The American Bar Association (ABA) is launching an innovative pro bono immigration pilot project in San Diego, California pursuant to a seed grant from the ABA Enterprise Fund. The mission of the IJP is to promote due process and access to justice at all levels of the immigration and appellate court system, through the provision of high-quality pro bono legal services for those in immigration proceedings in San Diego. Partnering in the project are several ABA entities,* the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the federal courts, Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the private bar. The IJP will serve both detained and non-detained individuals, and will recruit, train, and mentor volunteer attorneys and law students representing clients. Through funding from the EOIR, the IJP will also implement a Legal Orientation Program for adult immigration detainees. During the first two years of the project, a study will be conducted by ISIM to evaluate its impact on the immigration court and appellate process.

*ABA entity partners are: Commission on Immigration, Standing Committee on Federal Judicial Improvements, Section of Litigation, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Judicial Division

To learn more about the IJP, please click here.

With generous support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Commission is expanding its Campaign to help legal service providers build capacity to serve immigrants who have been victimized by notarios. The Commission is offering mini-grants to non-profit immigration service providers around the country, to enable them to train pro bono attorneys to bring unauthorized practice of law or related claims, and/or to reopen immigration cases on behalf of victims. State specific training curricula will be developed and provided to each site by the ABA for use in the trainings. Applications are due by Friday, March 28th and awards will be made by Friday, April 11th.
For more information click here.

Click to listen now/ Para escuchar, haga clic aquí: http://www.abavideonews.org/ABA352/media/immigration_mp3.mp3

In the United States’ complex immigration legal system, “Notarios” or “Immigration Consultants” have become an increasingly serious problem in immigrant communities.  Notarios operate throughout the U.S. and use false advertising and fraudulent contracts for services which cannot be provided. Notarios present themselves as qualified to help immigrants obtain lawful immigration status, and may charge a lot of money for help that they never provide. Often, immigrants’ permanently lose opportunities to pursue immigration relief because a notario has damaged their case.  The Commission is working to provide immigrant communities with information about this dangerous practice, and to support advocates who represent immigrants who have been defrauded.  To learn more about what you can do to protect yourself, click here. For a list of relevant laws by state, click here.

En el sistema legal de inmigración en los Estados Unidos los “Notarios” o “Consultores de Inmigración” son un problema muy serio para las comunidades inmigrantes.  Los notarios operan por todos los Estados Unidos y utilizan anuncios falsos y contratos fraudulentos para servicios que no pueden proporcionar.  Los notarios se presentan como si fueran autorizados a ayudar a los inmigrantes obtener estatus legal y a veces cobran mucho dinero para servicios que nunca proporcionan. Muchas veces, los inmigrantes pierden para siempre la oportunidad de pedir alivio migratorio porque un notario ha perjudicado a su caso.  La Comisión está trabajando para proporcionar información sobre esta práctica peligrosa a las comunidades inmigrantes, y para apoyar las defensoras que representan a las víctimas.  Para aprender más sobre los pasos que puede tomar para protegerse, haga clic aquí. Para una lista de leyes pertinentes organizadas por estado, haga clic aquí.

To learn more about the Campaign to Protect Immigrants from Notario Fraud, please click here.

The Honorable Robert A. Katzmann calls on the legal
profession to address the unmet needs of the
immigrant poor:

“Justice should not depend on the
income level of immigrants”

On February 28, 2007 Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit delivered the Orison S. Marden Lecture of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, on the unmet legal needs of the immigrant poor.  Judge Katzmann highlighted the glaring lack of access to the legal system for indigent immigrants in the United States, as well as the professional responsibility and obligation lawyers have to serve them.  He emphasized how crucial legal assistance is for vulnerable groups such as immigrants and refugees, who often face an unknown language, legal system and culture, and come to the United States in search of security and the opportunity for a better life.  Urging the legal profession to “do more to both improve the quality of paid counsel and to expand pro bono assistance” Judge Katzmann proclaimed that “justice should not depend on the income level of immigrants.” Judge Katzmann also noted the need for competent counsel in the earliest stages of the immigration process, warning that the fates of immigrants “are all but sealed” when they are victimized by notarios.  Judge Katzmann further identified government lawyers as an untapped resource, and encouraged all lawyers to engage in related policy development and promote media attention to the issue.  Finally, he called upon the judiciary to promote awareness of the need for volunteers and training.  In response to Judge Katzmann’s important message, the ABA Commission on Immigration is reaching out to potential volunteers to increase pro bono recruitment and to strengthen and support existing networks of attorneys who already serve this vulnerable population.  If you are interested in volunteering to represent immigrants and refugees, or would like more information on this issue, please contact the Commission at 202-662-1005 or immcenter@staff.abanet.org.  To read a transcript of Judge Katzmann’s speech, please click here.