Category Archives: Immigration

Justice Kennedy’s Opinion On “Baking Discrimination” Is Clarion Call for Process Neutrality In The Entire Governmental Sphere

Posted on June 4, 2018 by richardzorza

In a brilliant piece in Politico today, Professor Richard Primus argues that the Baking for Gay Marriage Opinion, by rejecting broad First Amendment protections for discrimination, sets up the travel ban case for a similarly positive outcome, not only because … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Discrimination, Federal Courts, Freedom of Expression, Immigration, Political Support, Supreme Court | Comments Off on Justice Kennedy’s Opinion On “Baking Discrimination” Is Clarion Call for Process Neutrality In The Entire Governmental Sphere

ICE Policy Insults Courts by Not Treating Them as “Sensitive Locations.” This Calls for Far More Forceful Response By National Access and Court Organizations.

Posted on April 3, 2017 by richardzorza

This from the ICE FAQ page says it all: Are courthouses sensitive locations? Courthouses do not fall under ICE or CBP’s policies concerning enforcement actions at or focused on sensitive locations. In other words, courts are not the kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Court Management, Immigration, Judicial Supremacy, Self-Help Services, White House | Comments Off on ICE Policy Insults Courts by Not Treating Them as “Sensitive Locations.” This Calls for Far More Forceful Response By National Access and Court Organizations.

Do Not Call Us Immigrants, Call us “Americans By Choice”

Posted on February 27, 2017 by richardzorza

That’s what I am, that’s what millions of us are. So, why are we supposedly lesser Americans, or rather why do so many others think we are lesser. If anything, the argument that “we Americans by Choice have shown more … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Immigration | 2 Comments

Rebranding and Revitalizing the Legal Profession

Posted on February 4, 2017 by richardzorza

Whatever you make think about the Trump administration, one thing is clear, the public is being reminded of the importance of the availability of lawyers.  Maybe also, the profession itself is remembering also how much helping real people with real problems … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Access to Justice Generally, Immigration, Pro Bono | 1 Comment

What Emma Lazarus Would Write Today

Posted on February 1, 2017 by richardzorza

Christine Webb is a British poet of great accomplishment and also a close multi-generational family friend. I feel honored that we are able to share this magnificent poem that Christine has written in response to recent actions taken in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Dept. of Justice, Immigration, International Cooperation, Personal, White House | 2 Comments

Final Rule Facilitating Non-Lawyer Practice in Immigration System, Taking Effect Jan 18, Reminds of the Relevance of This Approach in Access Reform

Posted on December 19, 2016 by richardzorza

Time  passes.  On Jan 18, the rules changes governing non-lawyer practice in the immigration system — which in this way, although surely not others, could be a model for other forums, take effect.  As explained in the Notice in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Immigration, Non-Lawyer Practice | 2 Comments

Please Follow the Lead of Our Retirement Community Network and Spread the Access to Justice Immigration Tool

Posted on December 12, 2016 by richardzorza

I am so proud of our retirement community network, Kendal, and hope that other community networks of all kinds will follow. In response to the urging that we should make sure that our communities should help any of our staff … Continue reading →

Posted in Immigration, Technology | Comments Off on Please Follow the Lead of Our Retirement Community Network and Spread the Access to Justice Immigration Tool

Timely and Powerful New Immigration Planning and Action Tool

Posted on December 8, 2016 by richardzorza

The Immigration Action Network and Pro Bono Net have just launched a major new online tool to help those facing immigration issues.  It is obviously overwhelmingly timely, as people we know, who working with us, or provide services to us … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Immigration, Self-Help Services, Technology | 1 Comment

Thoughts For Those At Personal and Family Risk

Posted on November 8, 2016 by richardzorza

There will be time and time enough to understand how this has happened. But first, let us find the ways to be supportive at the personal and group level of people who are now to be put at risk through … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Discrimination, Immigration, White House | 1 Comment

Immigration Judges Learn to Recognze and Protect Against Implicit Bias

Posted on October 4, 2016 by richardzorza

The NYT has an important piece today on judges and implicit bias. Now, as the country struggles with how these instinctive judgments shape our lives, the Justice Department is trying to minimize the role of bias in law enforcement and … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Communications Strategy, Immigration, Judicial Ethics, SRLN | Comments Off on Immigration Judges Learn to Recognze and Protect Against Implicit Bias

Forced to Choose, In Spirit I Become a European-American Today, Rather Than a British-American

Posted on June 24, 2016 by richardzorza

Given the immigration and access implications, I am re-posting the below from my politics and humor blog. Watching the results last night, I started to realize that I now feel more European then British.  If, as a result of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Immigration, International Cooperation | Comments Off on Forced to Choose, In Spirit I Become a European-American Today, Rather Than a British-American

UK Supreme Court Might Be Able to Teach US Court a Lesson on Urgency of Protecting Legal Aid

Posted on April 18, 2016 by richardzorza

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 19th, LSC and its friends will enjoy an invitation-only reception at the US Supreme Court following the LSC day at the White House, and to be addressed by Justice Kennedy, among others.  It is obviously a very … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Discrimination, Immigration, International Models, Legal Aid, LSC, Supreme Court, White House | Comments Off on UK Supreme Court Might Be Able to Teach US Court a Lesson on Urgency of Protecting Legal Aid

Preparing for DAPA: A New Self-Help Need for Court and Community-Based Legal Aid

Posted on December 4, 2014 by richardzorza

The State Justice Institute has just distributed a memo on likely ways that the President’s Delayed Action for Parental Accountability program will result in requests for help to state courts.  The nub of the memo is here: The requirements for … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Court Management, Immigration, Legal Aid, Self-Help Services | 1 Comment

Wonderful Graphic Triage Model

Posted on August 6, 2014 by richardzorza

The wonderful OpenLawLab blog recently shared a triage chart designed by the NC Immigrant Rights Project to help intake workers work with clients to decide if the client is eligible for the Deferred Action (DREAM) program.  It is here, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Immigration, Triage | Comments Off on Wonderful Graphic Triage Model

Interesting Simplifiation/Right to Counsel Argument from Justice Sotamayor in Immigration Case

Posted on April 24, 2013 by richardzorza

Yesterdays immigration opinion, MONCRIEFFE v. HOLDER, from the Supreme Court, holding possession of small amounts of marijuana outside the definition of “aggravated felony” ineligible for discretionary relief from deportation, contains an interesting nugget for possible citation in simplification and right … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Counsel, Immigration, Simplification, Supreme Court | Comments Off on Interesting Simplifiation/Right to Counsel Argument from Justice Sotamayor in Immigration Case