Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
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Join Vermont legal advocates, organizers, and community members for a collaborative “train the trainer” session on how to safely and effectively observe, accompany, and document immigration enforcement activity in Vermont and surrounding regions.

This session will train volunteers, legal professionals, and allies in critical skills for immigration legal observing, accompaniment practices, and data collection to support impacted individuals and communities. The goal is to empower attendees to share the information with their communities to quickly ramp up our potential volunteer base and increase access to verifiable, reliable information about how systems are actually functioning in today’s climate. We’ll cover:

• What to watch for at ICE check-ins, courthouse appearances, unaccompanied youth “wellness checks,” airport transfers, and detentions.

• How to record usable notes or other recordings for witness statements to support habeas corpus and other legal remedies.

• Best practices for safe and ethical data sharing to help document rights violations, combat misinformation and track enforcement trends.

• How accompaniment and community presence can protect rights and build solidarity.

This training is open to everyone committed to defending constitutional and statutory rights, especially for those who may serve as rapid-response witnesses, legal observers, or supporters in immigration enforcement contexts on the ground in Vermont.

🔗 Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/N84TaF55tx

SPECIAL SESSION! FREE 1.0 MCLE (ethics)

“Balancing Ethics, Competence, and Care in Immigration Law Practice”

On Tuesday June 24th, we’re excited to collaborate with VAAP pro bono attorney Lila Shapero and Vermont Bar Counsel Mike Kennedy on a special case rounds session that bridges core legal ethics with the unique challenges of immigration legal practice. We envision starting with Mike’s signature refresher on the Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct—particularly competence, confidentiality, communication, and conflicts—before transitioning into real-world hypotheticals drawn from our casework. These may include dilemmas such as disclosures on immigration forms (e.g., when a client has violated criminal laws without arrest), third-party consults, encrypted and app-based communication, and intra-family conflicts where representation intersects with domestic violence or diverging interests. We hope to explore the We also hope to explore risk mitigation strategies around the unauthorized practice of law and the ethical boundaries of subcontracted legal support, particularly relevant as VAAP expands VBF-funded partnerships with community-rooted providers like MJ and CASP. In addition, we’d welcome dialogue about opportunities for accountability in Vermont when opposing counsel—whether in civil enforcement or criminal prosecution—appear to act in bad faith or violate ethical rules.

We are also increasingly concerned about rising threats to immigration advocates, including recent political rhetoric suggesting prosecution or license revocation for attorneys who educate immigrants about their constitutional and federal legal rights; our novice pro bono volunteers already find the risk of incompetence to clients and themselves chilling. We’d value time to reflect on how afraid we should be, and what protective or strategic steps may be warranted.

Attendees, including attorneys, DOJ-accredited reps, legal fellows, and interns, will come prepared with “live” ethics questions for Mike to respond to in his signature bar counsel style. If time permits, we’d also be glad to include a segment on wellness and sustainability in legal practice—especially as an ethical imperative for those working in high-trauma environments.

All are welcome. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient! A summary of the discussion without attribution will be published on our blog.

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HAPPENING FRIDAY 6/20 FROM 1-2:30PM!

VAAP and VLGS Continuing Legal Education: Habeas Litigation to Prevent ICE Transfers and Prolongued Detention.
In response to the recent arrests of Nacho and Heidi and the need for immediate legal action this weekend, VAAP is convening an emergency CLE to mobilize the legal community around federal habeas corpus litigation as a strategic tool to prevent unnecessary ICE transfers, keep Vermont residents local, and increase their likelihood of release from detention pending removal proceedings. This training is new ground for us—we’ve never led this before and are learning in real time. We are especially eager to crowdsource expertise and welcome seasoned practitioners willing to co-create this resource, shape training materials, or even co-present. If you have relevant experience or insight, please contact us at info@vaapvt.org. 

Training Overview:

• Explore how habeas litigation in the District of Vermont can challenge unjust ICE detention and isolation practices

• Share tools to protect access to counsel and preserve local jurisdiction for detained Vermonters

• Build off the successful release efforts in the cases of Mohsen and Rumeysa, and scale this model as a coordinated defense strategy

Co-presenters will include attorneys from VAAP, the Center for Justice Reform Clinic, and partners (TBA). Training materials are in active development in concert with the ACLU of Vermont, Montroll Oettinger Barquist, Federal Defenders, and the VT Defender General’s Office Appellate Division. 

Who should attend: Any Vermont attorneys or legal professionals ready to take action. No prior immigration experience required. Just bring your commitment and curiosity. Let’s build something new together—urgently, collaboratively, and with the tools we have.

REGISTER AT https://forms.office.com/r/LnEFcd0em2.

CONTACT US AT INFO@VAAPVT.ORG.

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
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CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION PRESENTED BY VAAP

Immigration Bond Practice 101: Tools for Vermont Attorneys to Challenge ICE Detentions. Vermont lawyers showed up in force at the Vermont Lawyers March—now take the next step in helping Vermont legal services attorneys in bringing detained immigrants home. ICE routinely detains immigrants facing removal proceedings for no discernable reason and strategically isolates detainees in faraway detention centers, hoping they’ll give up on their meritorious applications and defenses and instead opt to self-deport. Vermont legal services attorneys are fighting back—filing Immigration Court motions for custody redeterminations and winning release. This 90-minute practical training will introduce you to immigration bond practice: how to challenge ICE detention and help reunite people with their families while their immigration cases move forward in court. Join this time-limited, high-impact effort! No prior immigration experience required, and no obligation to take on the full case after bond. Presented by attorneys from the Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP). Register at https://www.vtbar.org/.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION CO-PRESENTED BY VAAP

Employment-based Immigration: A Tool for Workforce Development and Removal Defense. Employment-based immigration tools aren’t just for corporate clients. In this advanced session, Vermont Bar Association Immigration Section Co-Chairs explore how employment pathways can intersect with humanitarian cases and removal defense strategies. From leveraging work-based visas for clients in removal proceedings to creative alternatives to employment authorization, this CLE will provide practical insights for expanding your advocacy toolbox. Ideal for practitioners ready to think outside the box and collaborate across immigration law subfields. Presented by Becky Fu von Trapp, Esq., founder of Von Trapp Immigration Law, who specializes in employment-based immigration, guiding Vermont employers and global talent through work visa and permanent residency processes; and Jill Martin Diaz, Esq., Executive Director, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP), who focuses on humanitarian immigration law and removal defense. Register at https://www.vtbar.org/.

Cross-Cultural Client Representation (Elimination of Bias Credit)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

FREE to Register and Co-Sponsored by Several AILA Chapters including AILA New England

Webinar speakers. David Wilks, Immigration Partner; Yasmin Blackburn, Immigration Attorney; Brittany Faith, Immigration Attorney; Petula McShiras, Immigration Attorney; Miki Matrician, Immigration Attorney

Agenda. Inclusivity is essential to success as an immigration lawyer, but implementing inclusivity in real life can be difficult. Panelists will provide tips on how best to build confidence and trusting relationships with clients from different cultures, navigate the immigration system, and celebrate America’s diversity. Topics include:
-Confronting and eliminating inappropriate or biased remarks in the office
-Making the client experience accessible to all: from your website to your services
-Bridging your client’s cultural viewpoint to the rigid guidelines of the U.S. government and addressing potential biases by the government
-Demonstrating techniques to address biases during client representation and meeting them where they are
-Understanding your client’s culture to improve your services

REGISTER HERE

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
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CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION CO-PRESENTED BY VAAP

Immigration Law 101: What Every Vermont Lawyer Should Know in 2025. Immigration law touches every practice area—from family law to employment, criminal defense to municipal governance—but few Vermont attorneys feel equipped to answer basic questions for their clients. Join the Vermont Bar Association’s newly appointed Immigration Section Co-Chairs for an accessible overview of the U.S. immigration system, with plain-language explanations of current hot topics, common client scenarios, and practical referral guidance. This session is designed for non-immigration practitioners seeking to better understand how immigration issues intersect with their work. Presented by Becky Fu Von Trapp, Esq., founder of Von Trapp Immigration Law, who specializes in employment-based immigration, guiding Vermont employers and global talent through work visa and permanent residency processes; and Jill Martin Diaz, Esq., Executive Director, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP), who focuses on humanitarian immigration law and removal defense. Register at https://www.vtbar.org/.

Scenario and Action Planning in Times of Crisis

Date/Time
Date(s) - June 5, 2025,1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Fee: $40, Register at: Register Below (scroll down)

Nonprofits are slowly learning how the current administration’s actions will impact their services, funding, and ability to achieve their mission. Navigating this uncertainty can be challenging, but utilizing scenario planning allows organizations to build resilience by identifying potential responses and adapting strategically as federal policies evolve. In this training, participants will learn basic steps in scenario planning and will explore how to use the planning process in a hands-on activity. 

The first 30 minutes of this 90-minute training will go through: 

• How to explore external factors impacts on programming, operations, and funding. 

• How to prioritize factors contributing to the most likely and worst-case impacts. 

• And how to determine actions you can take to reduce negative impacts and risks. 

In the remaining time, participants will have the opportunity to work in pairs to use these tools for their own organization. The session will end with Q&A. 

Why participate? 

• Equips your organization with a framework to navigate uncertainty in an organized process, leading to actions that your organization can take now or later to reduce negative impacts and risks. 

• Empowers an organization’s staff and board to see what they can and/or should be doing now to build flexibility and resilience in the face of uncertainty. 

What will you get from the training? 

• Simple, four sets of questions to use to explore scenarios for your nonprofit. 

• Tools to use to document responses to the questions and the ‘plan’. 

• Opportunity to practice using the tools with colleagues from other organizations. 

• A draft plan for your organization. 

In Vermont's second mass immigration enforcement incident, 10 construction workers were detained on Friday in Newport. They were brought to the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans. Just last month, eight migrant workers were detained at a dairy farm in Berkshire -- half of them have already been deported.

Things are moving fast, even here in Vermont, and it's more important than ever that we stand up to the injustices happening within our communities. It's easy to disconnect from the onslaught of bad news, but I find that coming together often brings a renewed sense of hope and energy that we'll all need to succeed in this movement.

That's why I want to remind you about our No Kings Day Rally events coming up -- so we can show once more that we're one brave little state that refuses to back down.

Join us this Thursday, June 5 from 12 - 1pm for a community activism training on Zoom featuring ACLU of Vermont, 50501 Vermont, Representative Esme Cole, and VPIRG. You'll leave this free virtual training with information about:

•     Rally participation and details

•     Your legal protest rights

•     Safety and de-escalation strategies

•     Holding leaders accountable

•     Defending democracy and taking action

Whether you plan to join the No Kings Day Rally or not, this training webinar will offer you valuable tools sure to come in handy at future events.

NEW community defender training from the National Immigration Project (details below) -

⚖️ Understanding Federal Court Decisions
You may have seen a flurry of headlines over the past few months discussing immigration cases making their way through the federal courts. But what do these cases mean for you? Why does it seem that the same issue results in different decisions from different courts? What is the law where you are? This National Immigration Project training will help you understand the federal court system, teach you key vocabulary, and provide updates on two major current issues in immigration law: the Alien Enemies Act and third country deportations.

This training will be held on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 form 1:30 am - 3:30 pm (PT) | 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm (ET). Learn more and register here. 

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
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MEDIA ADVISORY: May 30, 2025

VAAP to Host Urgent Training for Legal Volunteers Assisting ICE Detainees Today at 8:00AM

WHAT: The Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP) is urgently hosting an informal virtual training this morning for pro bono attorneys, legal workers, and interpreters interested in providing volunteer legal orientation and screening to ICE detainees currently held in Vermont correctional facilities. Members of the press and allied organizations are welcome to RSVP to observe the training as VAAP prepares to deploy volunteer legal teams statewide.

WHEN: Friday, May 31, 2025 from 8:00–9:30 AM ET  

WHERE: Join the MS Teams meeting now (ID: 250 713 468 513 7; email info@vaapvt.org for passcode) or dial in by phone +1 323-433-2356,,108568444# with passcode108 568 444#.

WHY NOW: ICE detained 11 construction workers near Newport yesterday, and an additional seven ICE detainees were transferred today from Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility to Burlington Airport. VAAP confirmed that ICE detainees are now being held in multiple Vermont facilities with extremely limited access to interpreters and legal advice. Immediate legal screening and Know Your Rights support are urgently needed.

