We will explore the “whys” and “hows” of securing pardons and vacaturs on behalf of immigrant clients. Jennie will discuss the ACLU’s successes securing pardons on behalf of deported veterans as well as recent policy victories. Rose will review 1473.7 on its anniversary, and discuss current trends, shortcomings, and new case law developments. Anthony will discuss other forms of post-conviction relief.
Speakers
Rose Cahn, Criminal and Immigrant Justice Attorney - Immigrant Legal Resource Center
Rose Cahn is the ILRC’s Criminal and Immigrant Justice Attorney based in San Francisco. With over 15 years of experience working in the field of immigrant rights, and a special focus on the intersection of criminal and immigration law, Rose oversees the ILRC’s immigrant post-conviction relief work. She is a frequent speaker and trainer on the subject and has co-authored several manuals including, California Post-Conviction Relief for Immigrants (Tooby) and Helping Immigrant Clients with Proposition 47 and Other Post-Conviction Legal Options: A Guide for Legal Service Providers (Californians for Safety and Justice). Rose spearheads federal, state, and local advocacy to help advance the rights of immigrants with criminal convictions and assist providers in understanding how to better serve this population. She serves on the Advisory Committee of the National Clean Slate Clearinghouse and is on the Steering Committee of the American Immigrant Representation Project.
Before working at the ILRC, Rose was a Senior Soros Justice Fellow at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, where she founded the nation’s first Immigrant Post-Conviction Relief Project. Prior to that, she litigated post-conviction relief cases at the Law Office of Norton Tooby and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Warren J. Ferguson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Rose graduated with highest honors from Wesleyan University and cum laude from New York University School of Law. She is proficient in Spanish and is a member of the State Bar of California.
Jennie Pasquarella, Director of Immigrant Rights and Senior Staff Attorney - ACLU of Southern California
Jennie Pasquarella is director of immigrants' rights for the ACLU of California and senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California. She joined ACLU SoCal in 2008.
Jennie specializes in immigrants’ rights litigation and policy advocacy. Her work currently focuses on the intersection of immigration enforcement and the criminal justice systems, as well as federal immigration national security policy that discriminates against Muslim immigrants and prevents them from naturalizing or receiving other immigration benefits.
Jennie’s current cases include Roy v. County of Los Angeles and Gonzalez v. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, both class action challenges to the constitutionality of immigration detainers; Muhanna v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a case challenging a covert national security program known as CARRP, which has unlawfully barred tens of thousands of Muslim applicants from becoming citizens and lawful immigrants in the U.S.; and ACLU SoCal v. USCIS, a case under the Freedom of Information Act to uncover greater information about the CARRP program.
Prior to joining ACLU SoCal, Jennie was a legal fellow/staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, both in New York.
She is a graduate of Barnard College and Georgetown University Law Center, where she earned her J.D. with a certificate in refugee and humanitarian emergencies and was a Public Interest Law Scholar.
Anthony Pullara, Criminal Defense Attorney - Law Offices of Anthony J. Pullara
Anthony J. Pullara is an experienced advocate for individuals under investigation, charged or convicted of a criminal offense.
Mr. Pullara was a partner at the Santa Monica firm of Rodriguez & Pullara prior to establishing the Law Offices of Anthony J. Pullara in 2005.
Mr. