HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVER - The Advocates for Human Rights

Observer Page 14Asylum Case Practice Advisory:New Court RulesAs of July 1, 2008 there are new practice rules for theImmigration Court. The new practice manual replaces the localoperating procedures that have been guiding practitioners at theBloomington Immigration Court. The new manual is available atthe Court’s website, www.usdoj.gov/eoir. We recommend thatattorneys check the practice manual prior to each submission, asthe Court has advised that the manual is a “living” documentand will be changed and updated as necessary, with updatesbeing noted on the Court’s website.According to the Chief Immigration Judge, the goal of thepractice manual was to provide standardization for all parties.Among the most important requirements is a fifteen-day filingAsylum Seekers Find ReliefThis spring, The Advocates celebrated an increase in the numberof victories from both the Asylum Office and ImmigrationCourt. Clients from Cameroon, Guinea, Cambodia, Russia,Liberia, Togo, Colombia, and Kenya won asylum with the helpof their attorneys, interpreters, and The Advocates’ staff.Michelle Rivero (Rivero Law Office) successfully represented aman from Cameroon who was granted asylum by theImmigration Judge.The William Mitchell Immigration Law Clinic won asylumfor a Cameroonian asylum-seeker before the Immigration Courtbased on his political opinion.Laura Tripiciano (Tripiciano Law Office) represented a womanfrom Guinea who was granted asylum by the Asylum Office.The University of Minnesota Immigration Law Clinic wonasylum for their client from Cambodia at the Asylum Office.Ashwin Madia represented a Cameroonian man at the AsylumOffice who was granted asylum based on his political activism.deadline before all individual, or merits, hearings in ImmigrationCourt. The Immigration Judges all have the authority to issueseparate directives; however, the manual is the default if nospecific order is issued by the Judge. As an example, JudgeOlmanson has recently indicated that she prefers filings withouttabs, and not consecutively numbered between exhibits – bothguidelines enumerated in the manual. All requests from thejudges at our local Bloomington Immigration Court will benoted and posted to www.probono.net/asylum. Attorneys areencouraged to contact their consulting attorney or TheAdvocates staff if they have questions about the new practicemanual.Michele Garnett McKenzie, Emily Good, and MalindaSchmiechen (all of The Advocates) won asylum for a man fromRussia at the Asylum Office based on his ethnicity, nationality,religion, and political opinion.Mark Lee (Maslon, Edelman, Borman & Brand) successfullyrepresented a man from Togo at the Asylum Office who wasseeking asylum based on his political opinion.Colleen Beebe (The Advocates) represented a man fromColombia who was granted asylum by the Asylum Office.Julie Boehmke and Jason Stover (Gray, Plant & Mooty)recently won asylum for their client from Guinea before theImmigration Judge.A woman from Kenya recently won asylum based on her fear ofreturn to domestic violence and political opinion against FGM,thanks to the representation she received from the University ofSt. Thomas Law Clinic.The following individuals have been recognized through gifts toThe Advocates for Human Rights:Frank CuthbertBarbara FreyGrene Clemente GironSam HeinsHaley SkiskalAugust 2008 Volume XX, Issue 2