"The Voice of the New Due Process Army" ————– Musings on Events in U.S. Immigration Court, Immigration Law, Sports, and Other Random Topics by Retired United States Immigration Judge (Arlington, Virginia) and former Chairman of the Board of Immigration Appeals Paul Wickham Schmidt. To see my complete professional bio, just click on the link below.
After a shaky start, the Lady Badgers (31-3) showed their prowess by beating fellow B10 rival Nebraska Cornhuskers to bring the national title to Madison for the first time! Congrats champs, you are an inspiration to all of us!
Here’s the complete report from Jim Polzin @ the Wisconsin State Journal!
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Badgers turning out leaders of the future!
PWS
12-19-21
When the Wisconsin Badgers took the field in Minneapolis on Saturday, afternoon they knew they were one win over the then 7-4 Gophers away from a rematch with the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Title Game next Saturday. For the next 60 minutes, the Badgers looked every bit like a team that wanted to avoid that potential matchup. (Michigan beat the Badgers 38-21 at Camp Randall in October). In the process, the Badgers also lost “Paul Bunyun’s Axe” for the second time in the past four years while being subjected to the Gopher fans’ imitation of Wisconsin’s “patented jump around.”
Wisconsin was soundly beaten on both sides of the ball by a modestly talented, yet better coached and clearly more motivated, Gopher team. The Badgers failed to score an offensive touchdown. Their sole trip to the end zone came in the first half on a lucky tipped “pick six” by Scott Nelson.
For the second straight week, Coach Jim Leonhard’s “shut down” Badger defense couldn’t get a “less than awesome” offense off the field, particularly yesterday when it counted. The Gophers controlled the tempo of the game from opening kickoff to final whistle.
Perhaps the “best” illustrations of Badger futility came early in the second half. Ahead 10-6 despite a lackluster first half, the Badgers received the second half kickoff with a chance to “make a statement.” They did! But, not the kind they wanted.
Deep in his own territory, Badger QB Graham Mertz lofted a weak pass to 6th year receiver Kendrick Pryor, who made only a half-hearted effort to catch it. Instead the Gopher defender took the ball away, setting up a short field. Three plays later, the Gophers trotted into the end zone to take a 13-10 lead as a bewildered Badger “D” passively looked on.
On the following possession the Badgers drove methodically inside the Minnesota 10. With second and two from the Gopher five, three downs to make 2 yards, and a then a potential four downs to score, the Badgers appeared destined to retake the lead. Instead, they were forced to settle for a tying field goal that proved to be their last score.
The Golden Gophers then scored the final 10 points and held the Badgers at bay to notch the 23-13 victory. Badger freshman “sensation” running back Braelon Allen was a non-factor. The Badger “O Line’s” inability to open holes was matched by Allen’s failure to break tackles. The few attempts to hit Allen ‘in space” ended with him being stoned by Gopher defenders.
Badger senior tight end Jake Ferguson was another non-factor. Big Ten defensive coordinators have finally figured out how to defend him, particularly in the “red zone.” By contrast, Badger Coach Paul Chryst doesn’t seem to have developed an alternative.
Mertz is a good athlete, but at best an average “pocket passer.” Why not roll him out to create a run option when the receivers are covered? At least force the opposing D to make some difficult choices!
So, instead of a trip to the Big Ten Title Game in Indianapolis next week, the Badgers (8-4, 5-3) “earned” another trip to a “Podunk City Piddly Bowl” against a failed team from a different conference. The “B-Team” announcers sentenced to that (non) “classic,” will be required to shill about the wonders of the Badger defense, the prowess of Allen, and the brilliance of Head Coach Paul Chryst and Defensive Coordinator Jim Leonhard.
But, that won’t hide the truth about a mediocre team that once again underperformed preseason expectations.
Packers 17, Seattle Seahawks 0
PWS
11-15-21
Missing three top receivers and their Defensive Coordinator, the Pack and Aaron Rodgers gutted out a 24-21 nail-biter over Kyler Murray and the previously undefeated Cardinals in the Arizona desert Thursday night. The much improved Packer defense did a decent job against the talented and elusive Murray. Meanwhile, in the absence of a dynamic passing game, Pack backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon ground out 137 yards and “ate lots of clock” behind a rugged offensive line.
The Pack looked to be on the verge of putting the game away late in the fourth quarter when Aaron Jones apparently scored from one yard out to give the Pack a 30-21 lead. But, the TD was reversed on video replay and the ball placed one inch from the goal line. The Pack then totally flubbed three straight plays, including a delay of game, and came away empty when a weak fourth down Rodgers’ pass was batted down.
Murray then proceeded to lead his team on a 94 yard drive and seemed poised to cap it with a game winning touchdown, or at least a field goal to send the game into overtime. However, with only a few seconds left, Murray’s errant pass was picked off in the end zone by former Cardinal Rasul Douglas to save the Packer win. It was the third turnover for Arizona, each having a major impact on the game.
Next, the Pack will visit the 3-4 Kansas City Chiefs in what some have dubbed the “State Farm Bowl,” for the first time pitting insurance pitchmen, buddies, former Super Bowl winners, and previous league MVPs Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes against each other!
PWS
10-28-21
OCTOBER 25, 2021
Hello, this is Deanna Garcia with today’s edition of Early Arrival. You can email me at deanna.garcia@documentedny.com.
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NJ Immigrant Detainees Worried About Transfers as ICE Contracts End
📍 Documented Original
As New Jersey jails began to terminate their contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency has started sending immigrant detainees to other jails in the U.S., further away from their families and friends. ICE told lawyers that the agency can’t release their clients because it considers them a public safety threat, even though majority of them are imprisoned over unresolved charges for nonviolence crimes. This action indicates the power ICE has on where and how immigrant detainees are being held. “We all hoped that ICE would use its discretion to release,” said Ellen Pachnanda, the attorney in charge of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project. “As long as ICE retains this discretion to transfer, they will transfer.” Read more at Documented.
Documented is the only newsroom that creates journalism with and for New York’s immigrant communities. This work is not easy and it is not cheap. Help us fuel this work for $10/month.
AOC Revives Citizenship Bill for 9/11 Cleanup Crew
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and two other legislators reintroduced a federal bill to put immigrants who helped clean up after the 9/11 attacks on a fast track to U.S. citizenship. The 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act is an adjusted version of a bill that former Rep. Joseph Crowley introduced in 2017, which didn’t advance to the House. New York immigrants have asked for years to obtain legal immigrant status as compensation for the work they did and health problems they’ve suffered since the attacks. Several dozens are still protesting, while others gave up on fighting. The Associated Press
New Jersey Haitian Leaders Protest Deportations
Haitian community leaders and immigrant advocates gathered outside of a federal immigration office to protest the Biden administration deporting thousands of Haitian migrants under Title 42. The group of 50 people demanded that President Joe Biden allow more Haitians to seek asylum in the U.S. “These people just want to work and find a better way of life. We’re speaking in Newark because this city is a bedrock for New Jersey’s Haitian population,” said the Rev. Jean Maurice of the New Jersey Haitian Pastors Organization. According to U.S. Census data, New Jersey has roughly 60,000 Haitian residents. North Jersey
Advocates Rally Again for Schumer to Ensure a Pathway to Citizenship
For the last few weeks, immigrant advocates have been demanding Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to work to provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. On Friday, that demand continued at Schumer’s Peekskill office. Immigrants and advocates said they help Democrats gain power in Washington, so now they want Schumer to work for them. “We’ve delivered that control to the Democrats, so we feel that the Democrats have to deliver the promise that they’ve made us and make sure that citizenship is being included in this year’s reconciliation package,” said Peekskill City Councilor Vanessa Agudelo. Advocates said they’re in talks with Schumer’s office and will continue the pressure. News12 the Bronx
ICE Investigation Discovered Falsified Documents of Immigrant’s Suicide
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s External Reviews and Analysis Unit, medical and security staff at Stewart Detention Center in Georgia violated several agency rules when handling Efraín Romero de la Rosa’s suicide in 2018. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and committed suicide after being in solitary for 21 days. The review discovered staff falsified documents, poorly dealt with his medication, didn’t follow proper care procedures and improperly placed him in disciplinary solitary confinement, even though there were multiple warnings of his declining mental health. The review also lists 22 separate violations of ICE and Stewart Detention Center rules by staff during Romero de la Rosa’s four months in detention and eight separate “areas of concern.” The Intercept
Migrant Caravan Breaks Mexican National Guard Roadblock
Roughly between 3,000 and 4,000 migrants left the U.S.-Mexico border city of Tapachula on Saturday morning and headed to Mexico City. Caravan organizers say that will be their last stop while they continue to attempt to secure humanitarian permits for Haitians andCentral and North American migrants to move freely throughout Mexico. But some migrants said they plan on going to the southern border as part of their push. Videos on social media show the caravan recently ran into a Mexican National Guard roadblock and broke through it, with soldiers making no attempts to pursue or draw weapons against them. Border Report
California Hires Border Wall Contractor to Screen, Test and Vaccinate Migrants
