Tag: immigration

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AABANY Presents CLE Program on Major Changes to Public Charge Rules

On September 17, 2026, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) presented “Public Charge – What We Need to Know About Upcoming Changes,” a hybrid CLE program, at the Chinese-American Planning Council (“CPC”) Manhattan Community Center. The program addressed significant changes to the public charge ground of inadmissibility scheduled to take effect on September 18, 2026.

Rachel S. Lee, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair and President & General Counsel of Stand with Asian Americans, moderated the program. Vishal Chander, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair and Managing Attorney of The Chander Law Firm, P.C., served as the presenter. The program provided one hour of New York CLE credit in the Areas of Professional Practice category, with 24 people attending both online and in person. (Only those who attended in person received the CLE credit.)

A central focus of the presentation was the 2026 Final Rule and revised USCIS guidance, which removed much of the 2022 regulatory framework and shifted operational standards to the USCIS Policy Manual. Vishal explained that public charge determinations remain individualized, totality-of-the-circumstances inquiries, with officers considering factors such as finances, employment, education, health, household composition, and benefit use. He also discussed the broader treatment of means-tested public benefits, the continuing but non-dispositive role of Form I-864, the renewed use of public charge bonds, and the differing roles of USCIS, the Department of State, and CBP. The presentation concluded with an overview of pending litigation challenging the new framework and the legal questions surrounding DHS’s authority and use of subregulatory guidance.

Jack Hsia, Senior Attorney at CPC and a Vice Chair of the AABANY Issues Committee, joined  after Vishal’s presentation to share information about CPC’s programs and resources for the community. Jack thanked the speakers and attendees for being part of an informative discussion. AABANY thanks CPC for co-hosting the program and everyone who attended in person and online. To learn more about the Issues Committee and how you can get involved, go here.

Written by Rachel Lee, AABANY Board Director and Issues Committee Co-Chair

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the September Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, our community partners, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic on September 12, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including identity theft, matrimonial, housing, immigration, fraud, trust & estates, and civil litigation. We received positive feedback from the clients, expressing gratitude for the advice.

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys:

Vishal Chander

Sam Chen

Francis Chin

Angie Liao

Arthur Lin

Kwok Kei Ng

May Wong

Jameson Xu

Gary Yeung

Non-attorneys:

Nandar Win Kerr

Jiaze Qu

Wendy Zeng

Thanks once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community. 

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– October 7th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– October 21st [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002.

– November 14th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232.

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to your participation in future Pro Bono Clinics!

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the August Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers, for supporting our Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on August 19, 2026.

Our volunteer attorneys and law students met with 21 clients to provide critical guidance on various legal issues, including housing, public benefits, family law, torts, immigration, trusts and estates, employment discrimination, and civil litigation. 

One happy client remarked, “Francis took the time to listen to my situation and explained everything clearly.”

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the following volunteers who attended:

Attorneys:
Sam Chen
Ivy Chien 
Francis Chin
Marcus Cheung  
Carmen Huang 
Justin Lee 
Beatrice Leong 
Susan Song
Gary Yeung 
Evelyn Yu

Interpreters/Shadowers:
Cheri Chibut
Michael Chu
Helen Ding
Emily Kam  
Nandar Win Kerr 
Alexandra Ly
Jingjing Wang 
Wendy Zeng
Shang Zhai

Thank you to our volunteers for your incredible service and for inspiring the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee.

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– October 7 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– October 21 [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE, 111 Norfolk St., New York, NY 10002

–November 14 [ Brooklyn link here] from 12:30pm-2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Service, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232


To learn more about our work, please visit probono.aabany.org. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming sessions.

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the August Queens Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining our Queens Pro Bono Clinic on August 5, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 19 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, family and matrimonial law, immigration, real property, trusts and estates, torts and other civil litigation.  

Here are some of the clients’ feedback:

“May Wong is very professional and answered all my questions. She also gave me helpful advice and referrals. Thank you!”

“Thank you, Shirley, for listening to our concerns. She is very knowledgeable about different routes going forward.“

“Very grateful this service is available for the Asian community as it always seem there is always a lack of community service for us.”

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Queens Pro Bono Clinic and for their dedicated services:

Attorneys:  

Wendy Cheng 

Marcus Cheung 

Kevin Hsi 

Richard In 

Shirley Luong 

Sinbay Tan 

Johnny Thach 

Anthony Wong 

May Wong 

Gary Yeung 

Evelyn Yu

Interpreters/shadowers:

Nathan Cao

Michelle Chen

Kaitlyn Cheng

Helen Ding

Nandar Win Kerr

Momo Sano

Jingjing Wang

Suzie (Sue) Yu

Wendy Zeng

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232

– October 7 [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to your participation in our future clinics!

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the July Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining our Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic on July 15, 2026 at AAFE’s Norfolk Street Community Center in Manhattan.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 18 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, real property, trusts and estates, labor and employment, family law, tax, public benefits, and civil litigation.  Clients who needed further assistance were directed to AABANY’s Legal Referral and Information Service (LRIS), a resource that connects clients with qualified attorneys to represent them.

We had a large turnout at this clinic, including many new and old clients and volunteer attorneys. With the help of our attorneys and translators, we efficiently provided assistance for clients with multi-year old disputes, predetermined court dates, and emerging cases. One client expressed that they were “very impressed“ with the professionalism of the services provided.

While providing legal aid, our volunteer attorneys, shadowers, and interpreters gained a deeper understanding of the clients’ personal struggles and life stories, connecting them with deeply moving narratives that will permanently inspire and guide them throughout their future careers.

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys

Francis Chin 

Jack Hsia 

Beatrice Leong 

Arthur Lin 

Kwok Kei Ng 

Jasmine Tan 

Hin Ton Wong 

Gary Yeung

Interpreters/shadowers

Helen Ding

Cheri Chaibut 

Kaitlyn Cheng 

Qiao Kang 

Nandar Win Kerr 

Momo Sano 

Allison Yu 

Wendy Zeng 

Zhiyi Zhang

Assisting amidst the rainstorm and showing up to serve those in need despite unbearable heat and unhealthy air quality, their dedication to our community was on full display.

We appreciate their dedicated service, serving as an inspiration to the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee.

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 5th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12th [Brooklyn link here] from 12:30-2:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming clinic sessions.

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AABANY is a Proud Community Partner of the 49th Asian American International Film Festival

AABANY is proud to once again serve as a Community Partner for the 49th Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF49), presented by Asian CineVision (ACV). This year’s festival runs from July 30 through August 9, 2026, in New York City and virtually, and features a captivating array of films that explore themes of love, relationships, and grief, all through an Asian American focused lens. In addition to a stellar lineup of films, the festival will feature exclusive panels, receptions, and VIP events, providing unique opportunities to connect with industry professionals and fellow film enthusiasts.

As a Community Partner, AABANY will be promoting two film screening as part of this year’s festival:

Almost American (Shorts – Documentary)

Directed by Saritha Rothermel and Sam Soliman

Almost American follows Sam Soliman as he anxiously awaits the outcome of his DACA renewal. Just as he begins to reckon with his place in America, his world is shattered by the sudden detainment and deportation of his mother by ICE. The film reveals how today’s immigration policies not only decide who gets to stay, but shape the story America tells about who belongs. This film is shown as a part of a series of seven short films under the shorts program: On the Move: Immigrants in 2026.

Screening: Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 7:30 PM, as part of a shorts block, at Village East by Angelika.

Learn more: https://aaiff.filmbot.com/2026/movies/Almost-American/

Use AAIFF49_AABANY at checkout to receive a discount.

Seat at the Table (Features – Documentary)

Directed by Sarita Khurana and Yoav Attias

Seat at the Table chronicles the rise of South Asian Americans in U.S. politics, tracing their journey from the margins to the forefront of American power. Shot in immersive vérité style, the film follows several prominent South Asian political candidates during the 2024 election cycle, alongside a community galvanized by the groundbreaking campaign of the first South Asian presidential candidate, capturing a historic year for the South Asian diaspora as more candidates than ever ran for office.

Screening: Sunday, August 9, 2026 at 12:00 PM at Village East.

Learn more: https://aaiff.filmbot.com/2026/movies/Seat-at-the-Table/

Use AAIFF49_AABANY at checkout to receive a discount.

Tickets and passes are currently on sale on the AAIFF website. Spread the word, mark your calendars, and join us in celebrating this milestone year for Asian American cinema! Visit https://aaiff.org/ for the full festival schedule.

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the July Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic

Many thanks to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), and AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, as well as our dedicated volunteers for joining the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic on July 11, 2026.

PBCS volunteers, comprising volunteer attorneys and law students, met with 23 clients and provided guidance on a range of legal issues, including housing, immigration, real property, trusts and estates law, labor and employment, family law, and civil litigation.  

Positive feedback from some of the clients who came included: “I received helpful information today.” and “It was respectful & calm. I learned a lot as well.”

We thank the following volunteers for attending the Brooklyn Pro Bono Clinic:

Attorneys:
Vishal Chander
Michael Chu
Helen Ding
Alice Liang
Arthur Lin
Willow (Yichun) Liu
Kwok Kei Ng
May Wong
Jameson Xu
Karen Kithan Yau
Gary Yeung

Interpreters/Shadowers
Gigi Chen
Sam Chen
Anna Chung
Philip Han
Nandar Win Kerr
Hannah J. Lee
Cynthia Li
Luana Li
Jingjing Wang
Wendy Zeng
Zhiyi Zhang
Betty Xinyue Zhu

Thank you once again to all our volunteers for their commitment to Pro Bono service and for making a meaningful difference in our community. 

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

– August 5th [Queens link here], from 6:30 – 8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

– August 19th [Manhattan link here] from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

– September 12th [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30 – 3:30pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232 

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

We look forward to your participation in the future clinic sessions!

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Thank You to the Volunteers at the June Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic

Thank you to the Asian American Law Fund of New York (AALFNY), Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE), AABANY’s Pro Bono & Community Service (PBCS) Committee, and our dedicated volunteers and law students for another successful Pro Bono Clinic on June 17, 2026 at AAFE’s Norfolk Street Community Center in Manhattan.

Our Pro Bono Clinic helped nine clients this month, with varying issues ranging from housing, divorce, immigration, and a noise complaint. Due to the number of volunteers who showed up, the June Manhattan Pro Bono Clinic offered consultations that extended beyond the standard 30 minute time frame for each client, ensuring that our volunteers could provide the best possible guidance for clients with thorny legal issues. For some cases, volunteers directed clients to AABANY’s legal referral and information service (LRIS), a resource that connects clients with qualified attorneys to represent them.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for attending the Pro Bono Clinic. We look forward to your participation in future clinics!

Volunteer Attorneys

Wendy Cheng

Keey Diep

Carmen Huang

Justin Lee

Beatrice Leong

Arthur Lin

Meng Ru

Gary Yeung

Anna Bao

Suzie Yu

Law Students and Other Volunteers

Wenwen Cao

Jason Chen

Clive Chong

Nandar Win Kerr

Wendy Zeng

Zhiyi Zhang

Livy Li

We invite you to continue supporting our community by joining us at our upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

July 11 [Brooklyn link here], from 12:30-3:00pm, CPC Brooklyn Community Services, 4101 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

July 15 (Manhattan link here], from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

August 5 (Queens link here], from 6:30-8:30pm, AAFE One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

If you are interested in supporting the work of the Clinic, we encourage you to make a donation to AALFNY. AALFNY supports the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee (PBCS), provides scholarships and internship opportunities for law students, and works with the AABANY Anti-Asian Violence Task Force. Donations can be made here.

To learn more about the Pro Bono & Community Service Committee, visit probono.aabany.org.

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NAPABA Applauds SCOTUS Birthright Citizenship Decision in Trump v. Barbara

For Immediate Release:
June 30, 2026		Contact:
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the fundamental constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship. In Trump v. Barbara, the Court found that Executive Order 14160, which sought to limit the scope of birthright citizenship, did not comply with the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the Court’s decision. It upheld what NAPABA has emphasized throughout the litigation: a constitutional right that the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community has understood and relied upon for nearly 130 years—ever since a young Chinese American fought for his birthright citizenship in United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898). The Fourteenth Amendment promises every person equal treatment under the law and includes an equal claim of citizenship for persons born in the United States, regardless of the circumstances of their parents. EO 14160 attempted to upend that promise, and we are grateful that the Court invalidated it.

In three federal courts of appeals and in the Supreme Court, NAPABA led a nationwide coalition of its affiliates and national associates to defend birthright citizenship in this litigation. We underscored the significance of Wong Kim Ark, the crucial role of Asian Americans in shaping our nation’s immigration and civil rights jurisprudence, and the disproportionate impacts that EO 14160 would have on AANHPI communities.  NAPABA highlighted how the congressional debates over the Fourteenth Amendment contemplated that the children of Chinese migrants, despite being heavily despised and vilified, would receive birthright citizenship.  Lastly, we maintained that the federal government distorted the holding of Wong Kim Ark and created a faulty legal and historical analogy that Chinese migrants in the late 19th century were akin to today’s lawful permanent residents (i.e., green card holders).

NAPABA is thankful to its legal team for their exemplary work: Rahat N. Babar, who serves as NAPABA’s Deputy Executive Director and General Counsel, Edgar Chen, who serves as NAPABA’s Special Policy Advisor, Chris M. Kwok, who formerly served as co-chair of NAPABA’s Dispute Resolution Committee, and Seyfarth Shaw LLP (Wendy M. Feng, Owen Wolfe, and Lori Chen).

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Rachel Ji-Young Yoo Serves as Advisor to South Korean Government’s “Study on Policy Improvements to Enhance International Mobility for Artists” 

Rachel Ji-Young Yoo of Yoo Law Group recently served as a U.S. immigration adviser to the South Korean government in their national study of artist-visa systems. Her resulting contributions were published in A Study on Policy Improvements to Enhance International Mobility for Artists in late 2025. Congratulations to Rachel on her achievement!

Rachel is the founding partner of Yoo Law Group, LLC, which specializes in immigration law, family mediation, and international dispute arbitration. In addition to her guidance in cross-border and mediation matters, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Asian American Bar Association of New York’s (AABANY) Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. Rachel is also General Counsel of the Asian & American Art Foundation, and Mediator with the New York County Supreme Court.

On this project, Rachel was invited to serve as a U.S. immigration adviser to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. Her involvement grew out of her immigration practice and prior work advising Korean artists and cultural organizations, including the Korean Cultural Center New York, on U.S. visa issues. 

As an official contributor on matters related to U.S. immigration law, Rachel aided in examining how Korea’s institutional framework can be improved to better support the international mobility of artists. 

Drawing on interviews and comparative policy analysis, the project uses insights from both Korea and major countries, surveying artists, agencies, and legal/administrative experts with direct experience navigating the visa process to evaluate Korea’s artist‑visa systems. By identifying key issues, strengths, and weaknesses across countries, the report proposes recommendations to strengthen Korea’s artist‑visa policies and promote smoother global artistic exchange.

For Rachel, the experience was particularly meaningful as it represented a continuation of her work in “bridging two legal systems and two cultural frameworks” and “broadened [her] perspective on how national‑level policy decisions shape the practical realities artists face,” something that strengthens her commitment  to aiding her individual clients through U.S. immigration pathways.

Rachel’s work on this project is a testament to the impact that dedicated legal expertise can have beyond the courtroom in shaping policy, building bridges between nations, and advocating for the communities she serves. We are proud to have her as a valued member of AABANY, and please join AABANY in congratulating Rachel on this important achievement.

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