The Intersection between Reproductive Justice and Immigrant Rights – A Conversation with Juliana Serrano, Vice President of Advocacy & Equity at Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley

On the 25th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Juliana Serrano from Planned Parenthood. Juliana Serrano is the Vice President of Advocacy & Equity at Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley (PPPSGV). In this role, Juliana works to advance their mission through the strategic implementation of electoral and advocacy activities that promote policies favorable to Planned Parenthood at all levels of government. She creates and leads the vision and strategy for community affairs, government affairs, and advocacy work, and she also leads the organization’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, focused on partnerships for health equity in our communities.

Before this, Juliana was the Senior Associate for Peace & Justice and the Office for Creative Connections at All Saints Church for more than eleven years. She was honored to work on efforts such as police reform; the fight for $15; immigrant rights; homelessness; affordable housing; health care access; reintegration; environmental justice; voting rights and more. To this day, she still serves on The City of Pasadena’s first Community Police Oversight Commission as well as many other positions that have allowed her to advocate for change in Pasadena and greater Los Angeles. Juliana is the daughter of Colombian immigrant parents. Juliana received her B.A. in Psychology, with minors in Sociology and Philosophy, from Loyola Marymount University (LMU/LA). 

In this episode Juliana tells us about her spirituality and life in college and how that ignited her love for social change. She has been an advocate for many communities all throughout her years and eventually landed in Planned Parenthood doing work in reproductive justice. Juliana describes the work she does at PPPSGV and the intersection between immigrant rights and reproductive justice. She also goes into detail about the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and what Planned Parenthood is doing to fight this. She expresses the way in which these threats to healthcare access affect immigrant and marginalized communities at a higher rate.

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“Planned Parenthood has been actively working on partnering with immigrant rights organizations to advance policies at the State and Federal level to ensure that immigrants are protected. We want to make sure that the immigrant community, just like other communities, aren’t further marginalized and oppressed by these horrific policies that seem to be enacted across the nation when it comes to making decisions about one’s own health care.”

— Juliana Serrano

You can keep up with the work Planned Parenthood does via their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You can find Juliana Serrano directly on LinkedIn. Signup to be a volunteer with PPPSGV via their website. Please consider donating as well!

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes. 

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

Majoring in Grit – The Real Challenge for an Undocumented Student isn’t the Classwork – An interview with Attorney Jessica Viramontes from CARECEN

On the 24th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Jessica Viramontes. Jessica is a proud daughter of Mexican immigrant parents. She taught Ethnic Studies & Global Leadership for 12 years before becoming an Immigration attorney. She's traveled to several countries all over the world meeting with different community groups around the issues of food justice, land rights, migration/refugees, climate justice, mass incarceration, and resistance. She has organized with immigrant communities and helped create a cooperative of day laborers that would remove lawns to restore native plants and promote growing food in LA. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Chicana/o Studies and Humanities, from Loyola Marymount University, and her Master of Arts degree in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University. She has her juris doctor from Peoples College of Law.  Jessica is a Staff Attorney with CARECEN's College Legal Services Project providing free legal services to community college students, staff and faculty. She is an urban farmer, a soccer player and plays traditional son jarocho music.  

Jessica has always been interested in traveling which exposed her to a variety of social movements and immigrant struggles. She taught Chicano studies for 12 years and eventually became an attorney with CARECEN. CARECEN (Central American Resource Center Los Angeles) is the largest Central American immigrant rights organization in the country, that empowers Central Americans and all immigrants by defending human and civil rights, working for social and economic justice, and promoting cultural diversity. Jessica specifically assists low income undocumented students (a lot of them DACA recipients) navigate their journey through higher education by offering free legal services. 

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“I love when I’m able to hear stories and connect people to a resource. It’s such an incredible opportunity to be able to help someone see their father for the first time in 20 years for example. Its life changing and transformative for that person.”

— Jessica Viramontes

You can learn more about CARECEN and the services they offer via their website. If you are a student that wants to connect with their College Legal Services Project you can book an appointment here or find other higher education legal services here.  Follow CARECEN on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes. 

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

The Truth About The U.S. Border Patrol: Jenn Budd, Former Border Patrol Agent Turned Activist and Author of “Against The Wall”

On the 23rd episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Jenn Budd. Jenn Budd is a former Border Patrol agent turned immigrant-rights activist. Jenn was a former Senior Patrol agent and Intelligence agent with the U.S. Border Patrol but after many years of witnessing the cruelty and abuse of the agency towards migrants, she decided to denounce her position and speak out against the agency. Jenn is also the author of her memoir Against the Wall – My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Right Activist. She wrote this book in hopes that it would help change the brutal and inhumane immigration system. Her journey is not just a look at the inside of the US Border Patrol, but a look into what enforcing such inhumane policies does to both agents and migrants.  She discusses issues of racism, mental health, being LGBTQ, being an ally, working in an abusive environment and how to survive. Jenn Budd has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Vice, CBS and many other outlets which have helped share her unique story.

In this episode, Jenn tells us about her upbringing in Northern Alabama and how she joined the U.S. border patrol as a sort of escape from her abusive household. She goes into detail on the type of work she did detaining migrants crossing the border and the reality of what happens there. Jenn also recounts very personal stories of her experience with hazing, harassment and sexual assault, as well as the mental health issues she later had to cope with. You can read more about this in Jenn Budd’s memoir Against the Wall – My Journey from Border Patrol Agent to Immigrant Right Activist.

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“I was experiencing a lot of mental health issues, a lot of anger. I was having a lot of problems because of all of the death I was encountering and seeing because of the policies that I was enforcing at the U.S. border patrol.”

— Jenn Budd

Purchase a copy of her book on Barnes & Noble or Amazon to learn more about her story. Keep up with Jenn Budd on her website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes.

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

How An Undocumented Immigrant Became A U.S. Permanent Resident And Is Using His Story To Make Change–A Conversation With Digital Strategist Juan Escalante

On the 22nd episode of Immigration Today! Angeline interviews Juan Escalante. Juan Escalante is a formerly undocumented nationally renowned digital strategist and widely recognized immigration advocate. Juan’s immigration story began when his parents fled Venezuela in the year 2000, with Juan and his two brothers, following the election of Hugo Chavez. In 2006, an immigration attorney mishandled the Escalante’s case, which led them to lose their immigration status despite “waiting in line” while paying taxes and immigration fees. By the time President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012, Juan had graduated from Florida State University with a political science degree and had helped spearhead some of the digital tactics used in immigration-related campaigns across the country. Juan returned to FSU and obtained a master’s degree in public administration in 2015. He has remained a fierce and relentless advocate for immigrant rights and leads state and national efforts to pass sensible immigration legislation. Juan resides in Los Angeles and his work has been highlighted in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, USA Today, Univision, CNN and Netflix. 

In this podcast, Juan details out his immigration story and how this affected his decision to become an advocate today. Unlike many undocumented immigrants, Juan entered the U.S. legally with a visa and had hopes of becoming a citizen at a young age. After being a victim of fraud from predatory attorneys, he and his family had to navigate the reality of being undocumented. Juan has now gained lawful permanent residency but continues to use his voice to keep DACA and fight for a more permanent solution for Dreamers and others who are undocumented.  He uses the power of the internet to tell his story and shape immigration narratives online in an effort to positively affect the view of undocumented people in this nation.

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“If you are undocumented today, you may feel powerless, and you may feel limited by a variety of different scenarios. But the truth of the matter is, we have a lot more resources and helping hands than before. So, I encourage people to reach out, to get educated and experience life as they’re feeling it. Not to become so overwhelmed or jaded that you are not able to build your own piece of the journey.””

— Juan Escalante

You can follow Juan on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linked in. Visit his website here!

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes. 

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

Breaking Anti-immigration Narratives on YouTube – An Interview with Shauna Siggelkow from Define American

On the 21st episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Shauna Siggelkow. Shauna Siggelkow is an experienced digital content producer and strategist, whose work focuses on the intersection of digital media and social justice. She is the Director of Digital Storytelling at Define American where she develops original research-based content strategies to combat xenophobia online. She is a film producer working in media production, research and advocacy, a former producer for MTV’s Emmy-Nominated White People; and formerly on Video & Development at the LA Times. 

Define American is a culture change organization that uses the power of narrative to humanize conversations about immigrants. Shauna is the co-author of a new report from Define American which examines the impact of anti-immigration YouTube videos have on the American public. 

