detention

Success Story: Luis Mora Receives Work Permit

There’s more good news on the Luis Mora front, one of our more high-profile cases removal defense cases. Last December, Mr. Mora was detained at Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at a checkpoint and since he was out of status, he was apprehended and detained. He spent New Year behind bars, and expected to be deported. He became the public face of the need to pass the DREAM Act,...

Supreme Court to Decide Whether “When Released” Means Immediately Released from Criminal Custody

In Nielsen v. Preap, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the government’s petition for a writ of certiorari, Kelly v. Preap, in which the question presented is, “Whether a criminal alien becomes exempt from mandatory detention under 8 U.S.C. 1226(c) if, after the alien is released from criminal custody, the Department of Homeland Security does not take him into immigration custody immediately.” The statute in question provides that the Attorney...

We Released Four More Immigrant Detainees from Otay Mesa!

In a powerful showing of solidarity and community, Attorney Lal, Luis Mora, and RISE at Berkeley, worked together to post bond for clients of the ABA Immigration Justice Project of San Diego who were detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. The ABA Immigration Justice Project of San Diego had fought hard to win bonds in these cases but these individuals were detained due to their inability to pay bond. “I...

LGBT Immigrants – The Current Landscape

We have come a long way since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and allowed us to reunite thousands of same-sex bi-national couples. While LGBT U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can now sponsor their same-sex couples for immigration benefits, and benefit from the changes made to assisted reproductive technology laws, there remain plenty of hurdles for LGBT individuals seeking...