Asylum saves lives. But the Trump administration is fighting to severely restrict access to the asylum process.
Join us for an event featuring the lawyers and advocates who are taking on the administration at the Supreme Court, with major implications for the rights of people seeking safety in the United States.
Noem v. Al Otro Lado centers on the federal government’s former “turnback” policy, which blocked people from seeking asylum at the southern US border. As a result, thousands of people were prevented from seeking protection in the US and were left stranded in dangerous and life-threatening conditions. Although the government ended the policy in 2021 and a lower court found it unlawful, the Trump administration has requested the US Supreme Court to review their decision. Oral arguments took place on Tuesday 24th March.
For this panel, the Global Strategic Litigation Council and the Zolberg Institute on Migration & Mobility are delighted to bring together leading voices involved in the case. This includes the legal team who supported Al Otro Lado to bring the case and are leading the ‘No Turning Back’ campaign. It also includes authors of three of the amicus briefs submitted in support of the right to seek safety, including those filed by former government officials and human rights organizations.
Join us for a this timely discussion on:
- The importance of this case to asylum seekers both in the US, and beyond.
- Key insights from the amicus briefs.
- What comes next after the Court’s decision and how you can get involved with the No Turning Back campaign.
Please see confirmed speakers and their bios below. We hope you can join this important conversation. Further speakers will be announced shortly.
Please ensure you register to attend.
Presented by Global Strategic Litigation Council and Zolberg Institute on Migration & Mobility at The New School for Social Research and The New School.
Co-author of the amicus brief submitted to the court from former high-ranking government officials, calling the administration’s attempts to shut down asylum “illegal” and “unworkable”.
Scott is a Senior Advisor at Human Rights First and Distinguished Fellow at the Human Rights Institute of the Georgetown University Law Center. He previously worked for over 30 years on human rights, refugee, and migration issues with the U.S. government and United Nations (UN), and, in his last position, served for ten years as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the U.S. Department of State.
Co-counsel for Al Otro Lado and Director of Litigation at CGRS who have spearheaded the No Turning Back campaign
Melissa leads CGRS's affirmative litigation, direct representation work, and appellate practice before federal courts and immigration agencies. Before joining CGRS, Melissa was a Senior Supervising Attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project, where she led strategic litigation and advocacy to promote fair and humane immigration policies.
From 2010 to 2017, she served as Legal Director of the American Immigration Council.
Angelo’s practice currently focuses on challenging oppressive state power and the denial of migrants’ rights at the U.S.-Mexico border. Outside of the courtroom, his advocacy efforts have allowed him to support and collaborate with groups such as Al Otro Lado, No More Deaths, the Haitian Bridge Alliance, and Migrant Justice. He is a graduate of the Fordham University School of Law, cum laude, and a former law clerk to the late-Judge Damon J. Keith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Co-author of the amicus brief submitted by the Global Strategic Litigation Council (GSLC) and 140 organisations and academics, and GSLC Director
Bella leads global litigation and advocacy efforts at the Global Strategic Litigation Council to advance the rights of displaced communities. At the age of 23, Bella co-founded a strategic legal NGO that supported undocumented migrants to secure their immigration status post-Brexit. In recognition of her impact, she was named Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2020. Bella previously worked as an attorney for Safe Passage, helping unaccompanied refugee children reunite with their families.
Steven Muleme (he/him) is a Ugandan-born human rights advocate, writer, and community organizer based in New York City. He is the Founder and Executive Director of African Queer Voices (AQV), a nonprofit dedicated to amplifying the voices of African LGBTQ+ individuals through storytelling, arts-based advocacy, and community engagement. Steven also serves as Vice President of Global Outreach and Partnerships at InterPride and is a member of the Global Barometers Advisory Council at Franklin & Marshall College. His work focuses on forced displacement, asylum access, and advancing the rights and visibility of LGBTQ+ communities globally.
Co-author of the amicus brief by the GSLC and 140 organisations and academics, Senior Research Fellow at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility
Prior to joining the Zolberg Institute, Leah directed the Humanitarian Crisis program at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation (CIC). She also co-directs an Experts Group on Global Refugee Policy and is the co-author, with Alex Aleinikoff, of The Arc of Protection: Reforming the International Refugee Regime (Stanford, 2019).
Anwen Hughes helps oversee Human Rights First’s pro bono representation program for indigent asylum seekers. Anwen provides training and support to volunteers from law firms in New York and New Jersey who represent asylum seekers through our program and assists in Human Rights First’s local and national advocacy on asylum issues. She also provides information and legal services to asylum seekers in INS detention, and helps coordinate their legal representation.
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