In this podcast, Shauna goes into depth about how YouTube has the power to affect the American public opinion and action around immigration. Specifically, the report analyzes anti-immigration content, The Great Replacement theory, the way this content is packaged and how it affects real-life decisions of its viewers. The reason this report focuses on the “anti” side is because there is an understanding that in order to refute anti-immigrant arguments it is necessary to understand them as well. Shauna also goes into the “toolkit” that Define American has developed which provides resources for people to combat these narratives. 

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If you are interested in reading this report you can download a copy at  Define America’s website. You can also access their online toolkit here.

Please follow Define American on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube. You can follow Shauna Siggelkow on Instagram and Twitter as well.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes. 

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

The Real Economics of Immigration - An Interview with Professor and Author Tara Watson

On the 20th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Dr. Tara Watson. Tara Watson is an economist who focuses on U.S. social policy, with interests in the safety net, health, and immigration. She is a Professor of Economics at Williams College since 2004, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and a Co-Editor of the Journal of Human Resources. In 2015-2016, Watson served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Microeconomic Analysis in the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Economic Policy. She was previously a Robert Wood Johnson Scholar in Health Policy Research at the University of Michigan, a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and a Research Associate at the Princeton Center for Research on Child Wellbeing. Dr. Watson earned her Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 2003. Her 2021 book, “The Border Within: The Economics of Immigration in an Age of Fear,” (University of Chicago, 2022) co-authored by journalist Kalee Thompson, provides a compelling analysis of the costs and impacts of immigration and immigration policy on every aspect of American life, from the labor force to social welfare programs to tax revenue. 

In this interview, Dr. Watson discusses her background as a professor, and explains her passion for researching and writing about immigration. She was approached by the University of Chicago Press in 2014 and was asked if she would be willing to write a book, so she embarked in a years-long journey to do so. One of the most important goals here is to bring more statistical and evidence driven information to the narratives of migration. Tara realized that when an audience learns about immigration its entirely focused on the humanitarian and ethical point of view which can be easy to dismiss. When economists write about immigration, they often just focus on statistics which aren’t very compelling, so marrying the humanitarian and statistical point of view seemed ideal. Economist Tara Watson and Journalist Kalee Thompson pair rigorous analysis with deeply personal stories from immigrants and their families to assess immigration’s effects on every aspect of American life. In this episode, Tara gives us a brief insight into her book as she discusses stereotypes about “immigrants taking American jobs” and “being criminals” and what the data really says about this. 

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“As I was writing my book, there are two things I really took away. First, the level of unpredictability and chaos in the immigration system and how vicious it was. People, who on paper, would look like they’ve had very similar situations and had made very similar decisions, just end up in completely different circumstances because of their immigration status and the draconian policies that rule it. Second, the degree to which fear and anxiety around these issues dominate the policies that we have on the books.”

— Dr. Tara Watson

You can buy this book on Amazon and the University of Chicago website. You can also follow Dr. Watson on her Twitter account and LinkedIn to stay up to date with her findings. 

The Different Treatment of Asylum Seekers at the U.S. Mexican Border – A Talk with Ginger Cline from Al Otro Lado

On the 19th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen welcomes Ginger Cline. Ginger is a Staff Attorney Justice Fellow for Al Otro Lado's Tijuana office. Al Otro Lado is a bi-national advocacy and legal aid organization serving migrants, refugees and deportees in the United States and Mexico. Ginger’s focus is on supporting African and Haitian asylum seekers by advocating for their release from detention and assisting with their asylum applications. In addition, she advises individuals fighting their asylum cases from Tijuana under the Remain in Mexico program. Prior to joining Al Otro Lado, she represented Central American asylum seekers through the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinic, served as Co-President of the Harvard Immigration Project, and interned for a semester at the Boston Immigration Court. During her law school summers, Ginger interned at RAICES Texas, where she represented asylum seeking women detained at the Karnes Detention Center, and at HIAS Kenya where she submitted resettlement applications on behalf of refugees in Nairobi. 

In this episode Ginger goes into detail about her background, her educational journey and how she landed in Tijuana advocating for immigrant rights. Her passion for immigrant rights began as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan where she would volunteer at Freedom House, which is a temporary home for asylum seekers in Detroit. She quickly learned how difficult it was for people to navigate the asylum system in the U.S. She eventually obtained her M.A. in International Relations from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, an M.Sc. in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Ginger also goes into detail about how the Ukrainian war has affected her work at the U.S. Mexican border, the differences she has noticed in the treatment of Black asylum seekers, and we also learn about Tittle 42 – a policy implemented using COVID-19 as an excuse to close the border only for asylum seekers. Ginger explains how this has affected her work with Al Otro Lado and what she predicts will happen now that Tittle 42 was set to be lifted on May 23rd. 

