RMIAN Statement Regarding Recent Gun Violence in New York, California, and Texas

Everyone deserves safety. No one should ever fear for their lives when going to the store, to school, to a place of worship, to a movie theater, to a concert, to a restaurant, to a workplace, when using public transportation, etc.

Our hearts are broken and go out to all those affected by gun violence, most recently in Texas, New York, and California. 

Fundamental changes—including the dismantling of white supremacy—need to happen to prevent further horrific trauma and loss of life. The inaction and lack of substantive changes surrounding gun violence in our country highlight the systemic racism, classism, sexism, nativism, trans and homophobia, xenophobia, and oppression that permeate our society.

The shooting in Buffalo, New York, was a deliberate attack on Black lives. The shooting in Laguna Woods, California, targeted Taiwanese churchgoers. The shooting in Uvalde, Texas, impacted a primarily Latinx community.

Each of these and every other recent mass shooting is a direct result of white supremacy culture prioritizing the economic gain of few over the safety and well-being of many.

These horrific acts of violence are evidence of our country’s unwillingness to concretely address deeper issues and create meaningful pathways toward restorative justice, social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

At RMIAN, we stand in solidarity with those who have experienced loss and violence and are seeking protection of all kinds. 

There cannot be peace without action. We call upon Congress to act before they recess this Memorial Day. We call upon the Senate to enact the Enhanced Background Checks Act. We call upon our community to take a stand against racism and gun violence.

Enough is enough.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. 

RMIAN elevates the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander immigrants and Asian Americans and also recognizes the numerous countries, cultures, languages, and immigration histories ascribed a monochromatic racial identification. To tie over 50 countries and territories and over 2000 languages under the umbrella of “Asian American” simplifies their unique histories and challenges. These unified variations enrich and create an emboldened appreciation where such divergent paths can find common ground.

Despite a long history in the United States, AAPIs remain “foreign.” Present-day, Asian Americans continue to be targeted in numerous crimes, with a 339% nationwide increase in the last year. 

The narrative of Asian Americans as the perpetual American outsider is well documented in our immigration history. The 1875 Page Act barred Asian women who were assumed to be prostitutes and Asian male contract laborers. The Exclusion Act of 1882 barred Chinese laborers with narrow exceptions that further discouraged the immigration of Asian women. Later the Expatriation Act stripped U.S. citizenship from U.S.-born women who married immigrant men. While the Cable Act attempted to restore the U.S. citizenship of immigrant-wedded women, women who married Asian men (who were ineligible for U.S. citizenship) became de facto stateless. Multiple U.S. Supreme Court cases followed, distinguishing East Asians and South Asians from white, and refusing Asian and Asian Americans citizenship and fundamental rights (i.e., Ozawa v. U.S. in 1922, U.S. v. Thind in 1923). 

Hate and fear-mongering have fueled harmful policies for decades, including McCarthyism xenophobia targeting Chinese and Chinese Americans; the World War II concentration of Japanese and Japanese Americans; the 1982 brutal murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American; the fear-based targeting of Sikh and Arab Americans following the 9/11 terrorist attacks; the racist characterization of COVID-19; the 2021 Atlanta Spa Shooting; and the attacks that continue against Asian and Asian American community members today. 

This history of racism and violence against AAPIs cannot overshadow the courage, contributions, and resilience of the Asian American community. Recently, Colorado’s AAPI leaders, advocates, and community members advocated for an acknowledgment of and apology for Denver’s anti-Chinese riot of 1880. Efforts like these to reconcile a painful past continue to channel further progress and healing. RMIAN supports this meaningful step and acknowledges this powerful act of reclaiming AAPI history.

RMIAN calls upon our supporters to demonstrate allyship with the AAPI community through words, actions, and education. Support AAPI organizations and advocates like the Asian Pacific Development Center, Stop AAPI Hate, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and the Asian American Advocacy Fund, among many other phenomenal organizations.

This work is ongoing and will not be limited to May. Together we must continue to fight for a world in which diverse communities are embraced and celebrated.

KGNU Interview: End Title 42

RMIAN's Detention Program Managing Attorney Laura Lunn spoke on KGNU's Morning Podcast today about the need to immediately end Title 42.

"Title 42 empowers federal health authorities to prohibit migrants from entering the United States and conflates public health concerns with access to justice for people fleeing persecution - two completely different problems that require separate solutions. The United States must implement orderly and humane policies to process asylum seekers and afford them the opportunity to access counsel in order to infuse fairness into a process that currently inflicts cruelty and trauma on people seeking protection from harm," stated Laura Lunn.

Opinion: The silence of our senators over Title 42 is worrisome

HB22-1319 PASSES THE SENATE!

RMIAN celebrates the bi-partisan passage of House Bill 22-1319 (HB22-1319) through the Senate on May 2, 2022. HB22-1319 will give children in federal custody access to state court proceedings through a streamlined dependency process. This new state court proceeding will provide abused and neglected children with a pathway towards safety and stability in the United States.

 Various members of RMIAN’s Children’s Program played a crucial role in bringing this legislation forward. Specifically, Iva Velickovic and Ashley Harrington worked with legislators and stakeholders in drafting the legislation and bringing supporters on board. Georgina Olazcon Mozo provided compelling testimony to legislators about the unaccompanied children this legislation will impact.

Pictured: Ashley Harrington, Children’s Program Managing Attorney (left) and Georgina Olazcon Mozo, Children’s Program Senior Staff Attorney (right) giving testimony to legislators.

RMIAN expresses sincere gratitude to the bill’s sponsors, Representative Serena Gonzales Gutierrez, Representative Iman Jodeh and Senator Julie Gonzales. RMIAN also wishes to recognize Denise Maes, Ashley Chase, Stephanie Villafuerte, Zara Levy, and Rachel Kelly for their testimony in support of the bill. Finally, RMIAN thanks the bill’s supporters including Jefferson County, the Office of the Child’s Representative, the Child Protection Ombudsman of Colorado, the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, and the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy & Research Organization. RMIAN looks forward to Governor Polis signing this important legislation into law!

It's Time to End Title 42

Efforts to end the cruel expulsions caused by Title 42 continue as hopes crumble that President Biden will finally lift the order in light of a new restraining order and a proposed extension in Congress.

In late March, the Biden Administration announced that it planned to lift the Title 42 expulsion policy in late May. This policy has restricted asylum seekers' entry to the United States since early 2020 and has been widely criticized for just as long. Shortly after the announcement, however, the Biden Administration voiced hesitation to follow through with its promise, citing concerns about an influx of people seeking entry at the border once the order is lifted. But these concerns fall flat in the face of ample evidence that, with enough political incentive, the government is, in fact, equipped to timely process individuals at the border. 

Just this week, there are reports at the border that Customs and Border Patrol is "processing up to a thousand Ukrainians per day, at a port of entry where border officials claimed they did not have capacity to even process 30 other asylum seekers per day in the past few years." Meanwhile, Title 42 continues to exist as a mechanism for these same officials to deny BIPOC asylum seekers access to protection. 

"RMIAN applauds the Biden Administration for expeditiously processing Ukrainian asylum seekers' cases, allowing them to enter the country and reunite with loved ones. However, it should similarly take swift action to offer the same opportunity to all persons seeking asylum who are fleeing violence and persecution. It sends a disturbing message that our government views certain lives as being more deserving of safety and stability than others, reinforcing racial bias and perpetuating systemic discrimination against Black, Brown, and indigenous communities." Laura Lunn, Detention Program Managing Attorney.

 During his campaign, President Biden promised to roll back the harmful immigration policies implemented during the Trump Administration, but 1.7 million expulsions have occurred since the inception of Title 42, 1.2 million of them during the Biden Administration.

