CILA Working Groups

CILA hosts six working groups which meet virtually and create spaces for advocates from around Texas and the nation to connect with each other, share on-the-ground trends, and receive updates on major changes in the law.

The six working groups focus on different issues areas: (1) special immigrant juvenile status, (2) Houston SIJS, (3) children’s asylum law, (4) detained unaccompanied children, (5) social services, and (6) pro bono coordination.  Attorneys and staff at legal service providers, pro bono attorneys, and private attorneys are all encouraged to participate in one or more of the working groups. All CILA working groups meet quarterly.

CILA Listservs

CILA hosts four listservs on different topics—Houston SIJS, Texas children's immigration, social services, and pro bono coordination. CILA uses the listservs as a place to provide details for working group meetings, to share relevant substantive updates, and to advertise CILA trainings and other opportunities. We also encourage users to message the listserv with their practice related questions.

Please note that CILA listservs are not open to employees of the federal government. We ask that members do not share information from the listservs to anyone outside of the listserv including media or government officials without permission from the sender. Additionally, we require state judges to leave the listserv when elected. If you begin a job as an employee of the federal government, please promptly inform CILA and ask that we remove you from the listserv.

Information about CILA's listservs:

CILA hopes the listservs will serve as a space to collectively address gaps in services, to share resources, and provide a space for collaboration and information sharing. Please use the following forms to request permission to be added to one or more of CILA's listservs:

  • Houston SIJS listserv: Houston listserv available to attorneys, legal staff, social services staff, and pro bono attorneys to discuss local trends in state court and the Houston Immigration Court - Join here.
  • Texas children's immigration listserv: Texas listserv available to attorneys, legal staff, social services staff, and pro bono attorneys working with children and youth in Texas to discuss statewide trends and issues related to working with youth, asylum, SIJS, as well as Texas immigration courts and USCIS offices - Join here.
  • Texas social services listserv: Texas listserv available to social workers and social services providers, as well as attorneys, legal staff, and pro bono attorneys - Join here.
  • Pro bono coordination for child immigration listserv: National listserv available to attorneys and legal staff at a legal nonprofit who are involved in the coordination of pro bono opportunities to help children and families face deportation, whether full time or as part of your job - Join here.

If you have any questions about CILA working groups and/or listservs, please contact us at cila@abacila.org. Thank you!

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5ONyPtyg

I urge each of you in this audience to join the “New Due Process Army” and stand up for “truth, justice, and the American way” in our failing, misused, and politically abused United States Immigration Courts and to continue the fight, for years or decades if necessary, until this system finally is forced to deliver on its noble but unfulfilled promise of “being the world’s best tribunals, guaranteeing fairness and due process for all.” Harm to one is harm to all! Due process forever!
 

Paul Wickham Schmidt

Retired Immigration Judge
July 19, 2017
Frankel Lecture Series
www.immigrationcourtside.com
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