In one of his most dangerous moves so far, Trump instructed the DHS and the DOJ to use "professional ethics" as a mechanism for silencing lawyers who challenge him in court or represent immigrants.
I’ll try to move this into the main body of the post later, but here’s an update from the American Immigration Lawyers Assocation who just released the statement about this today.
Thanks for writing this, Austin. After the first half I was more scared of this regime than I ever have been, but by the end I am more determined than ever to fight back by continuing to volunteer at my local immigration clinic. If you’re reading this you should too!
Now, I'm in full panic mode. I bought a house right before the election. I'm a legal aid immigration attorney and now have a serious threat to my profession, my passion in life, my job, my housing, my money…everything. All because I went to law school 20 yrs. ago to help people and work for legal aid earning more than 50% less than private attorneys. All just to make a difference in the world and be thrown under the bus by the government at the height of my career.
Thanks for fighting the fight. I hope you understand that the more unfair the regime proves itself to be, the more allies you will have to catch you if your career is devastated. Communities will turn spaces into crisis centers, and they will collect and distribute what people need. You will be fed, you will be honored. thank you for your courage.
I'd like to think this, truly, but not many people have sympathy for an unemployed attorney, no matter what kind of law we practice. The public image of an attorney being rich and able to snag a job easily is pretty pervasive.
Everyone (actually, I am referring to those on the right side of history) should discontinue reacting to the minutia of the aspiring new "Hizler" and instead, focus on the large picture: him and his unAmerican shameful bandits are after one and only one thing--> the destruction of America the beautiful and its restructuring as a dead civilization under new management.
Hey Austin, I think it was Sherrilyn Ifill who put out the call to band together - @sifill.bsky.social. What's especially galling about this memo is that it's targeting precisely the immigration attorneys who are doing the BEST work, not the ones who are ACTUALLY gaming the system and couldn't care less about the noncitizens who've hired them. The administration is just mad that some of us care enough to fight back for our clients.
Excellent piece, Austin. We immigration attorneys knew this was coming. It has been the topic of conversation for the past couple of weeks, but grew in intensity after Trump started going after the big firms. Earlier last week week, I even commented to my husband that I thought immigration lawyers would be targeted soon if not next. On the one hand, it's so predictable that it's laughable. But I suppose once my ability to access federal buildings is limited, I won't find it so laughable any more. I do have a hard time believing that even the conservative courts, particularly the Supreme Court, would accept such a blatant attack on the legal profession. I hope NOT to be surprised.
When I think of all the hard-working immigration advocates that I've helped get immigrants' paperwork together to submit to the USCIS... and then you hear all these baseless smears about their integrity... I just want to scream! How dare he! I know who should be impeached and it isn't the immigration judges.
For a completely different angle on life as an immigration lawyer, why not have a look at the Substack written by Colin Yeo? He writes at 'We wanted workers...'
I’ll try to move this into the main body of the post later, but here’s an update from the American Immigration Lawyers Assocation who just released the statement about this today.
https://www.aila.org/library/aila-rejects-administration-s-dangerous-restrictions-on-immigration-attorneys
Thanks for writing this, Austin. After the first half I was more scared of this regime than I ever have been, but by the end I am more determined than ever to fight back by continuing to volunteer at my local immigration clinic. If you’re reading this you should too!
Now, I'm in full panic mode. I bought a house right before the election. I'm a legal aid immigration attorney and now have a serious threat to my profession, my passion in life, my job, my housing, my money…everything. All because I went to law school 20 yrs. ago to help people and work for legal aid earning more than 50% less than private attorneys. All just to make a difference in the world and be thrown under the bus by the government at the height of my career.
Thanks for fighting the fight. I hope you understand that the more unfair the regime proves itself to be, the more allies you will have to catch you if your career is devastated. Communities will turn spaces into crisis centers, and they will collect and distribute what people need. You will be fed, you will be honored. thank you for your courage.
I'd like to think this, truly, but not many people have sympathy for an unemployed attorney, no matter what kind of law we practice. The public image of an attorney being rich and able to snag a job easily is pretty pervasive.
It's a PM...Presidential Memo...not an EO. Otherwise, excellent post. Thank you!
Ah! Thank you, Dan. I'll fix that.
Everyone (actually, I am referring to those on the right side of history) should discontinue reacting to the minutia of the aspiring new "Hizler" and instead, focus on the large picture: him and his unAmerican shameful bandits are after one and only one thing--> the destruction of America the beautiful and its restructuring as a dead civilization under new management.
Hey Austin, I think it was Sherrilyn Ifill who put out the call to band together - @sifill.bsky.social. What's especially galling about this memo is that it's targeting precisely the immigration attorneys who are doing the BEST work, not the ones who are ACTUALLY gaming the system and couldn't care less about the noncitizens who've hired them. The administration is just mad that some of us care enough to fight back for our clients.
I need a break already. Geesh. Can't get away from it. HELP!
It's nonstop.
It’s bad enough all the burnout and secondary trauma. Now this?!? 🤬
Excellent piece, Austin. We immigration attorneys knew this was coming. It has been the topic of conversation for the past couple of weeks, but grew in intensity after Trump started going after the big firms. Earlier last week week, I even commented to my husband that I thought immigration lawyers would be targeted soon if not next. On the one hand, it's so predictable that it's laughable. But I suppose once my ability to access federal buildings is limited, I won't find it so laughable any more. I do have a hard time believing that even the conservative courts, particularly the Supreme Court, would accept such a blatant attack on the legal profession. I hope NOT to be surprised.
When I think of all the hard-working immigration advocates that I've helped get immigrants' paperwork together to submit to the USCIS... and then you hear all these baseless smears about their integrity... I just want to scream! How dare he! I know who should be impeached and it isn't the immigration judges.
He's a criminal and so I'd be hesitant in taking orders from an unreliable source!!
For a completely different angle on life as an immigration lawyer, why not have a look at the Substack written by Colin Yeo? He writes at 'We wanted workers...'
Here's a link: https://wewantedworkers.substack.com/
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