 The Administration's continued consideration of this policy threatens to exacerbate already horrendous conditions at the border. It is further complicated by a recent decision out of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granting a restraining order to keep Title 42 in place. In this case, the states of Missouri, Louisiana, and Arizona are fighting to keep Title 42 in place and thereby restrict any access to asylum in the United States – a longtime goal of many conservatives. Concerningly, it is not just conservative voices calling for a continuation of Title 42: there is currently a bill before Congress that contemplates extending Title 42 based on the purported health emergency, and many Democratic elected officials are considering support of this bill, including Senator Michael Bennet and Senator John Hickenlooper, despite the fact that application of such a bill would likely result in an indefinite ban on entry at the border.

 Title 42 is an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) based on federal public health law. It allows the United States to expel someone from the country, sometimes to a designated third country different from their country of citizenship, without allowing them the opportunity to first seek protection in the United States. 

 Since its introduction in March of 2020, the government has used Title 42 to push back thousands of asylum seekers and deny them their legal right to seek protection, regardless of their claim or any other consideration like severe illness or the dangers awaiting them in refugee camps along the border. Indeed, Al Otro Lado, Haitian Bridge Alliance, and Human Rights First just released a new report that documents the mounting dangers befalling asylum seekers in Tijuana who are being blocked from entering the United States. In many instances, individuals who do attempt to cross the border are being apprehended and detained for several days, if not weeks, before the government expels them back to the very same dangers in Tijuana that they are trying to escape in the first place, including kidnapping, rape, torture, and other violent attacks. Despite evidence that over 10,000 people have experienced such horrors since the inception of Title 42, politicians continue to label this a "necessary" policy.

 Highlighting the hypocrisy of these expulsions is the fact that people can easily cross the U.S.-Mexico border to work, enter as tourists, or even go shopping. Still, our government is saying that asylum seekers need to stay out, reinforcing the false rhetoric that migrants are disease-ridden, even though many people seeking asylum are vaccinated against COVID-19. This, in a country where people advocate against vaccinations, masks, and other safety protocols, and where the chief medical adviser to President Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has declared that we are in fact "out of the pandemic phase." 

 For months, public health experts have demanded an end to the order, noting the "long, regrettable history of stoking fears of disease to galvanize support for anti-immigration policies," highlighting the "terrible toll on the lives and well-being of asylum seekers," and calling for the United States to "adopt measures that are based on sound science and public health practice." 

 When the Biden Administration first announced its intent to lift Title 42, the CDC had just announced that the policy was no longer necessary. This announcement also followed several high-profile court cases in which federal courts issued conflicting rulings holding both that a prior exception to the policy carved out for unaccompanied children was unlawful and also that the United States could also not expel people to places where they would likely be persecuted or tortured. 

 Despite these developments, the continued outcry that Title 42 is "necessary" and the new restraining order keeping Title 42 in place, for now, means that advocates are redoubling efforts to demonstrate the dangers associated with such a decision.

 Title 42 has never been necessary to safeguard public health and has instead served as a racist tool to control who is and is not allowed to exercise their legal rights at the border, as evidenced by the notably inconsistent application of the policy across nationalities. People from Mexico and Central America are disproportionately turned away under the auspices of this policy. Meanwhile, people from other countries are more often exempted from this policy and allowed to seek protection under the normal mechanisms of asylum, such as the case of Ukrainian asylum seekers. 

"Since Title 42 came into play, there has been a drastic change to the population that RMIAN is serving in Colorado. We know that conditions have not changed in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Still, we are seeing so few individuals from this region being afforded the opportunity to seek asylum. At the same time, other populations are being allowed to present their cases to immigration judges, oftentimes without even the need to first have a credible fear interview. We also know that the government is using Title 42 to expel individuals from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador directly to Mexico rather than having to arrange flights to Central America, and it's clear that this carve-out is being used selectively and intentionally to control who is afforded the opportunity to seek asylum." Jenn Nelson, Legal Orientation Program Supervisory Attorney

For too long, Title 42 has been weaponized to gatekeep admission to the United States. RMIAN calls on public officials to demand an end to Title 42 now. We cannot allow this policy to remain in effect, nor can we allow for it ever to be used again as a means to deny individuals the right to seek asylum. 

Colorado's Immigrant Legal Defense Fund Grows for 2022-23

On April 25, 2022, the Colorado Legislature sent the 2022-23 Long Bill to the Governor’s Office for his signature, and this budget included a significant increase for the statewide Immigration Legal Defense Fund, from $100,000 to $250,000 annually.

“RMIAN is thrilled that the Colorado Legislature, led by Senator Julie Gonzales, recognized the critical importance of continuing to grow the Immigration Legal Defense Fund. This Fund provides life-changing and life-saving legal services for individuals in immigration detention or at risk of deportation in Colorado. RMIAN will continue to steadfastly work for its expansion so that no one in Colorado ever has to face an adversarial immigration court process where everything is on the line without an attorney by their side,” says RMIAN Executive Director Mekela Goehring.

RMIAN Awarded Funds from the Office for Victims of Crime

In partnership with the staff of the Colorado Human Trafficking Council, RMIAN was awarded a three-year grant from the Office for Victims of Crime to strengthen partnerships and systems across the state to identify youth survivors of human trafficking and connect them with culturally appropriate and trauma-responsive services. RMIAN will be adding its expertise in working with immigrant survivors of trafficking and ensuring that multi-disciplinary anti-trafficking systems are responsive to all forms of human trafficking.

“RMIAN is excited to build on relationships with stakeholders across the state to ensure that survivors of all forms of human trafficking are identified and connected with the resources they need," says Caleb Stewart, Senior Staff Attorney, Anti Human Trafficking Project, RMIAN

A HUGE Thank You to Our Interns!

As we close out National Volunteer Month, we want to pay special tribute to the incredible interns who have supported RMIAN’s work over these past few months. They have lent their passion, hard work, and ideas to RMIAN. Each and every one of them has made an immeasurable impact and we are so excited to see what comes next for them! On behalf of our clients and everyone at RMIAN, thank you!

Melissa Gonzales-Maza

Melissa is a second-year student at the University of Denver studying Spanish and Socio-legal studies. She says, “I wanted to intern at RMIAN because I was looking to gain experience doing work for nonprofits in the immigration field as it is something I would like to pursue after finishing up school. My whole life I’ve been very passionate about immigration and the work I am doing at RMIAN allows me to help my community in areas I wouldn’t be able to without the help of RMIAN.”

Jenny Granston

Jenny has just finished her last 2L class at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law where she is a member of the Constitutional Rights and Remedies Program. She got her BA in Spanish from CU and will be continuing her work on behalf of immigrant communities as a member of DU’s Immigration Law and Policy Clinic. She says, “My time at RMIAN has reminded me why I chose to attend law school in the first place—to make a difference in our community as an advocate.”

Sarah Peters

Sarah is a junior at the University of Colorado, Boulder where she studies Human Geography. She says, “I wanted to intern with RMIAN because I believe in the importance of fighting for justice for all immigrants and because RMIAN makes a difference in real people’s lives every day. Some things I enjoyed most about my internship were the wonderful people I got to meet and work with, having the opportunity to improve my knowledge of the immigration system, and knowing that, even if only in a small way, my work was helping someone.”

José Reyna

José is an undergraduate student studying Criminal Justice with a minor in Business Administration at the University of Colorado, Denver. He expects to graduate this spring and is looking forward to pursuing a career in immigration. José eventually plans on going back to school to get either a graduate degree, a law degree, or maybe both! He says, “What I enjoyed most about my internship was meeting the staff, volunteers, and people dedicated to RMIAN’s mission and core values.”

HB22-1319 Passed by the House of Representatives!

Representative Gonzales-Gutierrez (left) and Representative Iman Jodeh (right)

On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, the Colorado House of Representatives passed House Bill 22-1319 (HB22-1319). RMIAN’s Children’s Program has played a crucial role in identifying the need for this legislation and working for its passage.

Currently, abused, abandoned, and neglected unaccompanied children in federal custody in Colorado have no access to state court proceedings. Without access to state court, these children have no ability to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a vital protection from deportation that creates pathways to permanent residency for abused and neglected youth under state court jurisdiction.

HB22-1319 will provide access to state court proceedings through a streamlined dependency process, providing abused and neglected children with a pathway towards safety and stability in the United States. 

 RMIAN expresses sincere gratitude to the bill’s sponsors, Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Representative Iman Jodeh (both pictured above) and Senator Julie Gonzales, and to all those who worked on and supported HB22-1319. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, April 28, 2022. 

Happy National Volunteer Week!

This week is National Volunteer Week

RMIAN's work largely depends on the work of our volunteers. We want to take this opportunity to give thanks to our incredible volunteer attorneys, translators & interpreters and health professionals.

We are grateful for their time, energy, compassion and skills. Accessing justice is one with being treated with respect and dignity and is only possible when there are opportunities for equitable language, health, and legal services.

The heart, dedication, and most certainly knowledge and skills of our volunteers make RMIAN's work ensuring access to due process possible. Every day, volunteer efforts help people confront complex and violent deportation proceedings, sometimes while detained.

From all of us here at RMIAN, THANK YOU!

Are you or someone you know interested in volunteering and helping Colorado immigrants access justice? Check out our volunteer opportunities below!

We need pro bono attorneys!

Are you interested in immigration issues? What to gain experience helping children, families, and detained adults fighting deportation? RMIAN needs volunteer attorneys for pro bono cases. With the robust training and mentorship RMIAN offers to our volunteer attorneys, you will have the opportunity to provide immigrants with the quality legal representation they deserve and desperately need.

We need volunteer translators & interpreters!

RMIAN's work largely depends on assistance from our language volunteers. Quality legal representation is only possible when an attorney and client can communicate effectively, regardless of their language. If you speak English and another language and would like to help immigrant clients access justice, sign up now! Email lklafehn@rmian.org for more info.

We need volunteer psychologists & psychiatrists!

Psychological forensic evaluations help clients access the support services and systems they need and help to bolster legal defenses against deportation.

RMIAN Announced as a Recipient of the Colorado Afghan Evacuee Fund

RMIAN Announced as a Recipient of the Colorado Afghan Evacuee Fund

RMIAN has been announced as one of the recipients of the Colorado Afghan Evacuee Support Fund which, in partnership with fiscal sponsor Rose Community Foundation, provides essential support to organizations working to welcome Afghan evacuees to Colorado, connect newcomers to critical community resources, and ensure evacuees can thrive in Colorado.

With this funding, RMIAN will be able to provide free immigration legal services coordination and social service support for newly-arrived Afghan families. RMIAN congratulates the other incredible organizations that have also received funding, including service providers assisting with resettlement, mental health services, and legal services. To see the list of other funded organizations, click the link to Governor Polis’ press release.

RMIAN is pleased to announce an immediate opening for a Children’s Program Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney. To learn more, click the link below!

Please assist us in sharing this position with your network so that we can fill this position and begin assisting Afghan evacuee children and families in Colorado.

WHEN: March 31, 2022 | 12 pm - 1 pm

WHERE: VIRTUAL (register using link below)

WHO: Advocates from Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) and lawyers from Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN)

WHAT: Discussion of the immigration legal defense fund

Volunteer & Interpreter Training | March 29, 2022 | 5 pm - 6:30 pm

SIGN UP HERE!

