The International Justice Resource Center and the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies invite lawyers and other advocates to register for The Human Rights of Migrants: Challenges and Opportunities in California, a CLE seminar to be held on September 23, 2016 at UC Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Through this one-day training, participants will discuss current, pressing concerns related to the rights of migrants and asylum seekers, including legal representation, detention, access to asylum, and workers’ rights.
Participants will gain knowledge and practical insights on using human rights tools – international legal standards, complaints mechanisms, and other advocacy channels – to tackle these problems in California, and will have opportunities to discuss and workshop these strategies with national experts and advocates from throughout California.
6.5 hours of CLE credit, materials, lunch, and an evening reception are included in the registration cost for attendees. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer CLE credit to webcast viewers.
Thank you to Public Counsel and the International Law & Practice Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco for their co-sponsorship of this program.
Please contact IJRC ([email protected]) with questions or to request a scholarship to cover the registration cost.
AGENDA
8:30 – 9:00: Registration
UC Hastings College of the Law, Alumni Reception Center, 2nd Floor, 200 McAllister Street
9:00 – 9:30: Welcome & Introduction to the Human Rights of Migrants
The international human rights framework provides lawyers and other advocates with a range of tools and opportunities for advancing the rights of migrants and asylum seekers locally, nationally and internationally. This opening session will provide a brief introduction to the international human rights framework and its relevance to migrants’ rights, as well as a concise outline of the topics that will be discussed in each of the following sessions.
Speaker: Lisa Reinsberg, Executive Director, International Justice Resource Center
9:30 – 10:15: The Inter-American System & Migrants’ Rights
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and Court of Human Rights have addressed migrants’ rights through their complaints systems, emergency protective measures, monitoring, and reporting. This session will introduce the Commission and Court, their mandates, and the Inter-American standards and decisions relevant to migrants’ rights.
Speakers: Francisco Rivera, Director, International Human Rights Clinic, Santa Clara Law
Roxanna Altholz, Associate Director, International Human Rights Law Clinic, UC Berkeley School of Law
10:15 – 10:30: Break
10:30 – 11:15: United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms & Migrants’ Rights
The speakers will provide an overview of the United Nations human rights mechanisms most relevant to those working in California to protect or promote the rights of migrants and asylum seekers. These include the: Human Rights Committee, Committee against Torture, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, UN Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. Speakers will discuss examples of engaging with UN mechanisms to promote changes in law, policy or practice.
Speakers: Sarah Paoletti, Director, Transnational Legal Clinic, University of Pennsylvania Law School
Eleanor Openshaw, Head of Regional Advocacy, International Service for Human Rights
11:15 – 12:00: Current Concerns for Migrants’ Rights in California
The speakers will review the current trends, concerns, challenges, and opportunities related to the rights of migrants in (or seeking to migrate to) California. This review will include the abuses and vulnerabilities migrant communities are experiencing, crisis situations, and litigation and advocacy targeting federal and state policies. This session will also introduce the hypotheticals that will form the basis of facilitated group discussion in the afternoon.
Speakers: Christine Lin, Senior Staff Attorney and CGRS-California Managing Attorney, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Cynthia Buiza, Executive Director, California Immigrant Policy Center
12:00 – 12:15: Break
12:15 – 1:00: Lunchtime “Fireside Chat”: Key Policy Goals
This conversation will explore policy priorities at the state or federal level that are relevant to the advancement of migrants’ rights, and will provide insight into the current political dynamic.
Speakers: Daniel Torres, Director of Immigrant Integration, Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.
Margie Estrada, Chief Counsel, California State Senate Judiciary Committee
Moderator: Blaine Bookey, Co-Legal Director, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
1:00 – 1:45: Migrants’ Access to Legal Representation
The speakers will discuss the current situation and advocacy goals related to migrants’ access to legal representation in California. With contributions from the morning’s international human rights experts, the speakers will then lead a discussion with participants around applying human rights strategies to these problems and goals.
Speakers: Judy London, Directing Attorney, Immigrants’ Rights Project, Public Counsel
Jayashri Srikantiah, Director, Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, Stanford Law School
Discussant: Clara Long, U.S. Immigration Policy Researcher, Human Rights Watch
1:45 – 2:00: Break
2:00 – 2:45: Detention and Raids
The speakers will discuss the current situation and advocacy goals related to the detention of migrants and asylum seekers and immigration raids in California. With contributions from the morning’s international human rights experts, the speakers will then lead a discussion with participants around applying human rights strategies to these problems and goals.
Speakers: Eleni Wolfe-Roubatis, Immigration Program Director, Centro Legal de la Raza
Laura Sanchez, Staff Attorney and Immigration Legal Program Director, CARECEN
Discussant: Roxanna Altholz, Associate Director, International Human Rights Law Clinic, UC Berkeley School of Law
2:45 – 3:30: Access to Asylum and Protection in the Region
The speakers will discuss the current situation and advocacy goals related to access to asylum and other forms of protection in our region. With contributions from the morning’s international human rights experts, the speakers will then lead a discussion with participants around applying human rights strategies to these problems and goals.
Speakers: Lisa Frydman, Director of Regional Policy and Initiatives, KIND
Karen Musalo, Director, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Discussant: Jessica Therkelsen, Global Policy Director, Asylum Access
3:30 – 4:15: Migrant Workers’ Rights
The speakers will discuss the current situation and advocacy goals related to migrant workers’ rights in California. With contributions from the morning’s international human rights experts, the speakers will then lead a discussion with participants around applying human rights strategies to these problems and goals.
Speakers: Christopher Ho, Senior Staff Attorney and Director, Immigration and National Origin Program, Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center
Debra Smith, Senior Trial Attorney, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Discussant: Britton Schwartz, Clinical Teaching Fellow, Environmental Law Clinic, UC Berkeley School of Law
4:15 – 4:45: Recap of Key Takeaways and Preview of the Way Forward
Looking back over the presentations and discussions of the day, the speaker will synthesize the key takeaways, areas of consensus or dissent, and questions raised, before describing possible paths forward for enhanced effectiveness and collaboration.
Speaker: Eunice Lee, Co-Legal Director, Center for Gender & Refugee Studies
Brittany West, Staff Attorney, International Justice Resource Center
4:45 – 6:30: Evening Reception in the Skyroom
Please join the speakers, participants, and special invited guests for a wine and dessert reception in the Skyroom, on the 24th floor of 100 McAllister Street.
