Immigration

IMMIGRATION TASK FORCE

For over 20 years, the Colorado Lawyers Committee has supported the efforts of the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center to provide low-cost immigration services to the local population, including overseeing services provided, training staff, and providing referrals to pro bono attorneys.

In 2018, the Task Force continued its assistance of IRC and also helped provide guidance to individuals at Legal Night seeking assistance regarding numerous issues, including the influx of unaccompanied children coming to the U.S., paths to US citizenship and the effects of the recent executive orders. The Task Force is exploring possible legal action to stop ICE (the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement) from making arrests at the courthouse, which has a significant chilling effect and makes victims and witnesses of crimes reluctant to come forward.

The group is also working with the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, the Colorado ACLU and others to assure that Colorado probation departments do not violate the rights of probationers by informing ICE of mandatory probation appointments, and is exploring how the CLC can support Colorado efforts to provide bonds for individuals in detention.

CLC continues to work closely with Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network and other nonprofits to provide training to non-immigration attorneys who agree to prepare detainees for Credible Fear Interviews (necessary before asylum can be granted) and to represent detainees in asylum and other immigration cases.

In 2020, volunteers filed a Habeas petition seeking the release of 14 HIV-positive transgender detainees in the CDC’s high risk category for COVID-19.

AFGHAN ASYLUM PROJECT

In 2021, the United States evacuated thousands of Afghans to the United States who are seeking protection from persecution. More than 2,000 Afghans resettled in Denver. In 2021, the Colorado Lawyers Committee partnered with Catholic Charities Denver to develop a plan to help Afghan complete their asylum applications. In March 2022, the Subcommittee conducted a training for almost 200 lawyers and non-lawyers. Workshops began in April and were held on Saturdays through October 2022. We held 12 workshops. 355 volunteers and 41 interpreters spent almost 5,500 hours helping complete 604 asylum applications. It was an incredible effort!

DENVER IMMIGRANT LEGAL SERVICES FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The CLC Executive Director serves on the Advisory Committee for the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund, established by Mayor Hancock’s Executive Order 142, which affirms Denver’s commitment to stand with immigrants and refugees, and maintains Denver as a welcoming city where everyone can feel safe and thrive.

NEW IMMIGRANT LEGAL CLINICS

CLC has partnered with the City of Denver, Lutheran Family Services, the State of Colorado and Catholic Charities to host a series of New Immigrant Legal Clinics throughout 2024. CLC is currently seeking attorney and paraprofessional volunteers for these clinics.  You do not need to have immigration law experience to volunteer!  All necessary training will be provided.

Paralegals and law students are needed to assist city staff in pre-screening new immigrants for eligibility prior to the clinics. Attorney volunteers are needed to work directly with new immigrants at the clinics to complete Temporary Protective Status and/or other work authorization paperwork to be submitted to the United Citizenship and Immigration Service for expedited processing.

PASS PROGRAM 2.0 FOR FERM FAMILIES

In May 2023, the Biden administration announced the inception of the Family Expedited Removal Management (“FERM”) process, which fast-tracks the adjudication of asylum claims by affording them only days to prepare their claims for fear-based protection against deportation. Through legal trainings, written resources, and technical assistance PASS firm attorneys will be equipped to prepare families seeking asylum for interviews before the Asylum Office and/or negative fear reviews before the immigration court. This model will provide legal orientation meant to empower people seeking asylum to represent themselves in their interviews and/or review hearings by providing them with:

· An explanation of the legal framework pertinent to asylum, withholding of removal, and Convention Against Torture claims

· An analysis that applies the facts of their individual experiences to the pertinent legal framework

· Tools for self-advocacy before the Asylum Office and/or Immigration Court

Attorneys from the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) will hold a training for all interested volunteers to participate in the PASS Program 2.0 for FERM Families. The training will be held on Wednesday, February 21 from 9am-11am at Polsinelli PC with a Zoom option for those who cannot attend in person. It will be recorded. CLE credit is available. Click on the button below to register for the training.

ASYLUM TRAINING PROGRAM

In May 2021, the Department of Justice selected Denver as one of just eleven cities across the U.S. to pilot an expedited docket for newly-arrived asylum-seeking families. With no appointed counsel in immigration proceedings, most families are now forced to navigate these high-stakes, complex and adversarial proceedings entirely on their own. 

Individuals are ten times more likely to win asylum protection in the U.S. if they are represented by an attorney. However, the accelerated timeline for cases on the expedited docket coupled with the lack of appointed counsel makes it incredibly challenging for families to find legal representation to win asylum. We desperately need your help to represent families seeking protection from persecution! 

In January 2022, Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN) partnered with Colorado Lawyers Committee to provide a two-day Asylum Law training. With a particular focus on representing children, as well as parents and other individuals in civil immigration detention in Colorado, the training was designed for attorneys new to immigration law and was free for attorneys who agreed to take a pro bono immigration case through RMIAN.