations’ provisions reflecting the statutory language updated by the William Wilberforce
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, we have significant concerns about
much of the proposed regulatory language, as well as the commentary accompanying the
Migration and Refugee Services/CLINIC National Conference
Date: Wednesday Jan 11, 2012 (4:00pm) to Friday Jan 13, 2012 (12:00pm)
"Immigration: A 50-State Issue"
January 11-13, 2012
Salt Lake City, Utah, “Home of the Utah Compact”
The conference will focus on state and local immigration issues across the country, discuss methods for opposing enforcement only initiatives, and provide an update on the progress of federal immigration reform efforts.
*Please note that times are listed for the event's local timezone.
DHS Ends Enforcement Agreement with Maricopa County
By: Karen Siciliano Lucas
This week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chose to sever its 287(g) immigration enforcement partnership with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) based on extensive findings by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that MCSO had engaged in a pattern and practice of civil rights violations. The Department of Justice found overwhelming evidence of discrimination against Latinos in this jurisdiction. Sadly, these findings demonstrate the potential of these federal/state partnerships to serve as a conduit for racially-biased policing that devastates families and communities. “Tying federal civil immigration enforcement to local criminal law enforcement is misguided. It makes our communities less secure, endangers parental rights and family unity, and undermines the federal government’s ability to focus enforcement on truly dangerous criminals,” said Maria M. Odom, CLINIC’s Executive Director. This is particularly true in states like Alabama, which have sought to criminalize the everyday lives and activities of immigrants. Programs like 287(g) and Secure Communities can operate as a force-multiplier for these state efforts.
CLINIC's 2012 Annual Convening
By: CLINIC
"Standing for Truth, Calling for Justice"
May 23-25, 2012
Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
Austin, TX
From the basics of immigration law to the most advanced issues that arise in filing petitions, CLINIC's 15th Annual Convening will offer workshops for legal services providers and immigration advocates at any level.
CLINIC's three-day conference offers excellent updates on immigration law, insightful trainings, and opportunities for networking.
Come meet fellow advocates and learn new strategies for fundraising, program management, and advocacy.
Update from Cd. Juarez
Date: Friday Dec 09, 2011 (2:00pm) to Friday Dec 09, 2011 (3:30pm)
December 9, 2011
Update from Cd. Juarez
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time
Cost: Free for CLINIC affiliates paying annual dues
*Please note that times are listed for the event's local timezone.
Requests for Information about Prosecutorial Discretion
In August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would exercise prosecutorial discretion in 300,000 pending immigration removal cases. And it recently announced plans to implement that plan and train DHS staff. CLINIC’s Advocacy staff is interested in hearing from you about your experiences with requesting prosecutorial discretion in your cases. Please contact me at aposner@cliniclegal.org to share your experiences regarding the merits of your clients’ cases and how the government responded
Update from Ciudad Juarez
By Susan Schreiber and Charles Wheeler
The highlight of CLINIC’s annual family immigration law training in El Paso on November 16-17, 2011 was a presentation by consular and USCIS officials. Catherine Holt, Chief of the Immigrant Visa (IV) Section, and Yolanda Miranda, Field Office Director at the USCIS office located at the consulate, each spoke and then answered questions for over two hours. The following is a summary of the information they provided at the conference and during the consular tour on November 18th.
CLINIC Celebrates Pro Bono Project's Ten Years of Service for Immigrants
By: Wendy Rhein
Washington, DC (October 24, 2011) - The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC) celebrated the ten-year anniversary of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) Pro Bono Project through which nearly 800 vulnerable immigrants have received free representation in their appellate cases. Washington DC law firm Fried Frank hosted the reception with special guests in attendance, including the Honorable Immigration Judge Paul Schmidt, Acting Director of EOIR Juan Osuna, and Acting Chairman of the BIA David Neal.
