On a new interview-only episode of Versus Trump, Take Care's podcast, Jason has an interview with Glenda Aldana Madrid, of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP), about the case NWIRP v. Sessions, in which her organization has so far successfully blocked the Administration's attempt to curb the right to counsel in immigration courts. As usual, you can listen online below or at takecareblog.com/podcast, and subscribe here with any podcast player or here in iTunes.

Jason's guest this week, Glenda Aldana Madrid, is a staff attorney at NWIRP in Seattle. In the interview, Glenda first gives a background on her organization, which provides a full suite of pro bono immigration services to thousands of immigrants residing in Washington State. Jason and Glenda then discuss how the Trump Administration recently sent NWIRP a cease-and-desist letter demanding that they stop providing any legal assistance to people facing deportation, unless NWIRP submits a formal notice of appearance in immigration court and agrees to represent any immigrant for all purposes, for the duration of all litigation. As Glenda explains, pro bono organizations like hers do not have the resources to take on that level of representation with every person who requests help, so this cease-and-desist demand would seriously curb the ability of many immigrants to get legal advice during their immigration proceedings.

Jason and Glenda then discuss the lawsuit her organization filed against the Administration. The lawsuit seeks to hold invalid the cease-and-desist letter and permit NWIRP and all similarly situated organizations to continue to provide immigration clients with various forms of legal assitance without the need to file a notice of appearance. They then discuss the grounds on which NWIRP won a temporary restraining order, why the Sessions DOJ may have sent such a letter, and what might be next in the case.

This week's episode is interview-only, so there are no Trump Lumps or appearances by Charlie and Easha. But they'll be back next week!

Listen online below or at takecareblog.com/podcast, and subscribe here with any podcast player or here in iTunes.

Please share or provide feedback, and rate us in iTunes. You can find us at @VersusTrumpPod on twitter, or send us an email at versustrumppodcast@gmail.com.

Links

• NWIRP's page for the case is here. That page includes a summary of litigation and links to several filings.
• The cease-and-desist letter is here.
• The complaint is here.
• The government's response to the TRO request is here. [Hat-tip to the indispensible Court Listener/RECAP project for making that file available for free. Those who use PACER should remember to install the easy-to-use RECAP extension for your browser so that if you download a document from a federal docket, it will be uploaded to RECAP's archive and made available to others for free going forward!]
• The district court's order granting the temporary restraining order is here.
• At Take Care, Jennifer Chacón of UC-Irvine Schol of Law discussed the case here.

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