Representing Detained Asylum Seekers: Immigration Justice Campaign & International Institute of Akron Pro Bono Attorney Training

Detained asylum seekers are often held in remote facilities with poor conditions of confinement while they await their day in court. Have you wondered how you can help?

Bricker & Eckler invites you to attend a training on pro bono representation of detained asylum seekers, featuring skilled attorneys from the Immigration Justice Campaign and the International Institute of Akron. Pro bono attorneys will learn how to represent detained asylum seekers, including how to prepare and defend an asylum application, how to seek interim release on bond or parole and how to navigate the immigration court system. No prior immigration experience is necessary.

This course has been approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 2.5 total CLE hour(s) instruction.

AGENDA

Check-In and Networking Breakfast
7:30–8:30 a.m.

Welcome and Introductions
8:30–8:40 a.m.

Immigration Detention 101
8:40–9:00 a.m.

An introduction to immigration detention: who is detained, for how long, by whom and some of the hurdles detainees face. 

Release from Detention
9:00–9:20 a.m.

There are two potential avenues to release from detention while a non-citizen's case is pending in immigration court: release on bond and release on “parole.” We will cover both of these forms of release, including how they work, how to apply and how to represent non-citizens seeking bond and parole.

Overview of Asylum Law
9:20–10:05 a.m.

An introduction to the legal standards for asylum, including persecution, the five protected grounds for asylum eligibility, changed country conditions, the one-year filing deadline and firm resettlement. We will also cover eligibility for the related relief of withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture.

Break
10:05–10:10 a.m.

Preparing the Asylum Application
10:10–10:40 a.m.

An overview of the process of applying for asylum defensively before the Immigration Court and an examination of the asylum application. We will discuss the types of evidence that might be submitted in detained asylum cases.

Detained Asylum Hearings
10:40–10:55 a.m.

A discussion of how detained asylum hearings work in the Immigration Court and tips on representing clients at these hearings. Topics include evidentiary issues, presentation of witnesses and client preparation.

Panel Discussion with Past Volunteers
10:55–11:25 a.m.

Panel discussion describing the benefits of volunteering from immigration pro bono volunteers. 

Closing Remarks and Brief Questions
11:25–11:30 a.m.