While my fellow Americans were setting off fireworks and celebrating the Fourth of July with friends and loved ones (Happy Birthday, America!), I was cheering on Roger at Wimbledon. The seven-time Wimbledon champion won his first-round match against Alexandr Dolgopolov, with Dolgopolov retiring during the second set due to an ankle injury. Although this match wasn’t as exciting as I would have hoped, the win marks Roger’s record-breaking 85th single men’s victory at Wimbledon! He also became the third player ever to hit 10,000 aces. I briefly thought about setting off some fireworks at Centre Court to celebrate but wisely decided against it!
A More Inclusive America
State Department Issues Guidelines for Revised Travel Ban
The State Department issued guidelines for the revised travel ban after the Supreme Court partially lifted orders blocking the revised ban earlier this week. The State Department announced that the partial ban would go into effect worldwide beginning at 8pm (EDT) on June 29, 2017. The travel ban affects nationals of six countries—Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen—but does not apply to any applicant who has a credible claim of a “bona fide relationship” with a person or entity in the US.
Read moreCarolyn's Escape!
This year’s annual American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) conference took place in the beautiful city of New Orleans, and our very own Carolyn was incredibly excited to attend! The AILA conference offers the opportunity to meet colleagues and experts in the field of immigration law, as well as learn and discuss new changes and legal interpretations through extensive sessions and panels. Amid all the serious talks, Carolyn escaped for a bit to the beautiful oak trees in Audubon Park. This incredible park, largely designed by renowned landscape architect John Charles Olmsted, consists of pathways, lagoons, tennis courts, stables, and plenty of greenery to sit and relax next to the Mississippi River over a picnic. It even has a zoo! Don’t get lost, Carolyn! We need you back in NYC with all your new knowledge!
Immigration and Beignets: Highlights of the AILA Annual Conference June 2017
Last week, I attended my very first American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) annual conference. Lucky for me, it was in New Orleans, a city I have long wanted to visit. Protima and I had a great time touring the city, eating delicious food, and, oh yes, learning about immigration law! Being an AILA conference beginner, there was a lot to take in—four full days of panels was both exciting and exhausting. Here are some highlights of the experience.
Read moreCNN: “ Supreme Court narrows grounds for revoking citizenship of naturalized citizens”
The Supreme Court last week issued a ruling narrowing the grounds on which naturalized citizens can have their citizenship revoked. The case involved Divna Maslenjak, an ethnic Serb who arrived in the US in 2000 as a refugee and was granted citizenship and later naturalized; however, in 2013, a jury found her guilty of making false statements on her naturalization application. She was subsequently stripped of citizenship.
Read moreNBC News: “Trump Administration: Dreamers Can Stay, Undocumented Parents Must Go”
On the anniversary of the implementation of the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects approximately 800,000 immigrants (also called “dreamers”) who came to the US as children with no legal status by shielding them from deportation and providing them with work authorization for periods of two years, the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formally eliminated a similar program proposed to protect the undocumented parents of these dreamers.
Read moreA Mosaic
Paparazzi Dogs
After taking a tour of Melbourne, Sydney, Beijing, and Shanghai, the Paparazzi Dogs are in New York City! The dogmen, as they are also called, were created by contemporary artists Gillie and Marc, and are currently “taking photographs” in Greenwich Village, after having visited Brooklyn’s DUMBO. “We’re so excited that our Pap Dogs are in New York!” Gillie says on their website. “They’ve traveled the globe taking photos, and now they’ve arrived at the place that has been photographed more than anywhere else.” The Sydney-based husband and wife duo created the series of four life-sized dog sculptures in 2013 and the dogs quickly created such a buzz that celebrities such as Snoop Dogg came to have their photo taken with the dogmen. Gillie and Marc created the sculptures in hopes of raising awareness about the tragic death of the late Princess Diana, which has been blamed in part on overzealous paparazzi. Although the message behind the sculptures is serious, don’t worry, the dogmen are pretty adorable. And don’t worry: they won’t bite!
Oasis: LGBTQ Wellness Center for Latinos and Immigrants
As the largest minority group in the US, Latinos/Hispanics are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. To help deal with this crisis, the Latino Commission on AIDS, a nonprofit based in New York City, founded Oasis, which “provides compassionate, comprehensive and culturally competent wellness services to the LGBT community in New York City.” Operating for nearly a year now, Oasis provides vital HIV and Hep C testing, PrEP counseling, workshops, as well as related programs and services for those in the Latino/Hispanic and immigrant communities.
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