Council Files Complaint Against ICE for Medical Neglect of People Sick With COVID-19 in Colorado Facility

Last week, RMIAN, together with the American Immigration Council, Mariposa Legal, and Immigrant Justice Idaho, filed a complaint against ICE documenting the medical neglect of individuals detained at the Aurora ICE Processing Center as COVID-19 numbers continue to rise. The complaint contains declarations of several people detained at Aurora, who describe lack of access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines, improper quarantine protocols, medical neglect of individuals who have tested positive or have symptoms, threats of retaliation for speaking out and sharing information, and a systematic failure to protect the health and safety of those in detention.

As one individual, Afuom*, describes “I felt very sick and was having trouble breathing. I was hot and shaking. I asked for emergency medical but was told to submit a [written request]. In my weakened condition, all I could do was lie down in bed. Since this time, I have continued to struggle with breathing. I wake up in the middle of the night unable to catch my breath. I have not received medical treatment for my difficulty breathing.”

The complaint calls for the release of those detained and an investigation into the lack of COVID-19 protections in ICE custody. “Access to medical care is a human right. ICE cannot continue to detain people while failing to provide for their health and safety. We are two years into the pandemic and ICE has shown that it cannot protect those in its care. We stand with our clients and those detained at Aurora and demand their release,” said Colleen Cowgill, pro bono coordinating staff attorney with RMIAN.

DIRECT QUOTES FROM THOSE NAMED IN THE AFFIDAVIT

We're Hiring: Universal Representation Staff Attorney

RMIAN has an immediate opening for a full-time Universal Representation Staff Attorney to represent clients detained at the Aurora ICE Contract Facility or before the Denver Immigration Court. This position is meant for a dedicated advocate who wishes to engage in the universal representation model to serve clients who are detained in the State of Colorado. This attorney will join RMIAN’s team of attorneys, social workers, and paralegals devoted to supporting people ensnared in the immigration system who, without this program, would otherwise face the immigration court without legal counsel.

Universal representation injects a public defender based model in Immigration Court for immigrants facing removal from the United States and is rooted in the principle that everyone has a right to due process under the law. The goal is to promote racial equity by providing representation to all, including those with contact with the unjust criminal system. This means that no one is ineligible for representation because their case is difficult, because of a conviction record, prior order of removal, or the strength of their case.

This position, the first of its kind at RMIAN and in Colorado, is possible because of the historic passage of HB21-1194, a Colorado law that created a statewide Colorado Immigrant Legal Defense Fund. Through this law, Colorado became one of the first states in the nation to create such a fund through legislation. This fund provides free legal representation to low-income immigrants facing deportation and detention in the state. Most of this attorney's time will be spent representing individuals detained at the Aurora immigration detention center, using a universal representation model.

The ideal candidate:

• Understands that everyone should have access to representation, without considering factors that perpetuates narratives about “good” versus “bad” or “deserving” versus “undeserving” immigrants. The ideal candidate approaches this work with empathy and understanding.

• Is a removal defense attorney who wishes to engage in fast-paced direct legal services, demonstrates flexibility, and has a passion for working with vulnerable populations.

• Is dedicated to client-centered legal representation and empowers clients to make educated decisions about how to navigate their immigration cases. 

• Is committed to defending people with limited financial resources placed in removal proceedings and/or facing immigration consequences based on criminal system contact.

• Engages in direct communication, demonstrates empathy, is an active listener, demonstrates excellent problem-solving abilities, understands the importance of constructive feedback, and easily builds trust with colleagues.

• Is an attorney who has a solid base of substantive legal knowledge of immigration law with a focus on removal defense and a strong commitment to immigrant justice – this person knows how to run an immigration removal case in a detained setting, enjoys creative lawyering, can explain the complicated process in an easily digestible manner to clients and community members, and is passionate about RMIAN’s work and mission.

• Understands how to prioritize tasks with little guidance. The ideal candidate is organized, efficient, and has a keen eye for detail. This person enjoys handling multiple cases running in parallel and can triage in order to meet time-sensitive deadlines.

