press release Archives - Page 17 of 21

March 10, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 5, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

NAPABA Celebrates Confirmation of Vince Chhabria
to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

WASHINGTON — On March 5, 2014, the Senate confirmed Vince Chhabria by a 58-41 vote to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. He is the first person of South Asian descent to serve as an Article III judge in California’s history, and only the third South Asian American federal district court judge nationwide.

“NAPABA congratulates Vince Chhabria on his historic confirmation and is proud to have supported him in the nomination and confirmation process,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “We applaud President Obama, Senator Boxer, and Senator Feinstein for their continued commitment to diversity on the federal judiciary, and their support of this nomination.”

Since 2005, Judge Chhabria has served as a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office, where he is the co-chief of appellate litigation. Prior to public service, Judge Chhabria spent several years working in the private sector in San Francisco. After law school, he clerked at all three levels of the federal courts, including clerkships with Judge Charles R. Breyer on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Judge James R. Browning on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Chhabria has distinguished himself during his career, receiving honors from the California Daily Journal, the International Municipal Lawyers Association, and NAPABA. He is a longstanding member of SABA-NC, an affiliate of NAPABA, which has strongly supported Chhabria’s nomination.

Judge Chhabria’s confirmation increases the number of active Asian Pacific American Article III judges to 22 nationwide: 4 federal appellate court judges and 18 federal district court judges.

Three more Asian Pacific American Article III judicial nominees are pending in the U.S. Senate: Manish Shah, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; Indira Talwani, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts; and Theodore Chuang, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. NAPABA urges the Senate to move quickly to confirm these well- qualified individuals.

###

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of over 40,000 attorneys and 67 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal service and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government. NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

March 3, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: Accepting Applications for Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT

Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse
40 Centre Street
New York, New York 10007

ROBERT A. KATZMANN
CHIEF JUDGE

CATHERINE O’HAGAN WOLFE SALLY PRITCHARD
CLERK OF COURT DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF LEGAL AFFAIRS

March 3, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Criminal Justice Act/Pro Bono Committee is accepting applications for the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel. The deadline is Friday, May 2, 2014.

Pro Bono Panel members will, at the Court’s invitation or on an appellant’s motion for appointment of counsel, represent pro se litigants in civil appeals that present issues of first impression, complex issues of law or fact, or raise potentially meritorious claims warranting further briefing and oral argument. Pro bono representation will be provided to litigants who would otherwise be unable to pay for counsel and are ineligible for the appointment of counsel pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act.

Cases in which pro bono counsel will be appointed cover a broad range of legal issues. A significant percentage of the cases are prisoner civil rights appeals; others may involve labor and employment, discrimination, social security, immigration and tax law.

Applicants must be admitted to and members in good standing of the Bar of the Second Circuit, or have an application pending before this Court, and have at least three years of appellate experience. Pro Bono Panel members will serve for a term not to exceed three years.

Pro Bono Panel Members who were appointed by the Court in 2011 for a three-year term must submit a new application if they wish to remain on the Panel. A completed application package contains a resume, a written application (available on the Court’s website at http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov) and three writing samples, preferably appellate briefs on which the applicant was the primary author. These materials must be submitted to Sally Pritchard, Director of Legal Affairs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, by Friday, May 2, 2014.

March 3, 2014

Press Release from the Hispanic National Bar Association: Pulling Participation in the 2015 Annual Convention

Contact: Alba Cruz-Hacker, HNBA Executive Director
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Hispanic National Bar Association Pulls its 2015 Annual Convention From Phoenix in Response to Arizona’s SB 1062

February 26, 2014

Washington, D.C. – The HNBA announced today that it has pulled its 40th Annual Convention previously scheduled for Phoenix, Arizona in September 2015.

On Monday, February 24th, the HNBA denounced the Arizona legislature’s passage of SB 1062. The HNBA also called for Governor Jan Brewer to veto the legislation and still hopes that she will do so. As set forth in its February 24th press release, SB 1062 discriminates against members of Arizona’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The proposed legislation also impacts other citizens that are either traveling through Arizona or that are doing business or have business interests in the state. Accordingly, the HNBA’s Board of Governors voted unanimously to immediately pull the Annual Convention.

