Articles

A brief history of FOIA Signed into law in 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was heralded as an iconic achievement on behalf of governmental transparency.  In light of the current attacks on the media and press freedom, it is worthwhile to remember that FOIA was enacted for the stated purpose of implementing “a…

The California legislature has a long history of enacting laws intended to protect immigrants from deportation based on state crimes. For example, since 1978, California has required judges to warn all defendants before accepting a plea of guilty or no contest that, for non-citizens, conviction could result in deportation or denial of naturalization.[1] The California…

Many people think that once they obtain U.S. citizenship through naturalization, their status as a U.S. citizen can never be lost.  It will come as a surprise to some to learn that U.S. citizenship can in fact be taken away or revoked by the government under certain circumstances. And the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services…

Earlier this year, the Trump administration announced a so-called “zero tolerance” policy on illegal entry into the United States, requiring the criminal prosecution of all individuals who enter the United States without authorization.  The results of this draconian policy were cruel and severe.  Thousands of children were forcibly separated from parents with no thought given…

In August 2014, the Board of Immigration Appeals issued a decision that allowed a woman to seek asylum based on the years of extreme domestic violence she suffered. That violence rose to the level of persecution, and it was on account of her membership in a particular social group of married Guatemalan women who were…