California Gov. Gavin Newsom hired Sullivan Land Services Co. to screen, test and vaccinate migrants for COVID-19 at the border. SLSCO, based in Galveston, Texas, received a no-bid $350 million contract from California. This was the same company former President Donald Trump used to build the border wall along the border. Newsom had criticized the border wall and even pushed to file several lawsuits to halt its construction. According to a report, SLSCO staff gave COVID-19 services to about 60,000 migrants at five locations. Immigration advocates and health care leaders aren’t happy about the state’s partnership with SLSCO. KXAN
Child Allowed into U.S. for Urgent Cancer Treatment and Given Humanitarian Parole
Carlitos, a 2-year-old boy from Guatemala, was allowed to enter the U.S. from Tijuana in an ambulance. According to his attorney Hollie Webb, his story of kidnapping, expulsion, lack of access to medical care and a serious illness that without proper treatment could kill him, provided him with a rare outcome. Attorneys and doctors campaigned U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials to allow Carlitos and his mother, Ana, to cross into San Diego under a humanitarian parole to give him cancer treatment. CBP granted the request after an inquiry from The San Diego Union-Tribune. The two crossed into the U.S. Thursday evening to a hospital in San Diego. The San Diego Union-Tribune
Georgia Lawmakers Consider Immigration Solutions Amid Labor Shortages
Just like elsewhere in the U.S., Georgia is facing labor shortages as its economy recovers from the pandemic. A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been meeting to figure out how Georgia’s immigrants can help solve this problem and contribute to the state’s economy. They spoke with industry leaders and immigration advocates to learn what prevents immigrants from maximizing their participation in the workforce. According to Darlene Lynch, a representative of Georgia’s Business & Immigration Partnership, about 1 in 5 foreign-born Georgians with college degrees are either unemployed or employed in a low-wage job, which costs the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost tax revenue per year. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Biden Allowing Private Groups to Sponsor Afghan Evacuees, Small USCIS Staff Tackling Humanitarian Requests, Arizona Mayor Claims Migration Stresses Local Services
The Biden administration plans on revealing a program Monday that would let private groups sponsor Afghan evacuees and assist their resettlement in the U.S., three sources familiar with the plan told CBS News. According to a presentation describing the plan, groups of about five individuals could apply to become “sponsor circles” that would help Afghan refugees secure housing, basic necessities, financial support, legal counsel and medical services for about 90 days. This program would become an alternative to the traditional refugee resettlement process, which is overseen by nine national agencies and their local affiliates. The “Sponsor Circle Program,” a joint initiative between the Department of State and the Community Sponsorship Hub, oversees online applications from potential sponsors and helps connect them with refugees. CBS News
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services allocated just six employees to process roughly 14,000 humanitarian requests for Afghan evacuees seeking relocation last week, drawing condemnation from lawmakers. “That is completely and utterly unacceptable, and I call on USCIS to address the shortcoming immediately,” said Rep. Jim Langevin, (D-R.I.). As of Friday, that number jumped to close to 20,000 requests, which is 10 times more than the number of humanitarian applications submitted around the world in a typical year, said a USCIS official. In response to Langevin’s criticism, the USCIS official said the agency is assigning additional staff for the workload. VOA News
Yuma, Arizona, Mayor Douglas Nicholls (R) told a Washington, D.C. forum that the increase of undocumented immigrants is stressing health care and nonprofits that assist migrants in his town. “As these (migrant) numbers continue to increase, it’s going to be beyond their capability,” he said. “From that perspective we have real concern about our health care system holding up, our nonprofit system holding up, and even our economy.” His comments come as apprehensions of immigrants at the southern border are at their highest numbers in decades. Immigration advocates say those numbers can be misleading since they might represent one migrant who was stopped multiple times. They also argued that nonprofits were under stress due to the pandemic before immigration numbers increased in Trump’s last year in office. AZMirror
Documented, PO Box 250250, New York, NY 10025, United States
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Recently, I wrote about the heroic efforts of my friends Processor Erin Barbato and the UW Law Immigration Clinic and Professor Stephen Yale-Loehr and the Cornell Law Immigration Clinic to help Afghan refugees, including assistance filing applications for “humanitarian parole.”
I also questioned the unusually high $575 fee being charged by USCIS for these emergency humanitarian applications! Now, we find out that for this outrageously high fee, USCIS has assigned only a “skeletal staff” of six adjudicators to process those very predictable applications. Undoubtedly, that will result in unnecessary backlogs and processing delays.
These are the types of “X’s & O’s” practical problems that USCIS Director Ur Jaddou was hired to fix. So, she needs to “get on the stick” and fix this NOW!
A drastic increase in humanitarian parole applications and backlogs was totally predictable. Why is it only getting attention after it becomes a problem and draws public criticism?
PWS
10-25-21
https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/legal-aid-for-afghan-refugees/
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Thanks, Erin for all you and your students do for American justice and social justice. You and your students make me proud to be a UW Law alum!
PWS
10-21-21
Green Bay, WI. Aaron Rodgers and the Pack chased the memories of last week’s 38-3 prime time debacle against the Saints with a convincing 35-17 win over the Detroit Lions in their home opener at rainy Lambeau Field Monday night. Rodgers threw four TD passes, three of them to running back Aaron Jones and another on a dart to tight end Robert “Bobby” Tonyan. Jones, playing in memory of his father who died of COVID, added a rushing TD to his three scoring receptions.
Some of the Packer faithful among the 77,240 who packed Lambeau for the home opener had been engaged in “pregame warm-ups” on their tailgates since the morning. For the first half, they feared at least a partial repeat of last Sunday’s disaster in Jacksonville.
While the Packer offense finally woke up with their first TD drives of the season, the defense did little to stop the Lions offense behind “LA Rams refugee/transplant” Jared Goff. The visitors scored on their initial drive, and took a 17-14 lead into halftime, much to the shock of the announcers and most of the crowd.
The Lions’ attack featured former Packer all purpose running back and Green Bay fan favorite Jamaal Williams, although he was held to 37 total yards. Former Wisconsin Badger standout receiver Quentez Cepheus had 63 yards receiving for Detroit, including a TD and a 46 yard reception.
The second half, played largely in the rain and drizzle, was a completely different story. Rodgers and the Pack scored after taking the kickoff to assume the lead and were in charge thereafter. Green Bay shut out the Lions in the second half while scoring three touchdowns en route to their first win of the season, 35-17.
The Lions dropped to 0-2. The Pack evened their record at 1-1, moving into a tie with the Chicago Bears for first place in the NFC North. Next, the Pack travels to San Francisco for a Sunday Night Football date with the 2-0 49ers.
At least for now, things are back to a more even keel here in Green Bay!
PWS
09-21-21
Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers vs the Brees-less New Orleans Saints was supposed to be one of the prime-time “marquee matchups” of a generally exciting NFL opening slate. Someone forgot to tell A.R., sporting a new look — “retro-70’s” beard, scraggly hairdo, and head scarf — and his buddies in green and gold that there was a game on.
After a tumultuous off-season, featuring threats to sit out the 2021 campaign, Rodgers looked every bit like a guy who would rather be: 1) chatting with Erin Andrews, 2) strumming a six string for State Farm, 3) hosting Jeopardy, 4) chilling on the beach with latest gal pal Shailene Woodley, or 5) doing almost anything else not involving a football. After throwing only five interceptions last season, he threw two key interceptions, one in the red zone the other setting up a Saints’ score. His miserable 36.3 QB rating probably was generous.
The rest of his buddies from the NFC North followed AR’s lead, acting as though they were on vacation in Jacksonville, where the Saints’ “home game” was played because of hurricane damage in New Orleans. The receivers got no separation. The line didn’t block. The runners couldn’t run. The defense let the Saints have their way, en route to 322 total yards total offense.
The only reason the Saints didn’t pile up even more yards was because they were efficient on offense and defense and didn’t have to. But, on Sunday, this looked like a Packer “D” that could have 600 yards laid on them. Easily!
The Pack coaching staff, including new defensive “wizard” Joe Barry, looked like shell-shocked zombies. And, the “strategy” of resting all all the starters for the entire preseason played out every bit as dumb and ill-advised as it appeared to many pundits.
Lest anyone think that “relief is on the horizon,” the Pack’s “QB of the future,” Jordan Love looked like a “permanent work in progress” as he completed five of seven passes, but fumbled in the red zone in his unimpressive NFL debut against the Saint’s “mop-up defense.” The only “bright spot” for the “visitors” was the tens of thousands of loyal “Packer-backers” in the stands who waited in vain for their guys to show up.
By contrast, Drew Brees’s replacement, Jameis Winston, a “refugee from Tampa Bay” who hadn’t started a game in more than a year looked worthy of being “the successor” in New Orleans. He was 14-20-148-0 with an astounding five TD passes against the hapless Pack secondary (thought be one of their “strengths” going into the season) and earning a Brees-like QB rating of 136. In a flip with the usually reliable Rodgers, Winston threw “smart passes” and avoided interceptions — the “Achilles heel” that ended his tenure with the Bucs.
The final score of 38-3 wasn’t indicative of how one-sided this game really was. Sure, it’s only one game. But, beyond “they couldn’t play any worse,” I didn’t see a lot to build on here! This team bore no resemblance to the group that was basically one play away from a possible Super Bowl last year.
Perhaps, as many assume, AR is merely “playing out the string” in Green Bay, with visions of signing elsewhere next year. But, despite clear Hall of Fame stats, the lack of leadership, enthusiasm, and effort by AR in this one might well give other teams pause as to whether he can do a “Tom Brady” in a different uniform.
So, since he decided to come back to the Pack for this season, I think AR would do well to play like he cares, even if it’s only to set up a deal for next year. And, the Pack might want to take a closer look at Love, who has yet to show that he can translate a sterling college career into “upper echelon” NFL QB performance.
Next week it’s the Detroit Lions in Green Bay. Normally, that’s good news for the Pack who have beaten the Lions the last four times at Lambeau. This is a “new-look” Lions team with Jarod Goff replacing Matthew Stafford at QB. While losing their opener at San Francisco, Detroit showed some energy and enthusiasm in closing a 28-point third quarter deficit to a 41-33 final. Although throwing a key interception, Goff looked much better than AR in the opener.
AR and the Pack need to shake off the sleep walk. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long, stormy season in Green Bay. The kind that will make you lose hair, rather than grow it!
PWS
09-13-21
Of interest? You can join virtually.
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Atiera Lauren Coleman <colemana@beloit.edu>
Date: Wed, Sep 8, 2021 at 3:10 PM
Subject: [EVENT] Ousley Residency: All Black Lives Matter: Black Immigrants and the Immigrants’ Rights Movement
To: <facstaff@lists.beloit.edu>
Ousley Residency Keynote Speaker
Friday, September 17, 7:00 PM – In-person & Virtual – (Add to Google Calendar)
BTYB – Student Success, Equity, and Community and the Weissberg Program in Human Rights & Social Justice
The Office of Student Success, Equity & Community Ousley Scholar In Residency honors the legacy of Grace Ousley, the first black woman to graduate from Beloit College. It is a junior scholar/activist/organizer/intellectual committed to the theory and practice of social justice. They should embody the “academic hustler” who fights for “social justice” in all aspects of their work. Support for the residency comes from the Weissberg Program in Human Rights and Social Justice and the Office of Student Success. Equity & Community.
Date: Friday, September 17, 2021
Time: 7:00 PM -8:30 PM
How to attend
In-person – Weissberg Auditorium – Powerhouse
Virtual – Join Zoom Meeting https://beloit.zoom.us/j/81172664933
—
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This promises to be a great program! And, the Ousley Residence Program is a fantastic contribution to educating and inspiring new generations of Americans about the many challenges still facing us in achieving social justice in our nation.
The abrogation of due process and dehumanization of people of color has, outrageously, become part of the dysfunctional U.S. Immigration Court System. The last Administration specifically encouraged and promoted this ugly, anti-democracy, phenomenon and then used it to spearhead an all-out assault on racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, religious tolerance, economic progress, voter rights, and humane progressive values throughout American society.
Unfortunately, many progressives have been slow to “connect the dots” and insist that meaningful social justice change start with fixing the racial and gender bias problems in our Immigration Courts, tribunals that are under the complete control of the Biden Administration!
For example, current Attorney General Merrick Garland rather incredibly claims to be standing up for women’s rights in Texas and defending voting rights for minorities while continuing to run misogynistic, regressive “Star Chambers” at EOIR, staffed with many judges hand-selected by Jeff Sessions and Billy Barr, and tossing vulnerable women refugees of color back across our Southern Border into harm’s way without any “process” at all, let alone “Due Process of Law.” Garland also continues to enable human rights abuses in the “New American Gulag” of DHS civil detention! We can see this process of dehumanization of the “other” before the law, called “Dred Scottification” by many of us, spreading throughout our legal system and being endorsed and “normalized” all the way up to the Supremes.
From the summary in the announcement above, it appears that Denea, based on her own inspiring life and achievements as a “Dreamer,” will help us to “connect the dots” between racial justice, immigrant justice, and equal justice for all. Immigrants’ Rights = Human Rights = Everyone’s Rights!
PWS
09-09-21
BY MATTHEW LA CORTE, JACOB CZARNECKI for the Niskanen Center
JULY 20, 2021
On July 3, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks to advance to the NBA Finals, an accomplishment not seen in the city in almost 50 years. Leading the charge for Milwaukee is the six-foot, eleven-inch Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek-born star is one of the best basketball players in the world today and a global ambassador for the NBA.