DETAILS:

• This is an informal training intended to orient legal volunteers to detention-based immigration legal support.

• Participants are welcome to drop in and out as needed but will be asked to introduce themselves in the chat to maintain a secure space.

• The training will be recorded and shared with attendees.

• VAAP is coordinating with the Vermont Department of Corrections and the Legal Defense bar to clarify procedures for smooth and effective legal visitation.

Media Access: Journalists interested in observing the training or learning more about VAAP’s detention support response may RSVP by emailing info@vaapvt.org.

Witness footage and photos of recent ICE transfers are available upon request. Learn more at www.vaapvt.org.

VAAP hopes to see partners and client communities on Thursday (5/29) for the Pride Center's 25th Annual Gala & Silent Auction.

There will be a table of Vermont Queer Law and Policy Professionals/VAAP folks there - come join us! You can get tickets & start bidding on items here.

The Pride Center is facing serious cuts to their HIV services funding and needs our community's support. If you're not able to make it in person, you can still donate or bid on any of the auction items online up until 7:30pm on Thursday night.

There's something for everyone: spa packages, children's birthday packages, restaurant gift cards, XC ski passes, tattoos, gardening help, cooking classes, and so, so much more!

A deep thank you to everyone who is stepping up for our queer hub in this moment of challenge.

De-Escalation Strategies for Front-Line and Office Staff: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Safer Workplaces

Date/Time
Date(s) - May 29, 2025
10:00 am - 11:30 am

Fee: $40
Register at: Register Below (scroll down)

In today’s workplaces, both front-line and office staff are increasingly encountering high-stress interactions that can quickly escalate. Whether dealing with upset clients, visitors or colleagues, having the tools to respond calmly and effectively is essential—not just for nonprofit staff but also their organization to compassionately and safely support folks in crisis.

Join us for an interactive and practical webinar designed to equip staff at all levels with de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed care principles, and policy recommendations that support a safer, more compassionate workplace.

In this webinar, participants will learn:

• Core de-escalation techniques tailored to front-line and office settings

• The impact of trauma on behavior and communication—and how to respond with empathy

• Strategies to regulate one’s own stress response in challenging situations

• How to create safer physical and emotional spaces for both employees and clients

• Practical policy ideas for fostering a culture of safety, dignity, and accountability

Who Should Attend:
Front-line staff, administrative and office workers, HR professionals, supervisors, and anyone interested in improving communication, reducing workplace conflict, and building trauma-informed practices into everyday work.

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
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REGISTER HERE

CARL is pleased to announce that registration is now open for CARL’s Spring 2025 conference, to be held on 23 May 2025 in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax. Zoom access will also be available to registrants who are unable to attend in person.

Conference details are set out below:

• Date: 23 May 2025

• Start: 7:30am (PDT) / 8:30 AM (MDT) / 10:30am (EDT)  / 11:30 am (ADT)

• End: 1:45 pm (PDT) / 2:45 pm (MDT) / 4:45pm (EDT) / 5:45 pm (ADT)

VAAP Panel: Updates affecting refugee law and refugee lawyers in the USA. 3:15-4:45 (EDT)

Moderated by U.S./Canadian attorney Anne-Cecile Khouri-Raphael

Featuring U.S. attorneys

• Nicole Johnson (Deputy-Attorney in Charge, Immigration Law Unit – Legal Aid Society New York),

• Jill Martin Diaz (Executive Director, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project), and

• Andrea Saenz (Senior Counsel, Cocounsel.org and former Immigration Judge of the Board of Immigration Appeals).

The Family Room te invita a una Noche de Papeleo el Mierocoles, 21 de Mayo localizado por 20 Allen Street, Burlington.

Alli se podria:

• Aplicar por seguro medico, asistencia financial, citas medicas o dentales, asistencia comida, enlaces al distrito de escuela, la guarderia, etc.

• Pedir educacion sobre la migracion.

• Cenar con su comunidad.

Evento Privado.

RSVP con Moira por 802-373-0738.

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
________________________________________________________________________________

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Meeting ID: 299 027 927 804

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________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
________________________________________________________________________________

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Meeting ID: 299 027 927 804

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Join us for an online session on getting support and exercising your rights as Trans and Queer immigrants in Vermont. Co-hosted by Migrant Justice, Pride Center of Vermont, and Vermont Asylum Assistance Project.

(Over Zoom) Bilingual in Spanish and English

Pre-registration required

Link here: Conocer tus derechos: Sesión informativa para inmigrantes queer y trans / Know Your Rights: Info Session for Trans and Queer Immigrants

Or call 802-863-0003

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
________________________________________________________________________________

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Meeting ID: 299 027 927 804

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300+ Vermont Lawyers are Marching

…to demonstrate their commitment to protecting the Rule of Law and to underscore the central importance to American Democracy of insisting that federal agents and agencies follow the rule of law. If you would like to attend the rally and march, or you are an attorney in Vermont and you would like to add your name to our statement below, please RSVP. Lawyers attending are encouraged to wear black or dark blue “courthouse” attire, comfortable walking shoes, and to bring signs related to the Rule of Law.

Join us Saturday, May 3 at 12:00 PM. Chittenden Superior Court. 175 Main Street, Burlington, VT.

Lawyers gather at 12:00 PM. Lawyers and protestors will march north along Church Street to the Federal Courthouse on Elmwood Avenue, to a rally with speakers on the green at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, directly across from the Federal Courthouse.

Speakers: Leslie Black, Emcee; Harrison Stark, ACLU; David Silver, Criminal Defense Attorney. Honorable Charity Clark, Vermont Attorney General. Dawn Seibert, Immigration Attorney; Elizabeth Shackelford, Columnist and former Foreign Service Career Diplomat.

RSVP HERE

Tuesday Mornings with VAAP. New, Simplified Case Rounds! Thanks to your feedback, we’ve simplified our case rounds schedule — no more alternating weeks or confusing changes! Starting now, every Tuesday on Microsoft Teams from 9-11AM:

• 🕘 9AM — Legal practitioners focus (attorneys, accredited reps, law students)

• 🕙 10AM — Lay advocates, volunteers, and community supporters focus

All are welcome at either or both sessions. General information only, not legal advice. Intros on arrival and no personally identifying information for clients, please. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, and no RSVP needed! As the National Lawyers Guild National Immigration Project (NIPNLG) remind us, building and engaging with communities of practice is the #1 way to ensure ethical, high-quality advocacy and to protect clients during this time. Thank you for helping us make immigration legal work more accessible, collaborative, and resilient!
________________________________________________________________________________

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Meeting ID: 299 027 927 804

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________________________________________________________________________________

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Recent Department of Justice memos have introduced new threats of criminal prosecution targeting state and local officials, as well as individuals and organizations serving immigrant communities. This critical webinar will help people understand the current enforcement landscape and assess potential legal exposure in their work. Legal experts will discuss lessons learned from Texas, discuss specific federal statutes, past and current examples of federal prosecution and provide practical frameworks for evaluating risk in your daily operations and programs. Join us to learn how to protect yourself and your organization while continuing to serve immigrant communities effectively.
Please contact Kgomotso Magagula at cnalaw@umn.edu

REGISTER HERE

On Friday, February 28th, please join Rabbi David Fainsilber and the rest of the congregation at the Jewish Community of Greater Stowe (JOGS) synagogue for a Refugee Shabbat and Tikkun Olam.

Please contact JOGS at (802) 253-1800 if you need support or would like additional information.

VAAP hosts virtual Q&A on the third Tuesday morning and last Thursday lunch of each month. All service VT providers seeking general information about the immigration legal system and how it interacts with your clients’ access to benefits and services are welcome to drop in and listen or participate. We will facilitate this series “clinic style,” meaning we will focus our time on fostering supportive, confidential, judgement-free, reflective, and ultimately action-oriented discussion. No RSVP necessary, come when you can, and no need to stay for the whole meeting. Just come prepared to introduce yourself as well as an anonymized version of your questions for engaging group discussion! Please note that VAAP is unable to provide legal advice during these meetings nor to accept requests for intake.

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Meeting ID: 231 101 305 486

Passcode: L3udpF