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“Our asylum system makes it really difficult for people to access it. It’s really hard to navigate and when I hear the stories of what people have gone through in their home countries and the way that they are treated once they arrive, such as having to go through detention and the credible fear process, I wanted to advocate for these people who have just been through so much.”

— Ginger Cline

Al Otro Lado is vigorously working at the border to advocate for the rights of asylum seekers and they rely on the volunteer work and donations of listeners like you. Please consider giving a donation on their website here or sign up to volunteer here. Give them a follow on Facebook, Instagram and Linked In. 

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes. 

Webinar: Become a U.S. Citizen - Let's Talk About Getting Started! #2Millionby2022

Join us for a discussion about the benefits of becoming a U.S. Citizen, how to apply for citizenship, and how to obtain funding for the USCIS filing fee. Naturalize #2MillionBy2022!

Wednesday, May 4 - 6:00 PM PT

Healing at the Border: Discussing the Medical Need at the U.S.-Mexican Border with Laura M. Vargas and Dr. Hannah Janeway from Refugee Health Alliance

On the 18th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen introduces us to Laura M. Vargas and Dr. Hannah Janeway from Refugee Health Alliance. Refugee Health Alliance is an organization that was established in 2018 in response to the increasing medical need at the US-Mexican border. They aim to provide ethical, holistic, and culturally-sensitive healthcare to vulnerable populations.

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Laura M. Vargas is one of the founders and co-directors of Refugee Health Alliance. She also works in Neurosurgery at a medical center and attended the University of Florida, where she dual majored in Neuroscience and Biochemistry and was a Division 1 Gymnast. Laura immigrated to the United States from Colombia as a child and is the first in her family in medicine. Her immigrant background has had a tremendous effect on the work she does. In this episode she shares a little bit about her background as a young immigrant being raised in America and how that affected her passion for helping those in need. 

Dr. Hannah Janeway (they/them) is one of the co-founders and co-directors of Refugee Health Alliance. Dr. Janeway completed medical school at Brown University and now they split their time between Refugee Health Alliance and their work as an Emergency Physician. Their work focuses on re-envisioning healthcare spaces to serve the people who visit them, free from carceral forces, border health and border abolition. Dr. Janeway also shares a bit about their upbringing and how their interactions with the health care system made it apparent that there were great inequities that needed to be addressed. 

“Refugee Health Alliance’s overall mission is to work towards the freedom to stay, freedom to move and the freedom to return to your community. Everyone who truly wants global health equity, which is one of the most basic human rights, should be working towards that. It is about working towards a world in which borders are not necessary because there is equity across the border, so people aren’t forced to leave for basic things like health and security. ”

— Hannah

Refugee Health Alliance began with a group of people responding to the health care needs of people at the border in 2018. At the time, more than 8,000 Central American migrants were arriving in caravans at the U.S. – Mexican border. As the need grew, RHA’s network of health care providers, students, volunteers etc. also grew. Eventually they became an official 501(c)(3) organization and now they have two clinics, Resistencia en Salud and Justicia en Salud.  They focus on hiring local Mexican nationals or asylum seekers in order to ensure that the services they provide are holistic and non-hierarchal. 

If you want to keep up with this amazing organization please visit them on their website here and social media pages on Facebook, and Instagram. Please consider supporting them through a donation here.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date!

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

A Conversation on Anti-Asian Hate and AAPI Activism – Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles

On the 17th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Connie Chung Joe, the Chief Executive Officer of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles. They are the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Connie received her BA in Spanish and International Relations from USC and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center. She has worked alongside immigrant communities for many years and is the daughter of South Korean immigrant parents. Throughout this podcast, she tells us about her own upbringing and the work she does at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA was founded in 1983 in the wake of the murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American killed by two Caucasian auto workers who blamed the Japanese auto industry for the economic demise in Detroit at the time. There then became a rise in Asian American activism, which brought to light the need for organizations that focused on ethnically and culturally specific work. To this day, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – LA serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, Advancing Justice – LA focuses on the most vulnerable members of Asian American and AANHPI communities while also building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice.

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“There are still so many people who blame the Asian American community for Covid 19. Asian Americans continue to be scapegoated for it and means that we will continue to experience violence and hate. This is why investment in racial equity, showing solidarity and supporting the Asian Community during this time, continues to be important.””

— Connie Chung Joe

Connie has been honored for her work by the Asian Pacific Women’s Center and Asian American Drug Abuse Program. In 2016, she was appointed by California Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon to the Domestic Violence Advisory Council. In 2017, Connie was named by CA Assembly member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas and LA County Board of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas a 40 Under 40 Emerging Civic Leader.

You can keep up with this amazing organization via their social media on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Please also consider donating via their website!

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

How to Create Real Change by Getting Involved with Local and State Immigration Policies – Shiu-Ming Cheer from the California Immigrant Policy Center

On the 16th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Shiu-Ming Cheer. Shiu-Ming is the Deputy Director of Programs and Campaigns at the California Immigrant Policy Center. They are a constituent-based, statewide immigrant rights organization that promotes and protects safety, health and public benefits and integration programs for immigrants. They are one of the few organizations that effectively combines legislative and policy advocacy, strategic communications, organizing and capacity building to pursue its mission. Shiu-Ming graduated from U.C. Berkeley and from the Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law.  Shiu-Ming has received awards for her community and legal work from the National Lawyers Guild – LA and the Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition.

In this episode, Shiu-Ming goes into detail about how she became involved in immigrant rights as a young college graduate. She migrated to America at the young age of 2 and has over 25 years of experience in immigrant rights and social justice issues. The California Immigrant Policy Center came about because of draconian anti-immigration laws in 1996 that made it impossible for immigrants to access public health benefits. The Center has had victories such as playing a huge role in securing driver's licenses for everyone regardless of immigration status. They also pushed for the CA Values Act in 2017 (SB 54) which prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from using their resources on behalf of federal immigration enforcement agencies. All of this has been influential to the progression of support that other states begin to show toward immigrants.

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“We need to remember that we are the ones who have the power. And overtime, we are the ones who can really advance an agenda on racial and social justice. We are keeping the hope alive…that we will eventually win everything that our communities really need.”

— Shiu-Ming Cheer

If you are listening to this episode, you can make a difference in the way these policies play out at your local level. If you are a registered voter or simply a citizen in your city, you have the power to call on your local and state representatives and urge them to support policies that protect immigrants. You can also engage any organization that accepts volunteers for direct action such as the California Immigration Policy Center itself. Please follow CIPC on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Most importantly, consider donating here or sign up for the email alerts on their webpage.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with new episodes!

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

The Battle to End Immigrant Detention with Immigrant Rights Activist Maru-Mora Villalpando

Welcome to the 15th episode of Immigration Today!. In this episode, Angeline Chen interviews Maru Mora-Villalpando. Maru is a long time immigrant activist and the founder of Latino Advocacy, LLC and co-founder of La Resistencia. La Resistencia is a grassroots organization working to end the detention of immigrants and stop deportations. Specifically, their goal is to shut down the Northwest Detention Center (NWDC), and to end all detention and deportation in Washington State. Latino Advocacy provides policy development and advocacy consulting to organizations and grassroots groups in Washington state. They empower organizations to organize effectively by conducting workshops, facilitating group meetings, and providing leadership development training to leaders. 

In this episode, Maru explains how she became politicized and how she got involved in the struggle for immigrant rights. She grew up in Mexico D.F. and quickly became aware of the social movements that took place in her city as well as she became aware of the struggles that forced her out of her native land. Upon her arrival in the United States, Maru quickly found similar activist circles and found herself heavily involved in the fight to close Northwest Detention Center (NWDC) and for-profit detention centers in the state. Maru became a target as an undocumented activist herself and faced her own deportation case in the midst of all of this. After a long battle, Maru’s deportation case was dropped and she was granted lawful permanent residency.  

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Maru has been featured in Univision, KUOW radio station, The Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times, The Globalist, Democracy Now! and many more. You can support La Resistencia in many ways. Please consider donating here. You can also follow La Resistencia on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date with their actions. 

“I jumped on the fight against detention and deportations because I realized, we can get legal status… but as long as the detention centers exist, we are not going to be safe. Yes, we need citizenship, but we also need to undo ICE altogether!”

— Maru-Mora Villalpando

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes.

DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

How a Dreamer Channels Social Media to Tell Her Story and Create Change - A Conversation with Sara Mora

On the 14th episode of Immigration Today! we welcome Sara Mora. Sara is a storyteller, digital strategist and activist. She is the founder of Population MIC which is a think tank initiative focused on making storytelling tools accessible. Population MIC is a project that builds bridges between folks doing activist work and creative tools. Sara is dedicated to education equality, language accessibility, storyteller rights and migrant rights. A DACA recipient herself, she has dedicated her youth to strategizing ways to support her community. 

In this episode, Sara tells us about her upbringing in New Jersey and how it has impacted her work today. She also tells us about her meetup with the President of Costa Rica and how that impacted her love for social movements and media today. There she understood the gaps in conversation between world leaders and low income immigrants. She realized that the people most impacted by change in laws usually have the least access to the conversations needed to change them. She understands the power of media and how it can be used to shape narratives and stories. 

Sara uses her love for social media to create a platform for many young immigrants needing a voice. After Trump rescinded DACA, Sara became part of a lawsuit against Trump and his administration’s actions which led to a win that made Sara a young voice defeating discrimination. Sara is also involved in youth leadership programs and served as Co-President of Women's March Youth Empower in late 2018. 

She has been featured on OPRAH'S 8 Young Visionaries, Seventeen Mag's 2020 Voices of the Year, GIRLBOSS Radio Podcast, has worked with Banana Republic, HBO Max, Adobe, and most recently UNICEF. She was recently listed on Premios Juventud as an agent of change in her community. Sara Mora can be found on @MissSaraMora on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  You can also book Sara Mora as a keynote speaker or a panelist at your event. Book her here!

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“My passion for media started because I realized that traditional media was powerful but it was run by only those who had access to it, understood it, and had the money to create it. But now…it’s just your phone. Your phone becomes this powerful weapon that you can use to share your ideas, amplify your voice, and ultimately shift the world. ”

— Sara Mora

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes!

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

Empowering Immigrants Through International Cuisine – with Meymuna Hussein-Cattan from Flavors From Afar

On the 13th episode of Immigration Today! we welcome Meymuna Hussein-Cattan, an executive, entrepreneur, and owner of Flavors From Afar. Flavors From Afar is a black-owned social-enterprise restaurant that brings traditional recipes and global flavors to Los Angeles. Located in Little Ethiopia, Flavors From Afar uniquely highlights chefs who are refugees, indigenous people, and immigrants who make cuisines from around the world. She also focuses on job creation and entrepreneurship. Aside from that, Meymuna is the CEO of the Tiyya Foundation, an award-winning grassroots organization that supports families of immigrants, refugees, and displaced Americans. 

Meymuna’ s passion for helping immigrants is interconnected to her upbringing. She was born in a refugee camp in Somalia to Ethiopian parents. Her family is indigenous to East Africa and a huge inspiration for the work she does today. Meymuna received her BA in Social Sciences from UC Irvine and MA in Organizational Management from Antioch University. Meymuna has been recognized by the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, was a PBS/ KTLA Local Hero nominee,  was selected Woman of the Year by Congressman Adam Schiff, has been publicized in the LA Times, Buzzfeed, Voyage LA, and much more.

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“Flavors From Afar comes from my family’s personal story. I was born in a refugee camp so the refugee cause has always been a passion of mine.”

— Meymuna Hussein-Cattan

Flavors From Afar launched during challenging times in the midst of the rise of the pandemic, however, they have stayed afloat and have gained great recognition. They have plans of continuing to expand and you do not want to miss it! Pay them a visit and try a dish from their exquisite menu! Please also consider donating to the Tiyya Foundation and following them on their social media handles: Instagram, Facebook , LinkedIn. 

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes!

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions. 

The Dreamer Who Sued the U.S. Government and Won – A Conversation with Dulce Garcia from Border Angels

On the 12th episode of Immigration Today! we welcome Dulce Garcia, the Executive Director of Border Angels. Border Angels is a nonprofit organization that advocates for human rights at the U.S. Mexican Border. Their work focuses on attempting to reduce the number of fatalities at the border through direct action such as water drops at the desert to help immigrants battling dehydration along their journey into the U.S and direct humanitarian aid. 

