Vermont Asylum Assistance Project is a legal services and technical assistance organization that exists to mentor no-cost and low-cost immigration lawyers and legal workers; educate and serve immigrants and community members; maximize impact across sectors; and advocate to protect immigrants’ rights. www.vaapvt.org.
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
🚨 Big News, Big Moves — Don’t Miss This VAAP Update! 🚨
We’ve got a lot to share, and it's all worth your time. From urgent policy updates to today's immigration-employment CLE — here’s what’s inside:
TODAY April 7th at 10am. Join VAAP on Zoom for continuing legal education (CLE) co-presented with union and employee-side attorney Tim Belcher, Paul Frank + Collins labor and employment practice director Kerin Stackpole, and Attorney General's Office civil rights division co-director Julio Thompson. This Vermont Bar Association event will cover employee issues including work authorization and work visas; employer issues like I-9 reporting requirements; and practical advice on the latest federal actions impacting immigrant workers. This is Jill's first VBA presentation since being appointed Immigration Section co-chair alongside business and family immigration attorney, Becky Fu von Trapp. Register here. Can't make it?
NOTE THE SCHEDULE CHANGE. Every Tuesday from 9-10:30am, VAAP hosts virtual immigration case rounds alternating focus between legal and lay service providers. Come when you can and leave when you need. No RSVP - just come prepared to introduce yourself as well as an anonymized version of your case/project questions for judgment-free and action-oriented group discussion. We can't keep up with ad hoc consult requests, so please save your questions and come to VAAP's weekly case rounds instead!
SAVE THE DATE! May 6th VAAP will join forced with Migrant Justice and Pride Center Vermont for a bilingual Spanish/English Know Your Rights webinar for queer immigrants. Spanish-language flyer coming soon! Click below to register.
This week, VAAP meets legal service partnersAALV, USCRI, WISE, and CJRC along with state and federal reps and local litigators to strategize on unmet needs. With parole programs ending, USCIS registration launching, and defensive AND affirmative asylum starting to move, we need a concerted effortfor equitable access to legal info and services statewide. NOBODY has to self-deport, including expiring parolees. Stay tuned for guidance!
Gratitude to VAAP's Emma Matters-Wood, Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow, whose exceptional legal advocacy stopped a VT asylum seeker's illegal deportation and won their freedom from ICE detention. Immigrants should know that detention is NOT deportation. Immigrants HAVE rights to speak to a lawyer and be heard on any fear of returning. If detained by ICE, call Legal Services Vermont's hotline for help: 1-800-889-2047.
We've presented tailored know your rights (KYRs) to impacted people at AALV and Spectrum Youth, and to providers of gender violence services, shelter services, education services, child and family services, and chambers of commerce. Next, we present to impacted queer immigrants and families supported by UVM Ext. Request a KYR at info@vaapvt.org. Watch an example KYR recording here.
FEDERAL ADVOCACY
VAAP stands proudly with our fellow organizational plaintiffs and counsel as we build momentum on our Temporary Restraining Order and file for an Preliminary Injunction in our impact litigation CLESPA v. HHS. The litigation aims to restore the national immigrant youth removal defense fund which the Executive Branch suspended and then cancelled last month. Thanks to your generous support, March saw VAAP return our two IJC Fellows to work from furlough despite losing 75% of their funding. Missed the furlough news?
Last week, VAAP joined family and business immigration lawyer Sidney Collier to represent the American Immigration Lawyers Association New England Chapter for an advocacy day with Vermont congressional delegates on Capitol Hill. We urged their continued support for common sense legislation in Congress, greater oversight of immigration processing and enforcement back home, and increased immigrant services leadership at the local level to combat harmful misinformation and champion the spread of reliable information. Learn more about Senators Sanders and Welch and Representative Balint and contact them directly here. Watch Rep. Balint feature VAAP in her February press conference on immigrant rights here.