• Has a demonstrated commitment to antiracism, and promotes equity, justice, and inclusion at the organization both internally and externally.

• Possesses a desire and vision to end immigration detention and mass incarceration and to center racial equity in our nation’s court systems.

• Is team-oriented and works in collaboration with RMIAN staff members with a focus on advancing universal representation throughout Colorado, and easily forms trusting relationships with RMIAN staff members. The ideal candidate can comfortably and appropriately maintain and navigate relationships with governmental agencies, nonprofit providers, community partners and other stakeholders.

• Is proficient in a second language, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, Mayan language, or other.

Responsibilities:

Direct Representation (90%)

• Maintain a robust caseload in support of clients seeking relief from removal and/or release from immigration detention (including representation before the Immigration Court, Board of Immigration Appeals, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and other federal agencies).

• Create and implement systems to enhance efficiency of legal services specific to RMIAN’s universal representation program.

Outreach, Community Education, and Development Efforts (10%)

• Participate in presentations to expand RMIAN’s outreach, community education, and development efforts.

• Engage in broader advocacy efforts, working with RMIAN staff and partners to highlight the impact of universal representation on our community.

• Foster strong relationships with clients willing to engage in campaigns to promote public awareness of RMIAN’s work and its impact on people who seek lasting protection from deportation in the United States.

• Possible supervision of attorneys and/or law student interns.

Required skills and experience:

• Admission to any state bar.

• Deep dedication to immigration legal services, racial justice, and immigrant justice.

• Experience representing clients in immigration and/or criminal proceedings preferred.

• Prior experience in the nonprofit sector desired.

• RMIAN maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities, and thus requires vaccination for COVID-19, as well as adherence to social distancing, masking, and office occupancy protocols.

Location:

• This position is based out of RMIAN’s office located in Westminster, Colorado but requires frequent travel to the Aurora Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado. Clients are represented before the Aurora Immigration Court, Denver Immigration Court, and before the USCIS office located in Centennial.

• RMIAN’s operations are primarily remote during the COVID-19 pandemic, but subject to change.

Compensation & Benefits

• ·This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. The salary range is $55,000–$75,000, depending on years of experience.  Salary includes a phenomenal benefits package, which includes:

• Generous paid time off with 15 days of vacation in the first year of employment and an additional 2 days for each additional year of employment, 10 sick days, 11 Federal holidays, plus, an end of year weeklong office closure;

• Excellent health insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);

• Life insurance, professional liability insurance, and short-term disability insurance (100% covered by RMIAN);

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s Simple IRA retirement plan (RMIAN matches 3%);

• Eligibility to participate in RMIAN’s flexible spending plan; and

• Eight-week sabbatical after five years of employment.

If this profile calls to you, please send a tailored, authentic cover letter that explains (1) why this mission excites you; and (2) why this particular role is a great fit for you – along with your resume, writing sample, and list of references - to hr@rmian.org.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

RMIAN is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. We encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, women, members of the LGBTQ community, and other underrepresented and marginalized groups. RMIAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status or veteran status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment free from discrimination.

Amicus Brief: Advocating for Mental Health Circumstances to Be Considered in Determining Whether Someone is Barred from Asylum

RMIAN co-authored an amicus brief this week advocating for the Attorney General to vacate harmful precedent that has a discriminatory impact in immigration proceedings on noncitizens living with mental illness. The current rule prevents judges from considering mental health evidence when assessing eligibility for asylum or withholding of removal - protections that prevent the deportation of people who fear persecution in their home countries. Notably, many people fear return to their countries of origin on account of the systemic harm inflicted on persons with mental disabilities. RMIAN and co-counsel, the Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition (CAIR Coalition), were joined by eleven other legal service providers seeking a just outcome in the case pending before AG Garland, Matter of B-Z-R-.

Read the full matter below, or

Community Legal Night/Noche Legal Comuntaria

We are thrilled to welcome two new members to RMIAN’s Board of Directors.

Marissa Molina

Colorado State Director, Fwd.us

Marissa Molina is the Colorado State Immigration Director with FWD.us, where she leads FWD’s legislative advocacy efforts on immigration policy at the state and federal levels. Marissa has been a leader in protecting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and has worked to recruit, train, and empower other directly impacted individuals to advocate for immigration reform before Congress. Prior to joining FWD.us, Marissa worked as an educator where she worked to increase access to educational opportunities for immigrant youth and their families. In July of 2015, Marissa was one of nine educators with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to be honored by the White House as a Champion of Change. She was appointed to the Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Board of Trustees in 2019, becoming the first Dreamer to serve on a state board.

Michael Touff

Boys & Girls Club of Metro Denver, Rose Community Foundation, Bell Policy Center

Before retiring in 2021 Michael Touff was, for 25 years, the General Counsel of MDC Holdings, Inc., one of the largest homebuilders in the United States. Prior to joining MDC, he practiced corporate and securities law for 20 years with several Denver law firms. He is a graduate of Harvard University, the University of Michigan Law School, and attended the London School of Economics. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand and in the United States Army in Korea. He has been active in community organizations throughout his career including the Colorado Legal Aid Foundation, the Colorado Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, and the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute for Cancer Research. He currently serves as a director or trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, the Rose Community Foundation, and the Bell Policy Center. He and his wife, Pegi, are both Denver natives and have two children, Daniel and Katherine.

Pro Bono Spotlight: Making Waves at the 10th Circuit

Every year RMIAN’s dedicated network of pro bono attorneys expands RMIAN’s impact and ensures legal services for hundreds of immigrant children, families, and detained individuals. Recently, the 10th Circuit issued two published decisions upholding the rights of asylum-seekers and immigrants in removal proceedings. In both cases, the individuals were represented by RMIAN attorneys in their initial proceedings and were connected with representation for their petitions for review through RMIAN’s pro bono program. 

Mr. Villegas-Castro is from Mexico and sought fear-based relief and cancellation of removal before the Immigration Judge (IJ). The IJ granted cancellation of removal but denied fear-based relief. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appealed this ruling, and upon appeal, his case was sent back to the IJ. Mr. Villegas-Castro was able to amend and supplement his asylum application, which was ultimately granted. However, DHS again appealed this decision and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) not only reversed the decision granting Mr. Villegas-Castro asylum but entered a final order of removal. In the face of this grave injustice, Mr. Villegas-Castro was represented by the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) and pro bono counsel in a petition for review before the 10th Circuit. Through their fierce advocacy, the 10th Circuit ruled in favor of Mr. Villegas-Castro on all counts, granting his petition for review and sending his case back to the BIA. This decision is a remarkable victory for Mr. Villegas-Castro, who is now on a pathway to remain in the United States with his family, and sets powerful precedents for immigrants in removal proceedings in the 10th Circuit.

In January 2021, Mr. Takwi, a Cameroonian asylum seeker fleeing persecution, was rousted from his bed at the Aurora ICE Processing Center in the middle of the night and transferred to a facility in Louisiana. Here was told he would be sent back to Cameroon along with other refugees on what journalists would call a “death flight”. In the eleventh hour, the 10th Circuit granted Mr. Takwi an emergency stay of deportation, allowing him to remain in the United States until his petition could be heard. This month, a year after Mr. Takwi was almost forced to return to a country where his life is in danger, he received a favorable decision from the 10th Circuit. In a unanimous decision, the 10th Circuit granted Mr. Takwi’s petition for review and ordered the BIA to revisit its decision denying him all relief. This decision revives Mr. Takwi’s opportunity to seek relief and sets an incredibly helpful precedent where similar issues are presented. 

Congratulations to Mr. Villegas-Castro and Mr. Takwi, whose resilience in the face of injustice inspires us to keep fighting, and to their pro bono counsel for their tireless efforts. These victories would not have been possible without you.