Border Justice Initiative Hosts Legal Education Event For Practitioners Nationwide
July 30, 2024
The UNM School of Law’s Border Justice Initiative hosted a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program for immigration practitioners from across the country on June 28 that reported great success. The CLE titled “Hot Topic: U-Visas – Legislation and Litigation” was intended to educate the legal community on the everchanging and ever-growing topic of U-Visas in Immigration law. U-Visas are nonimmigrant visas that are “set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.” The CLE had a total of 54 attendees from all-over, having reached practitioners from as far away as South Carolina, Illinois, and Hawaii.
The Border Justice Initiative brought in three high profile presenters for the program, Deshawnda Chaparro of the Santa Fe Dreamers Project, Kait Ford from Rebecca Kitson Law, and Jasmine McGee from the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center. Alison Cimino, a practicing immigration attorney who attended the CLE said of the three presenters, “having these three amazing attorneys with us was a true success for BJI. Their expertise and energy give our legal community a huge advantage.”
The CLE provided an in-depth review of U-Visas, certification requirements, the challenges faced in their litigation, and the wait times expected in order to receive a U-Visa. Horatio Moreno-Campos, an attorney who attended the CLE said of the event, “you’d be surprised how many people qualify for a U-Visa but don’t know it. Having this program and these three presenters helps us navigate the perplexing process that is U-Visas.”
The CLE ended with a brief Q&A in which the presenters fielded questions from the community regarding specific case questions, pending legislation, and other immigration law topics.
The UNM School of Law’s Border Justice Initiative thanks all those involved in the CLE and looks forward to initiating more opportunities to grow, educate, and help our legal community. They are currently planning an all-day convening of immigration law practitioners on Friday, July 19 at the NM State Bar; 5121 Masthead St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109 where they will discuss how to better support each other and their clients.
