HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVER - The Advocates for Human Rights

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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
Observer Page 15Staff and Intern UpdateAlena Chaps has completed her year of service as a St. JosephWorker with the Women’s Program. Alena will now be workingat Hope Community through Sustainable Progress throughEngaging Active Citizens (SPEAC), a program for communityorganizers. Thank you, Alena!Kyrsten Skogstad has finished her year of Lutheran VolunteerCorps service with the Refugee & Immigrant Program inAugust. Kyrsten will start law school at Washington UniversitySchool of Law in St. Louis in August.Kimberly Condon has finished her year with the EducationProgram through AmeriCorps VISTA. Kim will be attending lawschool this fall. Thank you and good luck, Kim!Katie Gaughan has finished her year of service with TheAdvocates through AmeriCorps VISTA. Katie will now move toPortland, Oregon and eventually plans to attend law school.Thank you and all the best, Katie!Emily Good moved to the new role of program director of theRefugee and Immigrant Program.David Hamm has joined The Advocates as the programassistant in Development and Communications throughAmeriCorps VISTA. David is a recent graduate of AugsburgCollege. Welcome, David!Madeline Lohman has joined The Advocates’ EducationProgram as an AmeriCorps VISTA. Madeline is a recentgraduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.Welcome, Madeline!Michele Garnett McKenzie moved into the new role ofdirector of advocacy for the organization.Rosalyn Park moved to the new role of research director.Rebecca Riedell is the new AmeriCorps VISTA in theEducation Program. Rebecca is a recent graduate of HamlineUniversity. Welcome, Rebecca!Madeline Lohman, Rebecca Riedell,and David HammThank you to all of the individuals who served as summerinterns! Atif Khan (University of Minnesota) and BillThomson (University of Wisconsin-Madison) withDevelopment and Communications; Rana Merza (University ofMinnesota) and Lauren Taylor (Grinnell College) with theEducation Program; Allison Cambrone (Pacific LutheranUniversity, Tacoma, WA), Kevin Marimiac (University ofNotre Dame), Jessica Grosz (University of Denver SturmCollege of Law), Molly McLane (Macalester College), andRobert Painter (Macalester College) with the Refugee andImmigrant Program; Erin McCabe (Macalester College),Maggie Crosby (University of Denver), and Michael Walters(University of Minnesota Law School) with Special Projects;and Michelle Collins (Harvard Law School), Gretchen Goetz(Northwestern University), and Jennifer Latz-Hall (Universityof Michigan Law School) with the Women’s Program.Monthly GivingFor your convenience, The Advocates for Human Rightsnow has a monthly giving option.Many Ways to GivePlanned GivingThe Advocates for Human Rights operates on thegenerosity of its supporters.Gifts of any amount can be automatically transferred eachmonth. This method of giving creates steady andsustainable support for our programming.Go to www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.organd click on “Support Us.” You may change your monthlygiving option at any time by contacting The Advocates.To speak to a staff member about this option, please callSarah Herder at (612) 341-3302 ext. 126.To receive information about including The Advocates inyour estate, please contact Sarah Herder at(612) 341-3302 ext. 126 or at sherder@advrights.org.Combined Federal CampaignEmployees of the federal government may choose toselect The Advocates for Human Rights through theCombined Federal Campaign. Please go tohttp://www.opm.gov/cfc/donors/ to learn more.August 2008 Volume XX, Issue 2
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HUMAN RIGHTS OBSERVER - The Advocates for Human Rights

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