The best foreign-born player competing on the league’s biggest stage is the latest apex in the decades-long internationalization of the NBA. The stellar results of that process carry broader conclusions for immigration policy. But first, it’s worth understanding the particular lessons drawn from Antetokounmpo’s compelling journey, which took him from statelessness to global stardom.
Stateless and vulnerable
In December 1994, Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Athens, Greece, to Nigerian immigrants. His parents arrived in the country without legal status in search of better employment opportunities. While in Greece, Giannis’ family faced the dual threats of potential deportation back to Nigeria and anti-immigrant attitudes within Greek society.
As a teenager, Giannis avoided going out at night for fear of being attacked by members of Golden Dawn, a neo-Nazi party responsible for numerous assaults on immigrants.
Giannis’ parents also struggled to maintain long-term employment due to their legal status, meaning he and his brothers informally sold consumer goods such as watches and hats to keep their family afloat. However, at the age of 13, Giannis would begin to see his family’s fortunes shift dramatically, as Spiros Velliniatis, a coach in the Greek amateur basketball leagues, began scouting him and his brothers (three Antetokounmpo brothers now play in the NBA).
The coach offered to find Giannis’ parents better-paying jobs in exchange for the right to train the brothers full-time — a lifeline provided even though Giannis struggled to dribble a basketball when he began training.
Despite a late start, Giannis’ work ethic and natural gifts would quickly make him one of the most sought-after basketball talents in all of Greece. NBA scouts and executives flocked to the country to see the future star in action. Eventually, Antetokounmpo was drafted 15th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks at the age of 18.
This accomplishment was nearly undone by the realities of his immigration status, however. Greece does not offer birthright citizenship as it exists in the United States. Instead, Greece requires at least one parent to hold Greek citizenship for the child to receive it. Thus, without papers from Greece or Nigeria, Antetokounmpo was considered stateless — despite having lived in Greece his entire life.
His stateless status threatened to prevent Giannis from traveling to New York for the NBA draft, leaving him with limited options to proceed other than attempting to secure a Nigerian passport. Luckily, the Greek government stepped in to provide citizenship to their budding star before the draft, ensuring that Antetokounmpo would be identified as Greek on the world stage — not Nigerian.
The struggle of Antetokounmpo’s parents to provide for their family reveals the challenges of being undocumented, and even after many barriers had been overcome, this statelessness could have prevented him from ever realizing his immense potential. It is easy, then, to see how a lack of legal status impacts individuals and families without the benefit of a star athlete in their ranks — conditions that apply to millions in the United States.
But the story also highlights an upside of American immigration law. Many of the issues Antetokounmpo faced during his youth derived from Greece’s lack of birthright citizenship — a policy central to the U.S. immigration system since the passage of the 14th Amendment. His tribulations display the value of this policy in the American context, enabling children to live their lives unburdened by immigration decisions their parents made before they were even born.
. . . .
Update: On July 20, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns to win the 2021 NBA Championship. Giannis Antetokounmpo became the sixth player in NBA Finals history to score 50 points and unanimously won the 2021 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
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Read the full story at the link.
The last time the Bucks won the NBA crown, I was an L-1 at UW Law. That great team was led by Kareem (then known as Lew Alcindor), Oscar Robertson (“The Big O”), and Bobby Dandridge (“Bobby D,” who later went on to help the Washington Bullets — now the Wizards — win their sole NBA title). All three are Hall of Farmers, as no doubt Giannis will be some day.
And, yes, the birthright citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment is one of the wisest provisions in American law! Not only does it prevent statelessness, but it also guarantees that even when Congress drops the ball and fails to legalize long-term American residents without documentation, there will not be generations of “underground Americans.” For the most part, the “next generation” become U.S. citizens through birth in the U.S. and our country goes on to grow and prosper. They also receive full political rights, rather than being disenfranchised and forced into an extralegal, exploitable fringe society.
PWS
07-21-21
Martin Pengelly in The Guardian:
. . . .
“OK, got that? No burgers on 4 July. No steaks on the barbecue … So get ready. You can throw back a plant-based beer with your grilled Brussels sprouts and wave your American flag.”
Beer is typically made from grains, hops and yeast – not steak, sausages or chops.
Amid a blizzard of lacerating social media send-ups, the New York Times columnist Paul Krugman offered a sober analysis of what Kudlow was up to.
“So this seems to be the latest rightwing attempt to smear Bidenomics,” he wrote on Saturday. “There is, of course, nothing about eliminating meat in Biden’s plans; so this is like the imaginary mobs that burned our cities to the ground.
“If you read what Kudlow actually said, he’s cagey – doesn’t say that Biden proposed this, only that some people say this is what would happen. But Fox viewers won’t notice, which is the intention.
. . . .
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I’m about to quaff one of these, Larry!
And despite the fact that no animals died during the brewing process, I’m looking forward to a clean crisp taste, rather than a mouthful of blood and gristle.
DPF, and bottoms up!
PWS
04-26-21
ARD, BARBATO, AND COLLINS NAMED UW LAW SCHOOL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
Each spring, UW Law School celebrates excellence in teaching through its Teacher of the Year awards. UW Law School’s annual teaching awards demonstrate the value placed on excellent teaching. Our faculty engage and inspire UW Law students through thoughtful pedagogy, and we are proud to honor them for this important work.
The honorees for outstanding classroom, clinical and adjunct instruction in 2020 include:
- BJ Ard, Classroom Teacher of the Year. BJ Ard is an Assistant Professor of Law whose teaching and scholarship focusing on intellectual property, privacy, and technology. Ard earned his law degree and doctorate from Yale in 2017. He joined the UW Law School in 2018.
- Erin M. Barbato, Clinical Teacher of the Year. Barbato is the director of UW Law School’s Immigrant Justice Clinic (IJC) and a Clinical Professor of Law. In 2013, she joined the Law School as an adjunct professor with a focus on immigration law before becoming the IJC director in 2018. Under her supervision, students learn how to represent individuals in removal proceedings and with humanitarian-based immigration relief. Barbato received her law degree from Marquette University Law School in 2006.
- Susan Collins, Adjunct Teacher of the Year. Collins teaches an introduction for estate planning and drafting. Collins earned her law degree in 1995, graduating cum laude from UW Law. Collins worked for Associated Bank as a senior vice president and fiduciary law senior counsel until 2018.
Submitted by Law School News on April 15, 2021
This article appears in the categories: Articles, Faculty
Related employee profiles: BJ Ard, Erin Barbato, Susan Collins
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Congratulations, Erin, my friend and colleague So very proud of you and all you have achieved at my alma mater. “Badgers changing the world, for the better!”
This is a “Big Deal!” As Erin tells me:
The award is based on votes and comments from students. It means a lot to me as I think it reflects that the students of UW Law recognize the importance of representing people in removal proceedings. They are future due process warriors.
Erin has been an inspirational role model for a new generation of law students, taking groups to the border to save lives, engaging in “retail level” litigation in Immigration Court that advances justice in the most meaningful way possible, and publicizing the seminal role that immigrant justice plays in social justice in America. She is also a thinker and scholar who sees due process, human rights, and racial justice issues with a clarity lacking in all too many of today’s out of touch politicians, policy makers, and judges.
Erin also was a guest lecturer in my Immigration Law & Policy course course at Georgetown Law. Her “stories and pictures from the border” brought home to my students the gross violations of human and constitutional rights going on in our dysfunctional Immigration Courts on a daily basis.
Erin is one of the many “practical scholars” out there who should be “on the inside” at EOIR, DHS, and the Article III Courts!
PWS
04-25-21
The Wisconsin Badgers (18-13) made it respectable. But, the #1-seed Baylor Bears seized control early in the first half of the South Second Round Game from West Lafayette, IN on their way to a convincing 76-63 victory. The Bears thus move on to the Sweet 16, while the Badgers’ season ends.
The three-point shot, which was the Badgers “best friend” in their round one victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night, abandoned the Badgers and went over to the Bears. Baylor drained 8 of 17 threes for 47.1%, while Wisconsin shot only 37% from behind the arc, missing 13 of 21 attempts. Turnovers, often a Badgers strength, were their achilles heel this afternoon, with the Badgers committing 13 to the Bears’ four.
Baylor led 42-29 at the half. To their credit, the Badgers hung in and cut the lead to seven points several times in the second half. But, they couldn’t get any closer. After playing consistently against North Carolina, the Badgers reverted to their regular season form with several long “dry spells” that helped seal their fate. Overall, however, Baylor was just too good.
The Badgers were led by seniors D’Mitrik Trice (12 pts.), Nate Reuters (11 pts.), and freshman guard Jonathan Davis (10 pts.). The victorious Bears were paced by junior guard Matthew Mayer, who came off the bench to score 17, eight above his season average.
Although the Badgers were not expected to make the “Sweet 16,” they joined a growing list of Big-10 failures in this year’s NCAA Men’s tournament. Just before the start of the Wisconsin-Baylor game, the #8 Loyola Ramblers (led in spirit by their #1 fan, the famous “Sister Jean”) dominated #1-seed Illinois 71-58, in another “nobody saw this coming” upset. Of the nine Big-10 teams invited to the dance, only Rutgers, Michigan, Iowa, and Maryland remain alive, all with second round games coming up.
Congratulations to Coach Greg Gard and his team on another winning season and NCAA Tournament birth.
Not all news was bad for Wisconsin sports over the weekend. The Badger Women’s hockey team beat Northeastern on Saturday to win the “Frozen Four” and the NCAA Championship!
On Wisconsin!
After staggering into the NCAA Tournament, losers of five of their last six, the senior-laden Wisconsin Badgers (18-12) looked for at least one night like they belong in the Big Dance.
The 9-seed Badgers finally put together a full 40-minute game, eviscerating the 8-seed North Carolina Tar Heels (18-11) in every facet on their way to a very convincing 85-62 win in the first round of the of the NCAA South Regional before a COVID-protocol-limited crowd on Purdue’s home court in West Lafayette, Indiana. The were some Badger fans in the stands, and they experienced a rare Badger blowout inflicted on a credible opponent.
Senior guards Brad Davison (29 points) and D’Mitrik Trice (21 points) led the #25 Badgers, who drilled 13 of 27 three-pointers. No other Badger was in double figures, although seniors Micah Potter and Aleem Ford chipped in nine apiece.
The Tar Heels’ front line was supposed to dominate. But, the Badgers controlled the boards 37-34, including 28 defensive rebounds to keep the Tar Heels reeling all night. For North Carolina’s Hall of Fame coach, the legendary Roy Williams, this was his initial first round failure after 29 consecutive W’s.
Of course, this year’s mediocre Tar Heel squad, from the middle of an underwhelming ACC pack, yet not without some young talent, bore little resemblance to Williams’s championship-caliber teams of yesterday year. Bucky came into the season with great promise, ranked in the top ten, primarily on the strength of the senior core coming off a Big-10 co-championship in the COVID-halted 2020 season.
But, the Badgers struggled through the Big-10 season, finishing with a lackluster 10-10 record (17-12 overall), good for only a 6th place finish in conference. Mostly significantly, they were 0-8 against the conference’s premier teams: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, and Iowa. They clawed their way into the Big Dance largely by beating up on non-conference foes and Big-10 bottom feeders.
The Badgers led wire-to-wire on Friday night, coming out strong and energetic and keeping up the pressure, leading 40-24 at the half. Nevertheless, Badger fans couldn’t relax because, unlike past Wisconsin squads, this team throughout the season blew some sizable leads with long dry spells that let their opponents seize control.
Last night was, however, totally different. Although the Tar Heels came out with a much improved offensive showing in the second half, particularly from their “bigs,” the Badgers basically matched or exceeded them basket for basket to maintain, and even expand their halftime lead. The Tar Heels never got closer than 12 points, and the Badgers settled at a comfortable 14-18 lead for most of the stanza.
Most pundits had given Coach Greg Gard’s Badgers a chance against Williams’s slightly favored, yet highly inconsistent, Carolina squad. But, few, if any, saw this complete and convincing blowout coming.
So, at least for one night, the Badgers looked like a team that belongs in March Madness, rather than an imposter whose invitation suggested a past reputation for consistent excellence rather than the current less-than-inspiring group who limped into the NCAAs, after losing to Iowa for the third straight time in the conference tournament.
It’s probably a good thing for the Big-10. Although generally considered the “premier conference” in America during this COVID-infected season, two of the conference’s highly seeded teams, Ohio State (#2) and Purdue (#5), suffered shocking upsets on the first day. Another perennial power, Michigan State, blew a big lead and lost to a lightly regarded UCLA squad in the tournament “play-in” game.
The Badgers should savor this moment of redemption. Because, their dance is going to get much more challenging tomorrow afternoon when they face the #1 seed Baylor Bears (23-2) at 2:40 PM from West Lafayette. The game will be on CBS and the Bears are an early six point favorite.
Mary Papenfuss reports for HuffPost:
In an absolutely stunning statement, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) admitted in a radio interview that he wasn’t frightened by white insurrectionists’ attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 — but said he would have been “concerned” had they been Black.
Johnson accurately predicted that his racist statement to conservative radio host Joe Pags on Thursday would get him “into trouble.”
The senator noted that he has been criticized for previous remarks that he “never felt threatened” by the attack.
He added: “Now, had the tables been turned, Joe, and this’ll get me in trouble — had the tables been turned, and President Trump won the election, and those were tens of thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters, I might have been a little concerned.”
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Read the full article at the link.
Oh Wisconsin, how far you have fallen to inflict this racist idiot on our nation!
PWS
03-14-21