“The HNBA views this as a civil rights issue. As a national association of lawyers committed to promoting the ideals of equal protection, equal opportunity, tolerance, and inclusiveness, it is imperative that we speak up and take immediate action in the presence of injustice,” stated HNBA National President Miguel Alexander Pozo. As the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said more than 50 years ago, writing from a Birmingham, AL jail cell, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.“

As lawyers, we have sworn to uphold the United States Constitution as well as the laws of our respective states. “In our view, SB 1062 violates the Equal Protection and the Commerce Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, and offends the anti-discrimination protections found in Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” said Mr. Pozo.

While the HNBA will remain steadfast, and stand in solidarity with our Affiliate Los Abogados and our HNBA members in Arizona, by taking this action we are sending a clear message to Arizona lawmakers. “Laws that return us to a darker time in the nation’s history simply cannot be tolerated. SB 1062 and SB 1070 are two such laws,” said Mr. Pozo.

About the Hispanic National Bar Association

The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is an incorporated, not-for-profit, national membership association that represents the interests of Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, legal assistants, law students, and legal professionals in the United States and its territories. Since 1972, the HNBA has acted as a force for positive change within the legal profession by creating opportunities for Hispanic lawyers and by helping generations of lawyers to succeed. The HNBA has also effectively advocated on issues of importance to the national Hispanic community. While we are proud of our accomplishments, we are mindful that our mission is as vital today as it was four decades ago, especially as the U.S. Hispanic population continues to grow.

For more information, please visit http://www.hnba.com.

February 27, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA SUPPORTS GOVERNOR BREWER’S VETO OF HATEFUL ANTI-LGBT BILL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

NAPABA SUPPORTS GOVERNOR BREWER’S VETO OF HATEFUL ANTI-LGBT BILL

Remains Vigilant As Similar Bills Are Proposed In Other States

WASHINGTON — Last night, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062, legislation that would have enabled businesses to disregard municipal ordinances under the banner of religious freedom, and allowed them to discriminate against individuals who identify as LGBT.

“Governor Brewer’s decision to veto SB 1062 is a victory for everyone who opposes discrimination and supports the civil rights of all Americans, including those of our LGBT brothers and sisters, but it is disheartening that hateful legislation like this ever reached her desk,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA). “Religious claims have been asserted in the past to justify slavery, segregation, and bans on interracial marriage. On Tuesday, we sent the Governor and other Arizona leaders a letter outlining our opposition to this latest religious justification for discrimination. We let them know that if the Governor allowed SB 1062 to become law, NAPABA would consider relocating its Annual Convention in November out of Phoenix/Scottsdale.”

Were it not for Governor Brewer’s veto Wednesday evening, Arizona would have been the first state to enact legislation enabling corporations and individuals to deny services simply by asserting that they were acting because of a “sincerely held religious belief.” Supporters of the bill did not hide the fact that this bill targeted lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. SB 1062 would have undercut the non-discrimination ordinances that include sexual orientation passed by several Arizona municipalities. Other states that are considering or have recently considered similar legislation include Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Missouri, Ohio, and Idaho.

“We won this round, but we must remain vigilant in Arizona and elsewhere because many states have contemplated or are contemplating bills similar in nature to SB 1062, and may do so again in the future,” said Arizona attorney George C. Chen, president-elect of NAPABA. “Religious freedom is important, but discrimination under the guise of religious freedom is not acceptable anywhere in our nation. At the same time, we need to support the work of many cities in Arizona (including Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff) that have passed non-discrimination ordinances regarding sexual orientation. Individuals, corporations, professional organizations, and many others in these communities strongly opposed SB 1062, and it was in large part due to their efforts that pressure was brought to bear on Governor Brewer.”

###

February 24, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA CONDEMNS ARIZONA LEGISLATION THAT BOLSTERS BUSINESSES’ ABILITY TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST LGBT PEOPLE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 24, 2014

Contact: Emily Chatterjee (202) 775-9555

NAPABA CONDEMNS ARIZONA LEGISLATION THAT BOLSTERS
BUSINESSES’ ABILITY TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST LGBT PEOPLE
Calls on Governor Jan Brewer to veto bill

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) strongly urges Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto legislation passed by the Arizona state legislature last Thursday that, under the guise of religious freedom, would enable discrimination against individuals who identify as LGBT.

