REDIRECT: Immigration Law and Perspectives: Recent Episodes
Stephen Robbins
REDIRECT is a weekly dive into the world of immigration law and its human consequences. Refugees and border walls, rhetoric and politics. We break it down and get to the truth.
Matthew and I have decided to hang up the headphones and wanted to shove off with one final show. Thanks to all the listeners and patrons who supported us along the way. We truly appreciate it.
I wish I had more time to dedicate to this space, but unfortunately we're both so busy and frankly feeling pretty burned out with work and life stuff. There are lots of good immigration podcasts out there, so give them a listen.
This week on Redirect Matthew and I are joined by Professor Michael Kagan (@MichaelGKagan) from UNLV about pleadings in immigration court. It has become accepted as part of immigration law "culture" that allegations are admitted to at the beginning of removal proceedings in order to move things along and maintain cordial relations with immigration judges and ICE prosecutors, but is this always best practice? Should practitioners approach these matters more carefully? (Spoiler alert, yes)
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This week Matthew and I discuss the recent State of the Union address. Republicans scare monger about fetanyl and house prices. Blaming your troubles on immigrants is as American as apple pie, but the rhetoric does seem to be ramping up. Is it worse than in years past, or are we suffering from recency bias?
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This week Matthew and I talk about a a recent announcement by the Biden administration that they will provide certain relief to immigrants who are exploited in the work place. The announcement can be found here.
We share stories from our clients about their deplorable working conditions, and discuss the current state of T and U visas, which can be certified by the Department of Labor.
Also, what song will be playing when we die and go to hell.
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This week Matthew and I showed up and recorded something. We broke up the band and got back together in the same episode.
We talked about the current state of immigration lawyering. It turns out we’re both feeling a bit burned out and exhausted. However, we’ve decided to dust off our gym shoes and get back to it with some new years resolutions. This includes regularly scheduled shows, you know, actual content. It’s a revolutionary idea.
We’re also joined by friend of the show Austin Kocher to talk about his work at TRAC, the surveillance state, how numbers at the border are crunched, and more.
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Follow Austin’s work over at https://substack.com/profile/14591254-austin-kocher
You can learn more about TRAC here: https://trac.syr.edu
After the midterms democrats in the senate have vowed to take up the DREAM Act. It doesn't seem like they have the votes, which is depressing. Opposition to the DREAM Act is often wrapped up in "concerns" about "floodgates," or "border security," but these are simply ways to offuscate and avoid a serious conversation about how to help people and fix our immigration system. Give this episode a listen.
Democrats don't carrot all and the republicans want to stick them in camps.
This week Matthew and I talk about HSI and marriage fraud, "United for Venezuela" and the expansion of Title 42. A series of unforced errors!
This week we're joined by fellow immigration attorney Matt Cameron (@matt_cam) to discuss the fall out of the Ron Desantis Martha's Vineyard "stunt." Deterrence policy is always cruel, and this was no exception. Like most rightwing jokes, it was also extraordinarily stupid.
We also took a crack at the congressional republican's "Commitment to America" and it's extremely detailed four point immigration plan. Big brained ideas galore!
This week we're joined by fellow immigration attorney Matt Cameron (@matt_cam) to discuss the fall out of the Ron Desantis Martha's Vineyard "stunt." Deterrence policy is always cruel, and this was no exception. Like most rightwing jokes, it was also extraordinarily stupid.
We also took a crack at the congressional republican's "Commitment to America" and it's extremely detailed four point immigration plan. Big brained ideas galore!
This week Matthew and I are joined by fellow immigration attorney Taylor Levy to talk about the situation on the border. Taylor is one of the most knowledgable attorneys when it comes to what is actually happening on the U.S./Mexico border.
We also asked about the recent series of bussing/private-jetting stunts carried about by republican governors. Just this week Florida Governor Ron Desantis appears to have lured a group of about 50 Venezuelan immigrants to Martha's Vineyard in an effort to own the libs. Very serious policy work!
This is a great episode for understanding the basics of what's going on at the border and what we need to do to fix it. If you enjoy the episode, consider sending a couple dollars to Taylor, who is great:
Venmo: @taylorklevy (#9700), CashApp: $taylorklevy PayPal/QuickPay/Zelle/Mentoring: taylorlevylaw@gmail.com
This week Matthew and I are joined by fellow immigration attorney Taylor Levy to talk about the situation on the border. Taylor is one of the most knowledgable attorneys when it comes to what is actually happening on the U.S./Mexico border.
We also asked about the recent series of bussing/private-jetting stunts carried about by republican governors. Just this week Florida Governor Ron Desantis appears to have lured a group of about 50 Venezuelan immigrants to Martha's Vineyard in an effort to own the libs. Very serious policy work!
This is a great episode for understanding the basics of what's going on at the border and what we need to do to fix it. If you enjoy the episode, consider sending a couple dollars to Taylor, who is great:
Venmo: @taylorklevy (#9700), CashApp: $taylorklevy PayPal/QuickPay/Zelle/Mentoring: taylorlevylaw@gmail.com
This week Matthew and I get together to check in on the status of her Majesty and to discuss developments in our immigration practices. DACA, removal proceedings, our relationships with ICE and more.
This week Matthew and I get together to check in on the status of her Majesty and to discuss developments in our immigration practices. DACA, removal proceedings, our relationships with ICE and more.
I quibbled and squabbled over scrabble and tribbles.
This week we're happy to be joined by Sonia Lenegan, an immigration advocate and solicitor in the U.K. Sonia works as a legal and policy director at a charity helping asylum seekers.
We wanted to see which country has the worse immigration system, and while it was a close call we ultimately gave our guest the "win."
I quibbled and squabbled over scrabble and tribbles.
This week we're happy to be joined by Sonia Lenegan, an immigration advocate and solicitor in the U.K. Sonia works as a legal and policy director at a charity helping asylum seekers.
We wanted to see which country has the worse immigration system, and while it was a close call we ultimately gave our guest the "win."
This week on Redirect: Immigration Law and Perspectives we're joined by Dr. Reece Jones, author of Nobody is Protected: How the Border Patrol Became the Most Dangerous Police Force in the United States.
Dr. Jones is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography and Enviroment at University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. His new book about the border patrol is a must read for immigration activists and anyone trying to understand how and why we ended up in this place.
This week we're joined by Austin Kocher to talk abou the growing surveillance aparatus being used by ICE.
Austin Kocher is an Assistant Professor at @TRACReports @SyracuseU, Graduate of @OSUGeography and friend of the show.
This week we're joined by Sarah Pitney, fellow immigration attorney extraordinaire, to discuss the intersection of LGBTQ issues and immigration. This was a great conversation and I learned a lot.
Sarah Pitney is a Senior Attorney at Benach Collopy LLP. Sarah joined Benach Collopy after serving as an immigration attorney for two years Miami, Florida. They have represented clients in various proceedings on both the detained and non-detained dockets before the Immigration Courts. In addition to their experience in deportation defense, Sarah has also represented clients in family-based petitions, adjustment of status, waivers, asylum, and naturalization cases before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
This week Matthew and I discuss the administration's efforts to speed up the asylum application process. For a system as broken as this one, these changes amount to window dressing. But it is at least a step in the right direction?
This week we're joined by Austin Kocher (@ackocher), assistant professor at the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) to talk about "Alternatives to Detention." As it turns out, these technologies are rarely used as "alternatives," but rather "in addition to" detention. TRAC has some interesting data here: https://trac.syr.edu/whatsnew/email.220217.html…
https://reuters.com/world/us/private-prison-company-test-us-house-arrest-program-immigrants-2022-02-16/…
This week Matthew and I work our way through a couple of recent immigration stories. The owner of a marijuana dispensary has her naturalization application denied for a lack of "good moral character," an attorney tweeting about MPP hearings is asked to take down her tweets, and more.
This week Matthew and I try to play catch up. It's been just over a year with the Biden administration, and with a few exceptions things remain . . . pretty terrible? The administration continues to defend some of the worst Trump policies in court, while the agencies remain deeply scarred from the previous four years.
We're going to be taking a little break from the podcast. A recent cancer diagnosis in the family has me stretched for time, and frankly not in the right headspace for "entertaining." Hopefully it's a short break, but we'll see.
Thank you so much for all the kind words of support from over the years. It's been a real pleasure to get to know some of you and to hear how the podcast has influenced you in your thinking when it comes to immigrants.
Let's talk again soon under better circumstances.
This week we're happy to have back Jason Dzubow, fellow immigration attorney and the author of The Asylumist: How to Seek Asylum in the United States and Keep Your Sanity.
Jason talks about his recent experiences with Afghan asylum seekers, practice pointers for old timers like Matthew, and more.
This week we're joined by Professor Reece Jones to talk about his latest book,White Borders: The History of Race and Immigration in the United States from Chinese Exclusion to the Border Wall.
This week Matthew and I discuss the new DHS enforcement memo, disarray at the department, and we try out our tin foil hats for a minute.
NEIGH!
Yes, all horses are bastards which is why we here are Redirect are thrilled with the recent announcement by the White House that horses will no longer be used (for now) on the border (a particular stretch of the border that is). Problem solved!
This week we're thrilled to be joined by Lindsay Toczylowski from ImmDef, a social justice law firm in Los Angeles, California. We try to wrap our heads around Title 42, Haitians on the border, the not-rocket-docket rocket docket, and more.
This week we're joined by Matthew Hoppock to talk about the Supreme Court forcing Biden to reimplement the "Migrant Protection Protocols," A Trump era policy designed for force asylum seekers to wait out their case processing in Mexico. We also talk about a federal judge who blocked the implementation of certain Biden enforcement guidelines, leading to more absurdities all around. It turns out everythingis absurd!
Sharifa Abbasi and Alexa August from The HMA Law Firm join us this week to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and how it is affecting immigrants and current citizens. Matthew and I compare the struggles that are ubiquitous within the system, discuss chronic issues for immigration from Afghanistan and other Muslim countries, and discover several new and more acute challenges which have arisen since the Taliban takeover.
This week we're joined by Silky Shah (@silkys13) from the Detention Watch Network to talk about ongoing efforts to end immigration detention. In Matthew's neck of the woods a group of lawyers have written a letter to try and keep one detained court open, and the New Jersey Bar Association came out against a bill that would prevent ICE from expanding their detention practices within the state.
You can find out more about the Detention Watch Network here, follow them on Twitter @detentionwatch, like subscribe etc. etc.
This week we're joined by Dara Lind (@dlind), an immigration reporter from Pro Publica who wrote a great piece about how the new Biden "prosecutorial discretion" memo is (or isn't) being implemented. You can check out her writing here.
This week I'm joined by Jorge Baron from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project to discuss the recent DACA ruling, immigration reform through reconciliation, and more.
Matthew is on vacation this week and I'm flying solo, talking about reconciliation and the hope of immigration reform, a federal judge putting the breaks on DACA, and the cruelty of the legal immigration system.
This week we’re joined by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council to talk about border myths, moats, and black paint. What’s going on with the crisis at the border? Why is title 42 still in place? All this and SO much more this week on Redirect.
This week Matthew and I discuss the recent changes by Merrick Garland in rolling back Matter of AB and LEA, developing prosecutorial discretion and more.
This week on Redirect Matthew and I discuss the Vice President's recent trip to Guatemala where she admonished would-be migrants not to come, and to pursue "legal" avenues instead. It turns out asylum is legal. Oh well.
Also, ICE prosecutors are finally armed with some real guidance on how and when to exercise prosecutorial discretion. However, the Attorney General still has not rolled back critical Trump-era decisions. Is there more to come?
This week we're joined by fellow immigration attorney Sophia Gurule from the Bronx Defenders to talk about deportation abolition, how to frame our push for immigration reform, and more.
This week we're joined by Professor Alison Peck to talk about her new book, The Accidental History of the U.S. Immigration Courts: War, Fear, and the Roots of Dysfunction.It's an excellent read for anyone who is interested in just how we got to this point. Buy it at local bookstore near you.
This week we're joined by Liz Keyes, associate professor of law at the University of Baltimore, and Austin Kocher, a research associate professor with the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a research institute that uses Freedom of Information Act requests to study the federal government.
Liz and Austin start things off by crushing my hopes and dreams, but then we segue into a very interesting conversation about open borders, changing the immigration conversation, and more.
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We're back for another episode of Redirect, Immigration Law and Perspectives, and John Boehner is back! He's here to sell books and express frustration and confusion over the rise of nutty nut jobs in the Republican party. Who could have predicted this, other than anyone with a brain?
Boehner wants you to know how much he cares about immigrants, melting pot and what not. It's a shame that this brave republican was in no position to do anything about immigration reform back in 2013. :-(
George Bush is also back! He's also distraught about division, and immigrants. Unfortunately another brave soul who was never in a position to do anything about these issues. Sad.
Matthew shares some evidence that was recently submitted by ICE to the immigration court, including this blog post about how Mexican gaycations are totally safe. Immigration Court!
Matthew and I drag ourselves to the recording studio to talk about how disappointing things have been.
This week Matthew and I discuss the Farm Worker Modernization, a bill that aims to . . . "preserve our rural heritage"? While there are a lot of benefits to be reaped, it was clearly written and designed by growers who are focused on suppressing wages and bringing cheap labor from abroad. Not great.
The Dream and Promise Act is much better, still with some issues to be addressed.
This week Matthew brings his sunny disposition but Stephen reminds him why things are still terrible.
Also, we’re joined by Taylor Levy (@taylorklevy), an incredible immigration who works in El Paso to talk about what the H is going on at the border. Listen and learn!
Cages. Facilities. Processing Centers. We get an important update on the status of family and child detention with one of our favorite colleagues, Bridget Cambria.
This week Matthew and I parse over the "day 1" immigration reform that recently dropped. It's pretty good!
Also, the Biden administration backs off their deportation pause and day 1 enforcement priorities.
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This week on Redirect we’re joined by Curtis Morrison to discuss how Trump managed to (quietly) end most immigration in 2020, and how so far the Biden administration has stood by those policies. Early grades for the Biden administration and #freebritney
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This week we're joined by Professor Alina Das from NYU to discuss Biden's first week in office, whether we're allowed to feel "good," and how to best push our representatives towards a more fair immigration system.
This week on Redirect, Immigration Law and Perspectives we're talking to friend-of-the-show Matthew Hoppock (@MatthewHoppock). We chat about feeling totally burned out, trying to keep up with immigration changes during the Trump administration, and how the Immigration Court is broken beyond repair.
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On today's show Matthew and I discuss the year 2020, getting burned out as immigration attorneys, COVID, and our hopes for the new year.
This week we’re joined by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick from the American Immigration Council for our annual festivus show. Leaf blowers, weather, ICE and more.
This week we’re joined by friend of the show Hassan Ahmad to talk about the Trump administration’s torching of the immigration system on their way out the door, the restoration of DACA, and keeping a hopeful mentality in these tough times.
This week the Executive Office of Immigration Reform, also known as the Immigration Courts, published a memo that aims to fast track removal cases. I immediately thought of former Immigration Judge Paul A. DeFonzo who was very meticulous and deliberate in how he handled his docket. I was able to get ahold of him and he agreed to come on the show.
Judge DeFonzo explains how and why he believes the Immigration Courts should be reformed and shares his unique perspective as an IJ who came from the private bar.
This week we’re joined by Nora Phillips and Diego Aranda Teixeira to give thanks and talk smack.
This week on Redirect, Matthew tries to "both sides" the ongoing coup, we discuss what we can expect from a Biden administration, and more.
This week we're joined by Austin Kocher (@ackocher) and we engage in some wild speculation about the next three months, what a Biden administration might do, and how best to advocate for those changes. We also recorded a live CLE with Alina Das (@Das_Alina), immigration activist, lawyer, and professor of law at NYU. Her book, No Justice in the Shadows: How America Criminalizes Immigrants, is a must read. Get a copy for yourself and for everyone you know.
This week we're joined by immigration attorney Matt Cameron to discuss the last presidential debate and the 545 children (that we know of) whose parents cannot be located.
This week we're joined by Holly Cooper (@abogadatejana), co-director UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic, to talk about the Inspector General's report on family separation at the border. Spoiler alert! Turns out cruelty was the point all along!
Also, the administration is slated to expand the use of "expedited removal." This is a process that could have devastating and lasting consequences for thousands of people.
This week we're joined by Austin Kocher (@ackocher) to discuss what we could reasonably expect from a second Trump term or a Biden administration. We also note, completely without celebration and always mindful of our tone, that the President has contracted COVID-19.
Not everythingis terrible these days, just practicallyeverything. This week Matthew and i discuss wrestling with few changes, forced hysterectomies, and the passing of Justice Ginsberg.
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This week Matthew and I reflect on 9/11, Paul Krugman's comments that we reacted like it was NBD, the agency that was born out of the tragedy (DHS) and the mistakes we made in the aftermath.
This week we're joined by Austin Kocher (@ackocher), researcher at TRAC, to discuss the details and implications of their ongoing research on how COVID-19 is affecting the immigration court system.
You can follow the fine work of TRAC over at the Twitter, @TRACreports.
We'll be posting more updates at our Patreon page, and the website!
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This week we're joined by Professor Laura Briggs to talk about her book, Taking Children. Professor Briggs is an expert on U.S. and international child welfare policy and on transnational and transracial adoption, and an excellent podcast guest. Taking Children argues that for four hundred years the United States has taken children for political ends. Black children, Native children, Latinx children, and the children of the poor have all been seized from their kin and caregivers.
We're also joined by Rick Perlstein, the author of Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980. Backed by a reenergized conservative Republican base, Reagan ran on the campaign slogan “Make America Great Again”—and prevailed. Reaganland is the story of how that happened, tracing conservatives’ cutthroat strategies to gain power and explaining why they endure four decades later. We talk about how we got from Reagan's "Open Borders" policy papers to "Build that Wall" chants, the differences between Reagan and Trump, and more.
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This week we're joined by Jessica Goudeau, author of After the Last Border, to talk about her book and the slow destruction of the refugee resettlement program. Go buy her book at your local bookstore!
Jessica Goudeau has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, among many other places, and is a former columnist for Catapult. She produced projects for Teen Vogue(“Ask a Syrian Girl”) and “A Line Birds Cannot See,” a documentary about a young girl who crossed the border into the US on her own. She has a PhD in literature from the University of Texas and served as a Mellon Writing Fellow and Interim Writing Center Director at Southwestern University. Goudeau has spent more than a decade working with refugees in Austin, TX and is the co-founder of Hill Tribers, a nonprofit that provided supplemental income for Burmese refugee artisans for seven years.
This week we're joined by Michael Kagan, Professor of Law at the University of Las Vegas Nevada. We talk to him about his book, The Battle to Stay in America.
Michael Kagan directs the Immigration Clinic and teaches administrative law, professional responsibility, international human rights and immigration law. In both his research and his clinical teaching, Prof. Kagan focuses on the tension between immigration law and civil rights.
Professor Kagan's book is an excellent resource for friends and family members who might not know much about the immigration system, and who need help putting a face to the issues confronting the immigrant community every day.
This week it's a crossover with Jeff from Georgia and the Dissident Peasant podcast. Check out his patreon here. Follow Jeff on Twitter, @jeffhisdudeness.
Jeff Sessions embodies many of the pressing issues of our time: crumbling confederate relics, voter suppression, and racist immigration policies. While his political career may be over, his project lives on.
This week we're joined by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) from the American Immigration Council to talk about how we're ignoring the law when it comes to appointing heads of DHS, Customs and Border Protection (or is it patrol?), what's going on in Portland, and why we need a healthy dose of skepticism when it comes to anything coming from DHS.
CBP did an oopsies and lied in federal court.
CBP oopsies and lies about the border.
CBP oopsies and loses track of children.
When Enterprise picks you up (to take you to the gulag), what kind of van do you hope they use?
Check out the Michael Brooks Show if you haven't already. We will miss you, Michael.
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This week we're joined by Robin Thurston from Democracy Forward to talk about sneaky changes made by the administration at the Department of Labor designed to make it harder for immigrants to get U-Visas.
Robin Thurston is a Democracy Forward senior counsel. Robin is the lead attorney on the U visa litigation. You can check out her bio here. Democracy Forward is suing the administration to stop these changes from moving forward.
We talk about the upcoming immigration executive order bill and all the exciting new powers that SCOTUS gave to POTUS. What a time to be alive!
This week we're joined by Matt Cameron (@matt_cam) and Andrew Free (@immcivilrights) to talk about furloughs at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the critical role of FOIA.
The #DetentionKills network published #FOIA records from ICE that prove the government and its auditors have failed to accurately report and document attempts by people in custody to commit suicide in ICE jails. Suicide is the leading cause of death in ICE custody.
Matt Cameron talks about simplifying amnesty. Bring back the registry!
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This week we're joined by Amy Maldonado to talk about Trump's latest immigration ban, what's going on with DACA and USCIS, and the recent decision by SCOTUS. It's hard to keep up with all the changes, and I think that's the point.
This week we're joined by immigration attorney extraordinaire Luis Cortes to talk about his recent victory before the Supreme Court in the DACA case. The program survives, but what does it mean moving forward? Will the administration try to, you know, do a competent job in dismantling it a second time? Will new applicants be able to apply? All this and more on this week's Redirect.
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This week we're joined by Valeria Gomez and Tanvi Misra to discuss the DOJ's efforts to purge the Board of Immigration Appeals, and proposed regulatory changes that would effectively end asylum protections in the U.S.
Tanvi Misra (@tanvim) is an immigration reporter at Roll Call, you can also find her great work at www.tanvimisra.com.
You can read about the DOJ's BIA purge here: https://www.rollcall.com/2020/06/09/doj-reassigned-career-members-of-board-of-immigration-appeals/
You can read more about the proposed changes to asylum law here: https://immigrationimpact.com/2020/06/11/end-asylum-trump/#.XuPtDxNKjOS (h/t to Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick))
This week we're joined by Dulce Gutierrez to discuss the ongoing agricultural worker strikes in Central Washington. Dulce works at the Washington State Labor Council and has been helping to spread the word about the strikes on her Facebook page.
Hundreds of striking workers are demanding PPE and hazard pay at a series of different warehouses throughout the Yakima area. You can support the workers by donating to their go fund me:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/didyoueattoday
You can follow the worker's progress over at the Facebook page of Familias Unidas por la Justicia:
https://www.facebook.com/FamiliasUnidas/
This week Matthew and I discuss the ongoing protests against police brutality. Have the actions of Amy Cooper and the death of George Floyd served as a kind of tipping point? What reforms, if any, will come from this?
This week we're joined by Max Siegelbaum, Co-founding Editor and Senior Reporter at Documented, to talk about his experience covering the New York Immigration Courts.
This week Matthew and I talk about how people aren't grateful enough for how good things were just before they got bad.
The Board of Immigration Appeals continues to pick fights with unrepresented individuals.
Immigration laws, who is "legal" and who is "not," continues to be a totally random and arbitrary outcome based on a patchwork of mostly bad laws.
The Justice Department decides not to pursue the case against Michael Flynn, because sometimes lying is NBD. We talk about how lying is almost always a VBD (Very Big Deal) for our clients.
This week we're joined by Luis Cortes to discuss Trump's new Immigration Ban, meat packing plants, and trying to stagger our panic attacks so we can be there for each other.
This week Matthew and I talk about what's happening at the immigrant detention centers where symptomatic detainees are denied COVID-19 tests.
We also talk about the upcoming election. It is possible to be completely void of enthusiasm for a Biden presidency, to recognize his many flaws, and to also understand the unique threat that is a second Trump term. We try to highlight the differences between a potential Biden presidency and Trump years 5-8.
This week Matthew and I are joined by Davorin Odrcic and Leo de la Garza, fellow immigration attorneys in Milwaukee and Austin, to discuss how the social distancing is affecting our clients, and whether they will continue to be demonized despite working in "essential" jobs that are, you know, keeping us alive.
This week Matthew and I talk about the unrelenting bad changes coming from this administration. This week saw a new decision from the Board of Immigration Appeals, reshaping the definition of "extreme and exceptionally unusual hardship."
This week Matthew and I discuss some recent immigration lawyer drama. As the unemployment crisis explodes we should remember to be, you know, decent humans.
The immigration courts are open, but not really, except sometimes? Check Twitter.
Plus some hot takes on Biden, the primary (remember the primary?) and more.
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Attend class, grow brain, don't die of virus.
This week we're joined by Matt Cameron (@matt_cam) to talk about the immigration courts closing, sort of, as well as other immigration services and how this might affect the future of our immigration system.
You can also sign up for Matt's graduate immigration seminar. Shoot him an e-mail at mattcameron@gmail.com
This week Matthew and I were interrupted by a super-important Rose Garden press conference, wherein Trump definitely gave the corona virus to a large group of people including reporters, the Vice President, a bunch of CEOs, and even some doctors, who you think would probably know better?
Anyhow things are fine and Target is definitely still open so why are people freaking out?
We discuss the poor crisis management we're seeing from the immigration courts, and other fun topics.
This week Matthew and I are joined by Reveal Journalist Aura Bogado. Her recent piece is the story of a 17-year-old immigrant child who has spent the last 6 years in government custody, separated from her family. You can read her piece here:
https://www.revealnews.org/article/the-disappeared/
Matthew and I discuss recent developments in the presidential race, and how Matthew almost certainly has the corona virus.
This week we're joined by Matt Cameron to discuss the corona virus, Stephen Miller, and a bunch of Court cases.
Merel Kahn did a great job breaking down U.S. v Sineneng-Smith over at her blog Top of the Ninth. The question in that case is whether someone who "encourages" an individual to stay in the U.S. illegally can go to jail. For a very long time.
We talk about Matter of RAF, a new Bill Barr special making it harder to win Convention Against Torture cases.
Matthew shares some good news out of the 3rd Circuit, and the 9th Circuit found MPP to be illegal. We celebrated this decision before it was stayed last night. So, there's that.
This week we're joined by Luis Cortes, friend of the show, who recently surprised his mother by reuniting her with her parents after some 30 years apart.
Getting his grandparents here was a heavy lift. Their tourist visas were denied four times. Mexicans in particular have a difficult time obtaining tourist visas to visit their families in the U.S. This is a major source of heart ache for thousands of families across the country.
This week we're joined by Boston-based immigration attorney Susan Church. Susan was on the front lines of Trump's first Muslim ban, and we go over the new ban reboot, find out where we are at, and where we can go next.
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This week we're joined by Daniel Denvir, Host Jacobin's @thedigradio podcast. Fellow @ watsoninstitute and author of All-American Nativism. His book is a must read for those who are trying to understand our immigration history and how exactly we got to this point.
We recorded Friday morning before the news of the newest muslim ban. We will be discussing that next week. It's impossible to stay on top of the news these days, frankly.
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This week Matthew talks about his recent experience in civil litigation, representing a client who was sexually assaulted while in immigration custody.
We discuss impeachment, and the general state of things.
Quick episode this week as a solo Stephen addresses reemerging concerns about "chain migration" and arguments that immigrant families should do it the right way and "get in line."
Stephen breaks down a typical timeline for immigrating and bringing close family members over with examples, providing a concise explanation you can share with friends and family.
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This week on Redirect: Immigration Law & Perspectives, Matthew and I discuss the new asylum "agreement" with Honduras. Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf was just in Honduras, shaking hands with President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the man who was recently implicated in a massive drug trafficking scheme. You can read about it here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/world/americas/honduras-president-brother-drug-trafficking.html
Meanwhile, Jared Kushner, the man who has been tasked with brokering some kind of immigration "solution," thinks that low refugee numbers are no big deal given the scale of the global problem. Kushner's grandparents came here after surviving the holocaust, and our admissions process then was so restrictive they had to lie to get their visas.
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-inc-podcast-listen-to-jared-kushners-family-saga
This week Jenn Budd (@buddjenn) joins us to talk about her time as a Border Patrol officer, and the problems with Border Patrol culture. It's a fascinating look at how the agency has changed over time, and how we can address those issues.
This week Matthew and I discuss some of the good things happening in the world of immigration law. It's the shortest show of the year!
Special thanks to all our listeners and colleagues. We love you all.
This week Matthew and I try to make sense of a dizzying array of crappy stories. How do we stay on top of the news when it is non-stop terrible?
Big thanks to Hamed Aleaziz (@Haleaziz) who has been reporting on big stories, including the asylum winner who is being blocked from entry into the U.S., the asylum seekers being deported to Guatemala, and the horrendous medical treatment provided in ICE facilities.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/hamedaleaziz/ice-immigrant-surgeries-deaths-jails-whistleblower-secret
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-guatemala/u-s-asylum-seekers-sent-to-guatemala-preferring-to-return-to-home-countries-idUSKBN1YH07S
If this week's show feels a little discombobulated it's probably because that's how we feel. Heads are spinning.
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This week on Redirect: Immigration Law & Perspectives, Matthew and I are joined by Bridget Cambria and Adriana Zambrano. We talk about what is supposed to happen when unaccompanied children are detained at the border. We also talk about what happened to Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who died in Border Patrol custody.
Video of Carlos's death was recently published by ProPublica and it calls into question the narrative provided by Border Patrol. It also exposes the harsh and inhumane treatment endured not just by Carlos, but by many other children like him.
https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-the-cell-where-a-sick-16-year-old-boy-died-in-border-patrol-care
Adriana Zambrano Law Grad + Legal Assistant with the Defending Vulnerable Populations Program at CLINIC, working with formerly separated families.
Bridget Cambria is “just” a volunteer attorney and Executive Director with Aldea - the People’s Justice Center, and Partner at Cambria & Kline, an immigration law firm in Reading, PA.
We're very grateful for our guests this week! They include Matt Cameron (@matt_cam), Matthew Hoppock (@MatthewHoppock), Matthew Archambeault (@MattMarchambeau1), Alicia Perez, Andrew Free (@ImmCivilRights), and Hassan Ahmad (@HMAesq)
Yes, I know. Three Matts.
As is tradition, we go around the table sharing what we're most grateful for. We also take turns responding to right wing talking points in preparation for Thanksgiving with the fam.
By far the best thing about having a podcast is having an excuse to call some of the best people in the world and just talk. I am so grateful for all my colleagues who inspire me to continue in this fight.
This week Matthew and I are joined by Luis Cortes to talk about his recent experience before the Supreme Court. What was the DACA case all about, how did the argument go, and what comes next?
We also discussed Mexican pirates.
If you enjoy our immigration law musings, be sure to become a patron over at patreon.com/redirect, subscribe and review at all the places (iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, YouTube) and share it with your friends!
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's plan to bar immigrants who can't pay for health insurance. Trump accidentally argues in favor of single payer healthcare. Oops.
Also, Bernie Sanders released the most impressive immigration plan we've ever seen, "A Welcoming and Safe America for All."
Links!:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/02/us/trump-immigration-health-care-visas.html
https://berniesanders.com/issues/welcoming-and-safe-america-all/
If you like Redirect: Immigration Law and Perspectives, become a patron at www.patreon.com/redirect
This week we're joined by Matt Cameron to discuss our shameful and embarrassing producer (@jeremiahbritt), the best/worst way to die, and how ICE enforcement priorities actually aren't making your community safer.
Matthew and I check out form I-944, Declaration of Self Sufficiency, for the very first time. Listen carefully for the sound of our souls being crushed.
This form will be required starting Monday for all family-based green card applications. It's a doozy.
This week we're joined by Luis Cortes to discuss the upcoming DACA oral arguments before the Supreme Court. The Trump administration has been arguing that DACA is super duper illegal, and they're terminating as a legal necessity. How will that case hold up before SCOTUS?
This week on REDIRECT: Immigration Law & Perspectives, we smash through the immigration doldrums, shake off the lads, and celebrate our status as #1 Most Generous Country!
Yes, we may have slashed refugee admissions to a historic low, plus the whole thing about kids in cages and what not, but the Acting Director of USCIS is here to assure you that in fact we're the most generous country on the planet. Bigly.
Matthew talks about the MPP (Migrant Protection Protocols), and other happy stories on this week's episode.
Check out the Patreon page at www.patreon.com/redirect.
This week Matthew and I discuss my inspirational story of ICE and CBP answering phone calls and responding to emails. They should make a Disney movie.
Matthew, fresh off his Canadian vacation, shares his tips for aspiring immigration lawyers, and we discuss "SHARPIE-GATE," the latest in a string of totally unsurprising yet completely depressing Trump lies.
You can support the show by becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/redirect
Follow us all on the Twitter:
Stephen: @yakimaabogado
Matthew: @MattArchambeau1
Jeremiah: @JeremiahBritt
This week Matt Cameron (@Matt_Cam) joins me to discuss 200 million FEMA dollars now going to tent courts and kid jails instead of, you know, actual disasters. Also, the administration tweaks a citizenship rule that is both a big deal and not that big of a deal actually. Then Matt and I discuss our advice for people who are thinking about becoming an immigration attorney.
This week we're joined by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@reichlin-melnick on the Twitters) of the American Immigration Council to discuss the Trump administration's recent effort to end the Flores settlement. What is the Flores settlement? Why are they doing this? Is today's episode depressing or absurd? You'll have to tune in to find out!
Go to www.patreon.com/redirect to support the show, give me a follow on Twitter (@yakimaabogado), subscribe on all the places (Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes), and leave a review!
The show is produced by the one-and-only Jeremiah Britt (@jeremiahbritt).
Seattle attorney Greg McLawsen joins us to discuss the administration's new "public charge" rules for immigrants who are trying to "do it the right way." Greg dissects the 800 page rule that is supposed to go into effect in October. While there is a great deal of uncertainty in how the standards will actually be applied, one thing is for sure: this whole thing serves as a totally unnecessary obstacle for those trying to legalize their status.
This week Matthew and I discuss the terrorist attack in El Paso and the President's rhetoric. Raids in Mississippi resulted in nearly 700 arrests. Raids aren't new, and maybe ewe should stop, you know . . . raiding?
This week I'm flying solo, recapping the democratic debates. Should "ILLEGALS" get healthcare? Should we have "OPEN BORDERS"? Lots of rad framing from the moderators. Should ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION be LEGALIZED? This and more! Don't forget to check out the patreon page over at patreon.com/redirect
This week I talk with Matthew about his recent efforts to combat the administration's Migrant Protection Protocols. Ramon Valdez from Innovation Law Lab also joins us to discuss the so-called "asylum transit ban." As we were talking news broke of a "safe third country" agreement with Guatemala, so we try to digest that bit of news.
The common thread here is that the administration does not want asylum seekers in the U.S. Period.
This week on REDIRECT: Immigration Law & Perspectives, Matthew and I are joined by Nora Phillips, the legal director and co-founder of Al Otro Lado (@AlOtroLado_Org). They have been doing critical work on the border now for many years. You can find out more at www.alotrolado.org
People often ask what they can do to help address the situation at the border. Nora gives some great ideas on that. We also take some time to dunk on our colleagues, and to talk about the importance of taking care of ourselves in these difficult times.
Follow us at all the places (iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify) leave a review, and become a patron at www.patreon.com/redirect
This week we're joined by Matt Cameron (@matt_cam) to discuss to raids announced for this weekend. Have the people targeted really received "due process"? Why announce an action like this?
We also talk about acting director of USCIS, Ken Cuccinelli. Why is he going on Fox and Friends to carry water for ICE? What are the "loopholes" they keep talking about?
Finally, we discuss Elizabeth Warren's immigration plan. It's good.
