On Wednesday, May 1, Rio Guerrero, Partner and Founder of Guerrero Yee LLP, and also Founder and Co-Chair of the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee at AABANY, spoke on a panel entitled, “Comprehensive Immigration Reform: What is the Plan? What Works and What Doesn’t? and Will the Bill Pass?” presented by the American Constitution Society, New York Lawyer Chapter, and co-sponsored by AABANY and the Hispanic National Bar Association. Seated next to Rio is Jacki Esposito, Director of Immigration Advocacy at the New York Immigration Coalition, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Eighth Congressional District, both of whom were also on the panel.

Rio spoke on changes to the immigrant visa system in the draft bill, eliminating the diversity lottery and replacing it with a merit-based point system. With the movement away from family-based immigration, Rio posed the question whether the new bill runs counter to promoting family unity.

The event was held at the New York offices of Microsoft.