“NAPABA has a long-standing commitment to supporting the civil rights of all members of our community, including our LGBT brothers and sisters,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of NAPABA. “While NAPABA respects the sincerely held religious beliefs of all people, religion has unfortunately been misused by some historically as an excuse to oppress people of color and people of other religions. For many it justified slavery, segregation, and the criminalizing of interracial marriages. The employment of a religious justification to now excuse the discrimination of LGBT people is just as reprehensible.”

If Governor Brewer does not veto Arizona House Bill 2153/Senate Bill 1062 by this coming Friday, Arizona will soon allow individuals and for-profit corporations to discriminate against anyone if they claim to be acting in the name of their religious convictions. This includes refusing services to members of the LGBT community and denying equal benefits to women in the workplace. On its face, it could be used as justification for discriminating against anyone, on any grounds, so long as a free religious exercise claim is asserted.

“As a long-time citizen of Arizona and as a former President of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association, I believe that this bill does not represent our state, and we categorically denounce this and all legislation targeting disenfranchised groups, including the LGBT and immigrant communities,” said George C. Chen, president-elect of NAPABA. “Religious freedom is an important part of our society, but this bill is about legalizing discrimination, not about religious freedom. Governor Brewer needs to veto this bill.”

###

February 17, 2014

PRESS RELEASE: AABANY TO HONOR VERNON JORDAN WITH I4 LEADERSHIP AWARD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director

February 5, 2014 (718) 228-7206

AABANY TO HONOR VERNON JORDAN WITH “I4 LEADERSHIP AWARD”
AT 25^TH ANNUAL DINNER TO BE HELD AT CIPRIANI WALL STREET

NEW YORK – On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) will hold its 25^th Anniversary Annual Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street. Attendees of the 2014 AABANY Annual Dinner will include prominent federal and state judges, elected officials and dignitaries, attorneys from large and small law firms, corporate law departments, prosecutors’ offices and government agencies. AABANY’s 2013 Annual Dinner attracted more than 750 members of the legal and business communities from New York and beyond. This year AABANY is pleased to announce that the 2014 honorees will be:

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Senior Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co., LLC

Randal S. Milch, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, and General Counsel Verizon Communications Inc.

AALDEF (Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund)

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. will receive the AABANY I4 Leadership Award. The I4 Leadership award is presented to a leader who is an ICON, embodying the highest IDEALS and INSPIRING others while making a real and lasting IMPACT in the community and society. Mr. Jordan, a Senior Managing Director at Lazard, the financial advisory and asset management firm, also remains Senior Counsel at the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he practices general, corporate, legislative and international law in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining Akin Gump in January 1982, Mr. Jordan served as president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, Inc.; executive director of the United Negro College Fund, Inc.; director of the Voter Education Project of the Southern Regional Council; attorney-consultant at the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity; assistant to the executive director of the Southern Regional Council; Georgia field director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and as an attorney in private practice in Arkansas and Georgia. Upon graduation from Howard University School of Law in 1960, he joined the firm of a civil rights activist in Atlanta and became involved in a case against the University of Georgia to challenge racist policies. In 1962, Mr. Jordan became a Georgia field director for the NAACP and his leadership was an instrumental part of the civil rights movement. In particular, Mr. Jordan, as director of the Voter Education Project, coordinated voter registration drives and counseled the electorate, helping to dramatically increase the number of African-American elected officials.

Mr. Jordan has served as a key strategist and advisor to multiple U.S. Presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Bill Clinton, as well as to many prominent civil rights leaders. His presidential appointments include: the President’s Advisory Committee for the Points of Light Initiative Foundation; the Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on South Africa; the Advisory Council on Social Security; the Presidential Clemency Board; the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission; the National Advisory Committee on Selective Service; and the Council of the White House Conference “To Fulfill These Rights.” Jordan served as the chairman of the Clinton Presidential Transition Team in 1992.

”We are deeply honored and humbled that such a legendary defender of legal rights as Vernon Jordan will be helping AABANY commemorate our 25^th anniversary at our Annual Dinner, along with Randal Milch, recipient of AABANY’s Corporate Counsel Leadership Award, and AALDEF, recipient of AABANY’s Public Advocacy Award,” said Mike Huang, AABANY President.

For more information about AABANY, or this event, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any media inquiries to [email protected].

###

The Asian American Bar Association of New York was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian-American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students. The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.

February 10, 2014

MBBA Press Release: 2014 MBBA Thirtieth Anniversary Awards Gala Honorees

Dear MBBA Members and Supporters:

On behalf of President R. Nadine Fontaine, the Officers and the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, we are pleased to announce that we are holding our Thirtieth Anniversary Awards Gala on Friday, May 16, 2014 at Pier Sixty, New York, NY.

The 2014 MBBA Anniversary Awards Gala Honorees are as follows:

Trailblazer of the Year:
Raymond J. McGuire
Global Head of Corporate and Investment Banking
Citigroup, Inc.

Corporate Counsel of the Year:
Duane L. Hughes
Managing Director
Morgan Stanley

Private Practitioner of the Year:
Carmen J. Lawrence
Partner
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

Jurist of the Year:
Honorable Sheila Abdus Salaam
Associate Judge
New York State Court of Appeals

Public Servant of the Year:
Jennifer Jones Austin
CEO & Executive Director, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies
Co-Chair, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Transition Team

Member of the Year:
Shirley Stewart Farmer
First MBBA President

Download the formal press release here. To purchase tickets early and at the discounted rate, please visit: https://mbba30anniversaryawardsgala.eventbrite.com. If you are interested in learning more about the 2014 Awards Gala, please email the Gala Committee at [email protected] or visit us online at www.mbbanyc.org.

January 28, 2014

AABANY TO RECEIVE 2013 NEW YORK STATE CONFERENCE OF BAR LEADERS INNOVATION AWARD FOR “IVA: THE MYTH OF TOKYO ROSE” PROGRAM

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK – January 27, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that it will receive a 2013 Bar Leaders Innovation Award for its Asian Pacific American Heritage Month production, “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose.” The award bestowed by the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders Executive Council of the New York State Bar Association recognizes bar associations that introduce new programs, ideas and methodologies that benefit its members and the community at large. AABANY’s “Tokyo Rose” program was evaluated based on its ingenuity and creativity, effect on the bar and general public, and its overall quality.

“Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” which was co-produced by AABANY and the Asian American Arts Alliance (the “Alliance”), tells the story of Iva Toguri, a Japanese American citizen, who was accused of treason during World War II. Original court transcripts were edited and compiled under the leadership of the Honorable Denny Chin and Kathy Hirata Chin. This material was then adapted by playwright Soriya Chum and culminated in a production addressing issues concerning race, civil rights, prosecutorial abuse and social injustice. “Tokyo Rose” was directed by Soriya Chum and Elena Chang and performed on stage at the Asia Society in New York City on May 16-17, 2013. Following the performances, talkbacks were held with esteemed speakers and guests, including the Honorable Denny Chin (U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit), Kathy Hirata Chin (Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP), Gurjot Kaur (Sikh Coalition), Andrea Louie (the Alliance), Yang Chen (AABANY), Rehana Mirza (Ma-Yi Theater’s Writer’s Lab) and Eileen Rivera (Leviathan Lab).

The New York State Conference of Bar Leaders will honor AABANY along with its sister bar associations for their innovative programs at the Annual Breakfast for Bar Leaders to be held at the Hilton New York Midtown on Friday, January 31, 2014. “On behalf of AABANY, we thank the New York State Conference of Bar Leaders for this prestigious award and recognizing our continuing efforts to produce programs that address significant legal issues and social matters of importance to our members and the Asian Pacific American community as a whole,” said Mike Huang, AABANY’s President.

###

The Asian American Bar Association of New York was formed in 1989 as a not-for-profit corporation to represent the interests of New York Asian American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, paralegals and law students. The mission of AABANY is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian Americans in the legal profession.

A performance review of “Iva: The Myth of Tokyo Rose,” is available at http://blog.asianinny.com/films/iva-the-myth-of-tokyo-rose/

December 20, 2013

BREAKING NEWS! The Philippine Government Requests TPS

16/12/2013: PH SEEKS ADDITIONAL IMMIGRATION RELIEF FOR PINOYS IN US

PRESS RELEASE
WDC-131-2013
16 December 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Philippines has formally requested Washington for additional immigration relief measures to allow eligible Filipinos to stay and work in the United States so they could support the country’s long-term post-typhoon recovery efforts, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Monday, 16 December.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario said the request to designate the Philippines under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was officially conveyed on Friday, 13 December, by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. to the Department of Homeland Security through a note verbale to the Department of State.

