Asylum

This webinar will cover the latest developments in asylum law for practitioners who are already familiar with the fundamentals of asylum. The legal framework for asylum has been in a prolonged state of upheaval. The expiration of the Title 42 executive order in May 2023 was met with the new “lawful pathways” asylum ban, whose legality is currently being litigated in federal court. Meanwhile, new policies are impacting asylum procedures at various stages, including changes to the credible fear process and the Asylum Merits Interview framework. This webinar will provide an overview of these changes as well as practice tips and strategies to help advocates determine how they can best represent asylum-seeking clients in this everchanging landscape.

This publication provides an overview of asylum law for advocates new to representing asylum clients, as well as seasoned practitioners needing a thorough review of current standards. Combining innovative legal arguments on currently developing issues and decades of expertise from accomplished practitioners who have successfully represented clients through the years, Essentials of Asylum Law offers an expansive explanation of the legal theories and rules underpinning current asylum claims.

In this webinar, we will discuss how asylum seekers, including recent entrants, can seek release from immigration custody via bond and parole. We will review eligibility for bond and parole for arriving aliens, and the implications of Matter of M-S-, 27 I&N 509 (AG 2019) on asylum seekers. We will also discuss who may seek bond before the immigration judge and strategies for the bond hearing. This webinar will leave advocates armed with tips and best practices when representing asylum seekers requesting release from detention.

Level: Beginner / Intermediate
This webinar will cover withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). It will discuss the differences between asylum, statutory and CAT withholding of removal, and CAT deferral of removal and review the current case law and recent developments. It will also provide tips to help argue for withholding or CAT as an alternative in an asylum case as well as prepare standalone withholding or CAT claim for clients who are asylum-barred or otherwise ineligible.
Presenters
Andrew Craycroft
Andrew joined the ILRC in May 2019 as a Staff Attorney focusing on immigrant youth issues. Prior to joining the ILRC, he worked at Staten Island Legal Services representing clients in a variety of affirmative and defensive immigration matters. Previously, Andrew worked at the Unaccompanied Minors Program of Catholic Charities Community Services in New York, representing detained and released unaccompanied minors in removal defense.

Andrew received his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he participated in the Center for Applied Legal Studies Clinic. Andrew earned his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, where he majored in Political Economy of Industrial Societies. Andrew is admitted to the bar in New Jersey and New York. He is fluent in French and Spanish with some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic.

Priscilla Olivarez
Priscilla Olivarez is a Policy Attorney and Strategist based in San Antonio, Texas. In her role with the ILRC, Priscilla works alongside other Texas advocates to develop and promote local and state policies that protect the dignity of immigrant communities. Prior to joining the ILRC, Priscilla was a Managing Attorney at American Gateways (AG), a nonprofit organization that provides direct legal services in immigration matters. While at AG, Priscilla focused her efforts on representing and assisting individuals who were in immigration detention. She helped manage the organization's Legal Orientation Program, providing assistance to unrepresented individuals in immigration detention, as well as its National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP), which provides legal representation to individuals deemed mentally incompetent in immigration proceedings. Priscilla also provided direct representation to individuals in detention, with a focus on advocacy for individuals with mental disabilities or other heightened vulnerabilities. Priscilla has represented clients before the Immigration Court, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Priscilla's other advocacy experience includes working abroad, providing legal support to survivors of human trafficking in the Philippines. Priscilla has also advocated on behalf of survivors of domestic violence and volunteered near the Texas-Mexico border representing unaccompanied minors in immigration proceedings. Outside of her immigration work, Priscilla has advocated for fair housing for vulnerable populations, and worked to coordinate a national research study that examined racial discrimination in the housing market.

Priscilla is a graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, Texas, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Level: Intermediate / AdvancedThis webinar is intended for practitioners already familiar with asylum law and will focus on the most recent developments in asylum practice. The current landscape of asylum law has been complicated by ongoing litigation, including over prosecutorial discretion authority, the Title 42 executive order, and the Remain in Mexico policy. This year, the government promulgated and has begun implementing its interim final rule on “Procedures for Credible Fear Screening and Consideration of Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and CAT Protection Claims by Asylum Officers,” or the Asylum Officer Rule. Anticipated regulations concerning asylum claims based on domestic violence and gang violence, as well as regulations on particular social group have still not yet been issued. This webinar will discuss these recent developments as well as others and give an overview of the current state of asylum law.Presenters

A Guide for Immigration Advocates is a practical and essential tool for beginning immigration attorneys, immigration law firms employing paralegals, DOJ accredited representatives, and nonprofit community-based organizations. The Guide is unique among immigration law manuals because it provides a comprehensive detailed overview of the law that is both practical and easy to use. More than a compilation of immigration law topic articles, it’s a how-to manual containing clearly worded explanations of each subject and includes sample applications, charts, and examples to illustrate the concepts. This invaluable resource also provides practical advice on working with your clients to elicit the information you need to assist them efficiently and accurately.