Dulce Garcia was raised in San Diego and is an undocumented DACA recipient herself. She is a witness of the hardships many immigrants face but despite of this she graduated from UCSD with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and attended law school at Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Since then she opened her private practice in 2016 and has provided assistance to many low income immigrants. Dulce also sued Trump and the administration after the termination of DACA. As a result of those efforts, hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients are able to renew their DACA status. She has received the “Women of the Year” award by Assembly Woman Lorena S. Gonzalez.  

In this podcast, Dulce recounts her personal journey as an undocumented immigrant growing up near the border in San Diego. She is a business owner, property owner, an attorney, and she pays taxes. Even after 33 years she does not have a path to citizenship like thousands of other migrants in the U.S. She also tells us about her brother’s deportation case and how she fought to bring him back. 

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“It is hard to feel a sense of belonging when we are still attacked and there is no path to citizenship… we feel American, we feel like this is our home but the Federal Government keeps reminding us that we are not there yet.”

— Dulce Garcia

Border Angels relies on the generosity of donations from listeners like you – please consider donating via their website. You can also follow them on social media to stay up to date with all that they do: Facebook, Instagram, Linked in, or YouTube.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes!

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants – with Guerline Jozef from Haitian Bridge Alliance

On the 11th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Guerline Jozef, President of Haitian Bridge Alliance. Guerline is a woman on the move with a passion to serve others and promote her beloved Haiti. Haitian Bridge Alliance is a nonprofit community organization that assists thousands of refugees in their journey to America. Their mission is to guide, elevate, and empower Haitian immigrants through advocacy, organizing, outreach, and direct services such as Immigration detention visits, transitional housing, legal assistance, and educational, social and cultural programs. Haitian Bridge Alliance is the only Haitian female-led organization that provides support in Mexico at the U.S.-Mexico border. Guerline seeks to create a community and a movement that is inclusive of all people. She makes sure that black narratives are at the forefront of her movement while attempting to make real systematic change for everyone.  She was recently honored the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

In this podcast Guerline discusses her background and what led her to start this organization. She also goes into the current state of things in Haiti – from political turmoil, the crisis at the Southern border, and the mass deportation of asylum seekers from the Biden Administration.  Haitian Bridge Alliance is in need of your help to support migrants who have gone through deportation proceedings or who are seeking assistance at the border. Please provide financial support by visiting this link here. If you are an attorney that can provide legal support through pro-bono work please email info@haitianbridge.org to get more information. 

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“The Biden Administration has sent 114 deportation flights to Haiti while they are in the middle of extreme political chaos, while the President has been assassinated, while they had a second earthquake that destroyed thousands of lives … the Administration felt it was okay to deport people while Haiti continues to deal with these extreme conditions.”

— Guerline Jozef

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes! 


DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions. 

Helping Afghan Refugees One List at a Time – with Miry Whitehill from Miry’s List

On the 10th episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Miry Whitehill, the founder and Executive Director of Miry’s List. Miry’s list is a nonprofit organization in CA dedicated to helping refugee families with resources to resettle in to their new homes in the United States. Miry started Miry's List in July 2016 when a friend introduced her to a family of newly arrived Syrian refugees resettling in Los Angeles with kids the same age as her own.  There she realized that refugees required assistance even after their arrival to the United States. 

Miry's List provides a mechanism for people to directly help new arrival refugee families with the things that they need to get started in their new lives – from diapers to beds to cleaning supplies and toiletries. They use crowdsourcing and social media to connect people who want to help, with new refugee families who have needs that are not completely met by the organizations that sponsor them. Each family has unique needs, so each family has a unique "list" of supplies to get started, and Miry’s list takes care of that. 

“Every family has its own unique needs; emotional, physical and financial needs. They need and deserve individualized attention…. This is why my friends and I needed to get involved. ”

— Miry Whitehill

Miry’s List depends on donations from listeners like you. Please consider donating at this link. Your donation can help a child to have a bed to sleep on. Please also follow Miry’s list on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook to stay up to date with their work.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes!

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions. 

A discussion on Government Surveillance of U.S. Citizens - with Mohammad Tajsar from ACLU Southern California

On the ninth episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Mohammad Tajsar, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California. Mohammad’s work focuses on national security and counterterrorism policy, with a particular focus on the impacts of U.S. national security law on Arab, Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities. Mohammad also works on police misconduct, government surveillance, and protecting individuals’ and organizations’ rights in the digital world.

Mohammad describes where his passion for civil rights stem from and how being a Muslim and a father has affected his work. He goes into detail about his early career and how he landed at the ACLU. Mohammad’s current docket includes Fazaga v. FBI, a challenge to the FBI’s surveillance of mosques in Orange County, and Phillips v. Customs and Border Protection, a constitutional challenge to the surveillance and detention of immigrant rights lawyers and non-profit leaders. On this episode Mohammad discusses his position in protecting  people's civil rights and freedoms through legal advocacy.  

“The US Government has made many attempts to punish migrants but also those who work with them.. so my job is to attempt to vindicate their civil and constitutional rights that I believe were violated quite strongly.”

— Mohammad Tajsar

If you are interested in learning more about the surveillance of Muslims at the mosque in Orange County listen to this podcast recommended by Mohammad Tajsar himself: This American Life – The Convert. 

Find more information about the ACLU here. Please also follow them on social media to stay up to date with their latest: LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes.

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions. 

How Music Crosses Borders – with Artist Nancy Sanchez

On our eighth episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Nancy Sanchez, an award winning singer-song writer. Nancy is known for her interesting variety of styles ranging from jazz, mariachi, regional Mexican music, pop, and much more. Nancy is not your typical artist – she is bilingual, multi-cultural, and a strong advocate of immigrant and women’s rights. Her music is unique because she speaks about social justice, immigrants, and the issues they face, while thriving in often male-dominated music genres. Nancy is a 3 Time Winner of the Orange County Jazz and Latin Music Awards, a featured artist in Telemundo’s Acceso Total, and her song La Gran Civilizacion was selected in the top 10 songs of 2020 by NPR’s Alt. Latino. These are just a few of her accolades!

Nancy fell in love with music at a very young age. In this podcast she recounts her journey migrating to the United States from Toluca, Mexico and how this shaped her musical career. Because she is an immigrant, she feels the need to express her experiences and those of many others through her music. Not only does she perform – but she is also very involved in non-profit work that has a direct impact in uplifting migrant communities. Nancy uses her artistic talents to advocate against injustice and oppression and is a great example of what it means to use your voice for change.

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You can follow Nancy on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to her YouTube channel! Make sure to listen to her latest album La Gran Civilizacion on all platforms!

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes.

“By telling my story, I can shine light to a topic that has been demonized. By being an immigrant, being a full version of myself and being able to share my talents with people, I am changing the narrative of what being an immigrant is all about.”

— Nancy Sanchez

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.

The Fate of Unaccompanied Minors Coming to the U.S. – Lindsay Toczylowski from Immigrant Defenders Law Center

On the seventh episode of Immigration Today! Angeline Chen interviews Lindsay Toczylowski,  Executive Director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, an organization founded by a dedicated group of advocates and activists interested in creating an organization on the vanguard of the movement for a public defender system for immigrants facing deportation. They are fighting back every day against the immigration system's campaign of cruelty against migrants at the border with a focus on assisting children and families. Lindsay is a social entrepreneur whose work to increase access to justice for immigrants is at the forefront of the movement for universal representation. Lindsay also served as the Overseas Operations Director at Asylum Access, an international nonprofit that fights for the rights of refugees in the global South. She was recently named one of California’s Top 40 Under 40 Lawyers by the Daily Journal. Lindsay is the proud mother of two revolutionaries-in-training, and they are her inspiration to keep fighting for social justice every day.

Lindsay describes her experience defending kids in foster care and how that funneled her into providing legal representation for immigrant children. Her work is unique as she was one of the first attorneys in the Los Angeles area exclusively representing unaccompanied minors. This eventually paved the road in founding Immigrant Defenders Law Center. They are strong believers that no child should be forced to face an unjust immigration system alone. 

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If you are interested in learning more about their work please check out their website and consider making a donation. Give them a follow on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn! 

Immigration Today! is always releasing new content. Please subscribe to our immigration newsletter to stay up to date with any new episodes!

“I have literally sat in court and watched a crying infant who was the only defendant in their deportation case be held by a social worker that works for the government…A crying baby can be a defendant who is expected to represent themselves.”

— Lindsay Toczylowski

DISCLAIMER – The views and opinions expressed in the podcast represent the view of the host and guest(s) and not necessarily the official view of Clark Hill PLC. No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions.