Tooby's California Post-Conviction Relief for Immigrants

(D)

Expert Resource Centers.  Ample resources exist to assist criminal defense counsel in obtaining answers to the immigration questions that arise during the course of representing noncitizens.

            (1)  National Resources.  The National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild (14 Beacon Street, Suite 506, Boston, MA 02108, (617) 227-9727) is a valuable resource.  Headed by Dan Kesselbrenner, co-author of Immigration Law and Crimes,[127] it is a clearinghouse on recent developments and litigation in immigration law and criminal issues, and sometimes organizes amicus briefing in significant cases.  The major national resource in this area is:

            Many local Bar Associations have lists of immigration attorneys, and a local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild or American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will often be able to help.  The Washington, D.C., AILA office (918 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004, (202) 216-2400) will provide the name of a local AILA representative or, for a fee, their membership directory.[128]

            (2)  California Resources. 

·        The Immigrant Legal Resource Center, in San Francisco, California is a non-profit organization that provides advice, training and materials to non-profit community agencies and immigrants’ organizations.  For a modest fee, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center lawyers will provide criminal defense counsel with expert telephone consultation about immigration consequences of a criminal conviction.  For information, call (415) 255-9499.

·        K. Brady, N. Tooby & M. Mehr, Defending Immigrants in the Ninth Circuit (Immigrant Legal Resource Center 2008), distributed by the ILRC, 1663 Mission Street, Suite 602, San Francisco, CA 94103, (415) 255-9499.

·        D. Keener, M. Mehr & N. Tooby, Representing the Noncitizen Criminal Defendant, Chap. 52 in California Continuing Education of the Bar, California Criminal Law: Procedure And Practice (2009).

·        N. Tooby, Expungement Of California Criminal Convictions For Immigration Purposes (2002).

[127] D. Kesselbrenner & L. Rosenberg, Immigration Law and Crimes (Nat’l Lawyers Guild, Nat’l Imm. Project, West Group 2009).

[128] AILA also provides a referral service (fees not to exceed $100.00 per consultation) by calling 1-800-954-0254, or sending and email to ilrs@aila.org.  You will need to provide your name, location and describe your need for an immigration lawyer.