ILS News – May 2025

Law Day is May 1^st in the United States. It is a national day dedicated to celebrating the rule of law and understanding its importance. On this day I often think of the famous phrase from The Star-Spangled Banner “Home of the brave, land of the free.” This phrase is an invitation for us to not only consider whether the flag is still flying over a nation of freedom but whether its citizens still have the courage and character necessary to preserve it.

Law Day is a time to focus on promoting non-partisan education about what rule of law means. Simply, it is a principle of governance where no person or entity is above the law and where the law will be equally enforced and independently adjudicated. The legal profession is key to sustaining the pillars of rule law: accountability, transparency, fairness and access. I am grateful to our members and the work they do to preserve rule of law each day. Our section continues to offer education on the timely topic of immigration. Our future immigration webinar series this year will include discussions on (1) employment law and investment-based immigration with H-1B Visa (2) criminal immigration law (3) navigating humanitarian immigration and, (5) immigration policy and administration approaches.

The ILS News article this month introduces you to Counsel for Justice (CFJ) and their Immigration Clinic in Los Angeles. CFJ is a non-profit that promotes access to justice for those in underserved communities seeking to assert their legal rights. CFJ’s three legal services projects are dedicated to offering direct legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence, immigrants, and U.S. military veterans. With the support of many attorney volunteers, CFJ helps thousands of individuals and families access their legal rights each year.

Finally, a quick reminder that registration is open for the Milan, Italy conference in October. All are welcome.

Theresa Leets
Chair, International Law and Immigration Section
California Lawyers Association

Implications of the Trump Gold Card and its potential impact on the EB-5 program to include:

1. Impact on Pending EB-5 Petitions & Regional Centers – How will existing investors and Regional Centers be affected?
2. Fraud Enforcement & Regulatory Actions – Given the administration’s rhetoric about extensive fraud in the EB-5 program, how will enforcement measures evolve?
3. Legislative Viability of the Gold Card Program – Will this initiative withstand legal and legislative scrutiny?
4. Corporate & Securities Law Implications – How will these changes affect ownership structures, securities issuances, and private placements?
5. Investor Response & Ethical Considerations – Will there be a rush to invest in EB-5 before the program potentially becomes less accessible? What are the ethical implications of such urgency?

Speakers:

• Radhika Blaji, RB Immigration Law
• Divij Kishore, Flagship Law LLC
• William Gay, Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP

May 19, 2025
9:30 AM – 12 PM
La Canada, CA

The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) International Law Section and the California Lawyer Association’s International Law and Immigration Section are co-sponsoring a half-day tour at NASA.

All tours commonly include a multimedia presentation on JPL entitled “Journey to the Planets and Beyond,” which provides an overview of the Laboratory’s activities and accomplishments. Guests may also visit the von Karman Visitor Center, the Space Flight Operations Facility, and the Spacecraft Assembly Facility. 

The CLA Annual Meeting returns to Southern California and will be held at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City on September 11-13, 2025. California lawyers and the legal community will not just gather to collaborate across all practice areas, but it is their time to meet and discover the possibilities of how to transform the daily and worldly issues that the California legal community faces today. 

The CLA welcomes and encourages you to present your expertise to provide members and attendees with access to excellent education.   

 
Please submit your proposal here! Our Programs Committee’s proposal review process will commence after May 2, 2025. Thank you for your interest and support in providing an education proposal for the 2025 CLA Annual Meeting.

Proposal Form

Join us for an unforgettable experience in Milan!

• Earn MCLE credits while participating in a series of thought-proviking academic sessions and networking opportunities.
• Indulge in exquisite Italian cuisine and world-renowned wines.
• Explore Milan’s iconic museums, art galleries, and historic landmarks, including Lake Como.

In an era of shifting immigration policy and rising legal complexity, access to competent and compassionate immigration legal services is more critical than ever. While national headlines focus on high-profile executive orders, the deportation of U.S. citizens, and the threat of family separation, thousands of immigrants across Los Angeles County quietly face the daily challenges of navigating a legal system that often feels overwhelming. The Counsel for Justice (CFJ) Immigration Legal Assistance Project, now in its 50th year, serves as a vital lifeline for low-income individuals seeking safety, stability, and the legal means to remain with their families and communities.