Links:
Ken Cuccinelli on Fox and Friends: https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2019/06/24/fox-friends-ken-cuccinelli-says-opposition-trumps-immigration-policies-akin-financing-mexican-drug/224013
Elizabeth Warren's Immigration Plan: https://medium.com/@teamwarren/a-fair-and-welcoming-immigration-system-8fff69cd674e
Patreon: www.patreon.com/redirect
This Wednesday Matthew and I discussed the ongoing crisis at the border, you know, the real crisis. The story of Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his daughter is heart breaking, tragic, and completely avoidable.
Plus, I half-watched what felt like 40 hours of democratic debates and I'm here to break it down. Turns out that it was, you know . . . mostly ok?
This week we're joined by Rachel Ida Buff, Professor of History and Coordinator of the Comparative Ethnic Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to discuss her book, "Against the Deportation Terror, Organizing for Immigrant Rights in the Twentieth Century." You can check out the book here: http://tupress.temple.edu/book/20000000009427
Matthew and I discuss the ongoing detention crisis, and recent successes.
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Is it opposite day? The President is trying to "fix" the immigration "problem" by making things worse for Mexicans and Central Americans. I'm starting to think maybe that's the point?
As Trump gears up to impose new tariffs on Mexico, the Mexican government cracks down on all the wrong people.
Be sure to check out this beautiful and heart breaking piece by Jill Filipovic over at Politico: https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/06/07/domestic-violence-immigration-asylum-caravan-honduras-central-america-227086
If you like the show, subscribe at all the places! iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and now YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZJUQADlAFTgHkxz0tQJ8nQ/featured?view_as=subscriber)
This week Matthew and I discuss presidential candidates. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, our preferred candidates, still have not released detailed immigration proposals.
Donald Trump has decided to levy tariffs on Mexican imports until they . . . stop illegal immigration? Or something? It's not totally clear what they're supposed to do, or what metric we will use to determine whether they've done "it," but there you go. More big ideas from our big brained big boy President.
Be sure to subscribe at all the places (iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify) leave reviews, and become a patron over at www.patreon.com/redirect.
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H/T to Matthew Iglesias for his piece in Vox on Trump's tariffs: https://www.vox.com/2019/5/30/18646618/tariff-mexico-asylum-trump-usmca
Part 2 of our interview with Luis Cortes. We discuss the usual questions from the other side of the debate: Why don't DREAMers "get in line"? Should we really reward their parents by awarding them legal status? Luis talks about how people can advocate for the DREAM Act, and more.
This week I sit down with Luis Cortes, fellow immigration attorney, DREAMer, and friend. Luis talks about growing up in the Bay Area, how he came to understand his own lack of status, and how he overcame obstacle after obstacle. This interview is a must listen for anyone hoping to better understand the life and experience of undocumented.
If you enjoy the show, head over to www.patreon.com/redirect to become a patron today.
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This week Matthew and I are joined by Austin Kocher, a researcher at the National Immigration Lawyer Survey (NILS). He's written some great stuff, including these: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/research-subject-groups/centre-criminology/centreborder-criminologies/blog/2018/03/greasing http://feature.politicalresearch.org/blurring-the-border Austin helps us Myth Bust the Myth Busting put out earlier this week by the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), a.k.a. the Immigration Court. You can find that here: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1161001/download?fbclid=IwAR3QhOIdofOaQ8a2c4GGqNEKf1gugmAim2-ahWj6G558nHptoyLrBwR5Xws We talk about Glenn Beck stoking fear, and Donald Trump proposing a solution, except only kidding (but not really).
This week Matthew and Stephen discuss the obstruction of justice charges faced by a district court judge who didn't want ICE to warrantlessly arrest people in her courtroom, the administration lying about their capacity to reunify children who'd been separated from their families, and more.
This week Stephen is joined by Andrew Free to discuss Jared Kusher's big, bold, bipartisan immigration reform, right wing militias, and charges against Judge Shelley Joseph who is accused of helping a defendant in her courtroom avoid waiting immigration authorities. Steve King understands what Jesus went through, and Glenn Beck wonders if the Notre Dame fire was started by something . . . foreign . . . ? Be sure to check out our Patreon over at www.patreon.com/redirect, subscribe at all the places you can subscribe, and tell your friends about the show.
This week Stephen is joined by immigration attorneys Luis Cortez and Valeria Gomez to discuss the confusing challenges facing those trying to win asylum, including The Notorious PSG (Particular Social Group). PSG are semantic word games testing who gets asylum or not, forcing people to prove demonstrably true facts with an special sequence of words or they are told to try again, via appeal, in a few years, maybe. Or they just get sent back into the situation they are fleeing, because, yes, they are in danger, but is it the "right kind of danger"? Don't forget to check out the patreon at patreon.com/redirect
This week Matthew and Stephen discuss the recent purge at DHS, which is happening in the middle of a super real and not-at-all-fake national emergency. William Barr wants to reshape the Immigration Courts so we can deport more people more quickly. Obama says we should stop calling people racist. Is immigration a loser issue for democrats, or do they just lack the courage to talk about it in a meaningful way? Let us know what you think. Don't forget to check out the patreon at patreon.com/redirect