Faegre & Benson, LLP

and

Minnesota Advocates

for Human Rights

Present:

The Children’s Human Rights Speaker Series

Children and U.S. Immigration: A Human Rights Issue Within Our Borders

Michele Garnett McKenzie, The Advocates for Human Rights and

John P. Mandler, Faegre & Benson, LLP

Friday, May 18, 2007

12:00 - 1:00 P.M.

Faegre & Benson LLP

The Century Room

2200 Wells Fargo Center ■ 90 South Seventh Street ■ Minneapolis, MN 55402

Amnesty International reports that the number of unaccompanied children detained in the United States has more than doubled over the last five years, rising from 2,375 in 1997 to 5,385 in 2001. Thousands of children unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardians arrive in this country every year, having escaped political persecution or fleeing war, abusive families or other dangerous conditions in their home countries. This lecture will address the legal options for these children. 

Biographic Information

Michele Garnett McKenzie is the program director of The Advocates for Human Rights’ Refugee & Immigrant Program, where she manages the pro bono Asylum Project, Walk-In Clinic Project, and advocacy on legal issues affecting refugees and immigrants. She received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and her B.A. from Macalester College in Saint Paul. Prior to her work at The Advocates, Ms. McKenzie worked in private immigration practice in Saint Paul, Minnesota and as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Executive Office for Immigration Review in Arizona and Nevada. She has served as an adjunct faculty member of William Mitchell College of Law and currently is an adjunct clinical faculty member of the University of Minnesota Law School. Ms. McKenzie serves as co-chair of the Detention Watch Network, and is  a member of both the American Immigration Lawyers Association. and the Minnesota State Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

John P. Mandler is a partner at Faegre & Benson, specializing in product liability, class action, toxic tort and agribusiness litigation.  Mr. Mandler has been the team leader on many of his firm’s Children’s Asylum & Immigration cases, and is a leader of the firm’s Housing Advocacy Team.  Over the course of his career, Mr. Mandler has worked on many matters with The Advocates for Human Rights.  His work has included statement taking on behalf of the Liberian Truth & Reconciliation Commission; representation of adult asylum petitioners; drafting of briefs for submission to the UN Committee on Human Rights and the U.S. Senate;  drafting of amicus briefs to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and United States Supreme Court; and directing research related to the memoranda on the use of torture issued by the U. S. Department of Justice in 2004.  Mr. Mandler is a graduate of Northwestern University, and holds a J.D. from Georgetown University.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Advocates for Human Rights, and is a recipient of that organization’s Volunteer Human Rights Award.  He is also the recipient of the 2006 John C. Benson Award for outstanding pro bono service.

Please RSVP to Julia Kashaeva at The Advocates by noon on Wednesday, May 16.
(612) 341-3302 ext. 127 or jkashaeva@mnadvocates.org.
Lunch will be provided for those who RSVP. Application will be made for one CLE credit.

The bi-monthly Children's Human Rights Speaker Series will be held throughout 2007.

Lectures are free and open to the public (registration required).  For more information, please contact Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights at (612) 341-3302 or see our website at www.mnadvocates.org. You may find directions to Faegre & Benson LLP at: www.faegre.com.