“Recognizing the intense desire of the Filipino-American Community to more effectively assist victims, we would like to formally request that eligible Filipino nationals in the US be granted Temporary Protected Status under Section 244 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act,” said the letter signed by Ambassador Cuisia and addressed to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Rand Beers.

The request was made in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 6,000 people; displaced more than 4 million and affected more than 12 million during its violent rampage across the Central Philippines last month.

More than 200 Filipino-American organizations across the US, backed by members of the US Senate and House of Representatives, the Catholic Church and other NGOs have requested for the additional immigration relief measures that a TPS designation would be able to provide to Filipinos.

Secretary Del Rosario said if the request is granted, the Philippines will join four other countries that were placed under TPS after going through similar natural catastrophes. These are El Salvador and Haiti after these were devastated by earthquakes in 2001 and 2010 respectively and Nicaragua and Honduras after they were affected by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Ambassador Cuisia said the Embassy has also been in discussions with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State and the DFA in Manila since the TPS was first brought to his attention a few days after Haiyan struck the country.

Ambassador Cuisia said the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Consulates General in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Agana made the recommendation to Secretary Del Rosario during their annual conference in Washington, D.C. last week and after extensive consultations with leaders of the Filipino Community in their respective jurisdictions.

Ambassador Cuisia explained that a TPS designation for the Philippines would allow eligible Filipinos currently in the US to support the long-term relief and rehabilitation efforts in the country because they could be given temporary authorization to stay and work for a limited period.

He said the request will have to first be evaluated by US authorities and may take some time. If approved, eligible Filipinos can start filing their applications, which will be reviewed on a case-to-case basis.

He said that in addition to TPS, Filipinos already in the US can also take advantage of the immigration breaks announced by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service on 15 November of which some Filipinos have already availed themselves.

November 25, 2013

NAPABA DONATES $10,000 TO TYPHOON HAIYAN RELIEF EFFORTS

National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

1612 K Street NW, Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2013

Contact: Emily Chatterjee
(202) 775-9555

NAPABA DONATES $10,000 TO TYPHOON HAIYAN RELIEF EFFORTS
Supports Immigration Relief for Filipinos Based in the United States

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) today announced that it has committed $10,000 to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in support of the IRC’s emergency relief efforts in the Philippines. NAPABA also announced its support for temporary immigration-related relief for individuals from the Philippines who are currently in the U.S.

“NAPABA is committed to supporting the victims of the Typhoon Haiyan catastrophe. We will be donating $10,000 to support the IRC, which is currently focused on clean water, health care, and other urgent needs in the Philippines,” said William J. Simonitsch, president of NAPABA. “Almost a million people have been displaced internally, and the rebuilding efforts will be ongoing for years to come. We encourage all those who are able to do so to make a charitable donation to the IRC or to other groups working on the ground.”

In addition to the list of aid agencies recommended in NAPABA’s statement in support of victims of Typhoon Haiyan on Monday, which may be found here, potential donors may want to consider Save the Children and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON).

Tina Matsuoka, executive director of NAPABA, stated, “We recognize that, in addition to financial support, victims and their families need other assistance, which is why NAPABA has endorsed Temporary Protected Status for the Philippines. With TPS, Filipinos in the U.S. can be protected from deportation and are eligible to work, enabling them to continue to send remittances back home, thereby helping their families rebuild their lives.”

Under §244(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) would allow nationals from the Philippines residing in the U.S. to receive a temporary, humanitarian form of relief from deportation, and make them eligible to obtain work authorization. The Department of Homeland Security designated Haiti for TPS in similar circumstances after a massive earthquake in 2010. Today, NAPABA joined the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and others in a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Beers, and formally requested that the Philippines be designated for TPS will all due haste.

About the International Rescue Committee:

The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. When an emergency arises, the IRC arrives on the scene within 72 hours with urgently needed supplies and expertise that protect people caught in the midst of chaos. We commit to stay as long as we are needed, helping survivors to heal, recover and rebuild their communities to be stronger, more stable and more democratic.

###