A Legacy Rooted in Access to Justice

The Immigration Legal Assistance Project (ILAP) began in 1975 as a modest initiative of the LA County Bar Association’s immigration section to assist indigent immigrants in the Los Angeles area. Operated by CFJ since 2014, the clinic has grown into a high-volume legal services hub serving thousands of walk-in clients annually. Last year alone, ILAP’s four-person staff and team of dedicated volunteers helped more than 5,000 individuals navigate the complexities of the immigration system.

ILAP operates as a self-help clinic, providing legal information, assistance with form preparation, and guidance navigating the United States immigration system. Services are tailored to support clients facing a range of issues, such as adjustment of status, DACA renewals, naturalization, family petitions, and more – prioritizing clarity, accuracy, and practical assistance in a setting where legal information can mean the difference between relief and removal.

Serving Clients at the Ground Level

What sets ILAP apart is its on-the-ground accessibility. Located in the 300 N. Los Angeles Federal Building in downtown LA, the same building that houses USCIS, ICE, and the EOIR Court, the clinic serves walk-in clients five days a week, many of whomarrive with little more than a notice to appear or a form they don’t understand. For these individuals, ILAP staff and volunteers offer person-centered, real-time support.

Each visitor undergoes an eligibility screening and receives customized assistance based on their needs. While the clinic cannot offer full representation in every case, it ensures that every client leaves with a clearer understanding of their situation, the correct forms, and the confidence to take the next legal step, whether it be attending a hearing, submitting a USCIS application, or seeking further counsel.

Leveraging Pro Bono Volunteers to Expand Reach

A key element of ILAP’s success lies in its integration of attorneys and law student volunteers. CFJ recruits and trains legal professionals from across Los Angeles to provide services in the clinic. Volunteers assist respondents under the supervision of CFJ’s experienced immigration attorneys, allowing the project to maintain high service volume without sacrificing quality.

This model also offers a unique professional development opportunity for newer attorneys or those unfamiliar with immigration law. Through CFJ’s structured training, volunteers receive substantive legal instruction and hands-on experience, reinforcing their understanding of real-world immigration challenges while supporting those most in need.

Navigating a Complex Policy Environment

The work of ILAP is made more urgent by the increasingly complex legal and political environment in which it operates. Recent shifts in federal immigration enforcement, rulemaking, and court precedent have created new pitfalls for immigrants and their advocates. For instance, backlogs in processing times, criminal penalties for failing to register, and the fluctuating availability of humanitarian relief options all affect how and when an individual might safely seek legal relief.

CFJ’s clinic is designed to adapt to these changing dynamics. Staff regularly update intake protocols, train volunteers on new developments, and work closely with partner organizations to ensure clients receive accurate, up-to-date guidance. This responsiveness is particularly important in Los Angeles, where many residents arenavigating multiplelayers of vulnerability, including language barriers, lack of legal status, and limited financial resources.

A Call to the Legal Community

In its 50th year, the CFJ Immigration Legal Assistance Project is not resting on its legacy – it is looking forward. The clinic continues to seek volunteer attorneys who want to engage in meaningful, hands-on legal service.

For immigration law professionals, especially those in private practice, participating in ILAP offers more than a chance to give back. It’s a way to stay connected to the grassroots realities of the system, sharpen legal skills in a collaborative environment, and contribute to a broader movement for access to justice in Los Angeles.

As debates over immigration law and policy continue to unfold nationally and globally, projects like CFJ’s ILAP remind us that justice begins locally, one client, one form, one act of service at a time.

For more information about volunteering or supporting the Counsel for Justice Immigration Legal Assistance Project, visit www.counselforjustice.org or contact info@counselforjustice.org.

US Sanctions Against Specified Individuals (Karim Khan) Working with the International Criminal Court-Executive Order (EO) 14203, was issued February 6, 2025, imposing sanctions on persons who provide support or services to designated persons in connection with investigations by the ICC of the US, Israel, or other US allies who object to the jurisdiction of the ICC. Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court – The White House The only person designated so far is Prosecutor Karim Khan. The order also authorizes sanctions against any foreign person who is determined to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support to the ICC’s efforts to investigate or prosecute protected persons.

The EO is made pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and a finding that any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, thereby declaring that “threat” a national emergency.  At least two suits have been filed challenging the EO: Smith v. Trump, USDC for the District of Maine, case 1:25-cv-00158-NT; Rona v. Trump, USDC, SDNY, 1:25-cv-03114. Both seek injunctive relief based on alleged violations of the First Amendment, and the Rona case also asserts the EO is unconstitutionally vague, and ultra vires under the IEEPA.

Situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo – April 2, 2025. The Trial Chamber issued a decision regarding reparations in the Germain Katanga case, directing the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) to file information regarding, among other things, modalities of implementation of the reparations order.  Katanga was convicted in 2014 for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the 2003 attack on Bogoro village in the Ituri region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Public Redacted Version of the Order Directing the Trust Fund for Victims to File Information on the Modalities of Collective Reparations | International Criminal Court

Hungary – April 29, 2025: Following public calls to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited Hungary, announced its intent to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the ICC Treaty. The [ICC?] Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties urged Hungary to remain a party to the Statute and noted that withdrawal does not discharge a State from obligations incurred while it was a member. On April 29, 2025, the Parliament of Hungary voted to approve the country’s withdrawal from the ICC Treaty.

Situation on Palestine (Israel): The ICC Appeals Chamber reversed the decision of PreTrial Chamber I on Jurisdiction and ordered further proceedings. The appellate decision was based on finding an error of law by the PreTrial Chamber for failing to sufficiently address Israel’s argument that it was entitled to make a jurisdictional challenge under Article 19(2)I of the Statute . Judgment on the appeal of the State of Israel against Pre-Trial Chamber I’s “Decision on Israel’s challenge to the jurisdiction of the Court pursuant to article 19(2) of the Rome Statute” | International Criminal Court. At the same time, the Appeals Chamber dismissed the appeal of Israel for an order that the Prosecutor give a new notice to Israel. Decision on the admissibility of the appeal of the State of Israel against Pre-Trial Chamber I’s “Decision on Israel’s request for an order to the Prosecution to give an Article 18(1) notice” | International Criminal Court.

Situation in the Philippines – March 11, 2025: The government of the Philippines surrendered former President Rodrigo Duterte to ICC. Duerte is accused of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape allegedlycommitted between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019, in connection with the alleged extrajudicial killings made in connection with the war on drugs in the Philippines. The arrest warrant alleged that Duterte orchestrated a widespread and systematic attack against civilians, resulting in thousands of extrajudicial killings during his tenure as Mayor of Davao City and later as President of the Philippines. The confirmation of charges hearing is provisionally scheduled to begin on September 23, 2025.

Situation in Uganda – April 7, 2025: The Appeals Chamber rejected the appeal of Ongwen related to reparations, upholding the February 28, 2024, reparations decision of Trial Chamber IX.

Uganda-Kony – April 14, 2025:  The Pre-Trial Chamber II denied the request of Joseph Kony to delay confirmation of charges hearings to be made without the appearance of Kony (in absentia) claiming that proceeding with the confirmation of charges hearing would jeopardize efforts to bring other fighters back into Ugandan society. The Chamber held that the interest of justice and the rights of victims outweighed Kony’s arguments, and affirmed that proceedings may continue in his absence under Article 61(2)(b) of the Rome Statute.  The Prosecutor stated that the Office will intensify efforts to secure the arrest of Mr. Kony, the ICC’s longest-standing suspect at large.

Situation in Ukraine: The US has withdrawn from the international coalition collecting evidence of war crimes committed in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the State Department announced the closing of the Office of Global Criminal Justice. Further information is available at Rubio unveils first stage of major State Department overhaul.

---