Despite All Odds Never Giving Up On March 24, 1944, the Allied forces broke through the last 9 inches of dirt that separated them from remaining prisoners at Stalag Luft III — a German POW camp — and freedom. For a year, this tunnel had been carefully dug, but it was only one of three. The prisoners, led by Roger Bushell, or “Big X,” dug two other tunnels; the three were code-named Tom, Dick, and Harry. Each tunnel was to stretch over 300 feet from the camps perimeter fence. Their plan to dig these three tunnels was to deter the German guards because they assumed that even if one or two tunnels were discovered, one would have a chance to be completed. The prisoners had all odds stacked against them. Their huts were raised off the ground, which would make digging directly down from the huts’ floor nearly impossible to hide. The Nazis had also buried microphones 9 feet underground along the perimeter fence to catch any indication of digging. To make matters even worse, the camp was built upon sandy ground. Yet, despite these odds, the prisoners were not deterred. When we look back at this event, in a time these Allied prisoners did not give up, it reminds us of the STERN Law team and our clients. In face of difficulties when things seem dire, we do not back down. Attorney Christina Champagne did not hesitate to put in everything she had when we learned about what happened to our new client, Jose. He was imprisoned upon arriving in the U.S. because his original lawyer unfortunately did not go the extra mile for him. After initially being deported for a criminal offense, Jose went through a lengthy process to be legally reunited with his family. He was finally granted a green card and eager to return to the U.S. and his loved ones. Unfortunately, immediately upon re-entry, Customs and Border Patrol detained him at the airport on a probation warrant in the criminal case. Champagne went the extra mile to ensure Jose was not sitting in custody any longer than necessary and got the warrant removed right away. She personally drove up to the county probation office for a release document, took it to the client at the jail for signature, and went to the courthouse for the judge’s signature that same day. Once it was faxed to the jail, Jose was finally released to his family in the United States. Our team does not give up in our efforts to support and give voice to our clients. We will do everything in our power to take a stand for you and give you justice.
Within his first hours of office, President Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders that, we hope, will push the country in a better direction. These orders directed removal of the harmful policies the Trump administration had in place that had created such turmoil in our country. Among these decisions, President Biden seeks to ensure our country’s economic recovery, mitigate the abysmal pandemic response by Trump, and put the world environment in higher regard, among other significant changes. STERN Law is encouraged by his efforts to remove the harmful anti- immigration policies that have wracked the country since Trump took office. Here is a look at some of the changes President Biden has issued: DACA The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is an immigration policy that protects children who are brought into the U.S., also known as Dreamers, fromdeportation. It also gives these children work authorization once they are old enough to get a job. Throughout his presidency, Trump sought to tear down the program. Biden, however, aims to bolster it: On Jan. 20, he “issued a memorandumdirecting the Secretary of Homeland Security … to take appropriate action to preserve and fortify DACA,” as USCIS announced. DEPORTATION AND BANS In one of his executive orders, President Biden also nullified Trump’s cruel policies that required a search and automatic deportation of immigrants in the country. Another relinquished the ban that countries, predominantly Muslim and African, could no longer travel to the U.S. President Biden is working with the State Department to restart the visa processes and hopes to repair the damage done by these previous restrictions. THE WALL President Biden has also stopped the building of the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico. The wall, which is estimated to have cost $11 billion at the beginning of 2020, had only reached about 438 miles, 365 miles of which only replaced fencing that had already been in place. With his order to “pause immediately” the wall’s construction, the Biden administration is now undergoing an “assessment of the legality of the funding and contracting methods used to construct the wall.” President Biden’s Directives REMOVING THE LAST DREGS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
... CONTINUED FROM COVER
48 hours, fewer people will be detained by ICE overall.
freedom, dignity, and ability to enjoy the simple comforts of their homes and families. To learn more about the InterimMemo and what STERN Law can do for you, read the memo at STERNLawFirm.us/february-18-ice- enforcement-priority-memo or check out our video explanation at FB.watch/3Lzg8VAOFu . –Jessica Stern
take ICE time to receive approval. Typically, if you are arrested in a criminal case but ordered released on bond or at the end of your case, you would be held for 48 hours as they wait to see if ICE will detain you. We predict that because of these priorities, and the likelihood that the approval process that ICE officers must follow will take longer than
It will take ICE some time to fully implement the InterimMemo, but we are hopeful they will follow this policy guidance. Keep an eye out for further updates from us regarding this shift in policy. Our team at STERN Law is positive that this shift in enforcement policy will help noncitizens regain their
1
404.476.5820
STERNLAWFIRM.US
www.NewsletterPro.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs