South Asian in America: An Immigrant Dream Deferred

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, DC, March 29, 2010 – American University Washington College of Law will host an event titled “South Asian in America: An Immigrant Dream Deferred,” on March 29 from 2 – 8 p.m. The symposium will engage law students, practitioners, advocates, and activists in discussions about challenges that South Asian immigrants face with respect to violations of their civil and immigrant rights in the United States.

At a time when the prospects for immigration reform and civil rights legislation remain possible, the symposium will explore specific angles such as profiling and immigration enforcement, while identifying effective methods of immigrant advocacy.

The symposium will conclude with dinner and an award presentation to an outstanding South Asian WCL alumnus/alumna who has devoted his or her career to serving marginalized immigrant communities. The program and dinner will also provide a networking opportunity for WCL students and alumni to interact with attorneys and practitioners in the fields of immigrant advocacy & civil rights.

Presented by South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT).

When: March 29, 2010

            2 - 8 p.m.

Where: American University Washington College of Law

             4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC, 20016, Room 603

Full Schedule:

2:15 - 3:45 p.m. - [Re]forming the Immigration System                                                            

Anjana Malhotra, Practitioner in Residence, Seton Hall School of Law

Priya Murthy, Policy Director, South Asian Americans Leading Together

Kim Propeack, Director of Community Organizing and Political Action, CASA de Maryland

Jayesh Rathod, Assistant Professor, American University Washington College of Law (Moderator)

3:55 – 5:25 p.m. - Balancing Act: National Security and Civil Liberties in the Post 9/11 World

Nusrat Choudhury, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union

Monami Maulik, Executive Director, Desis Rising Up and Moving

Jumana Musa, Policy Director, Rights Working Group (Moderator)

Amardeep Singh, Policy and Advocacy Director, The Sikh Coalition

Kareem Shora, Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

5:35 – 6:15 p.m. - Moving Forward in Collaboration: Immigrant and Civil Rights

Deepa Iyer, Executive Director, South Asian Americans Leading Together (Moderator of Group Discussions)

6:30 – 8 p.m. – Alumni Recognition Dinner

The symposium will conclude with dinner and an award presentation honoring Naznin Saifi (Deputy Director at Northeast New Jersey Legal Services, Inc.) and Nicholas Rathod (Deputy Associate Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs) in recognition for outstanding commitment to public service.

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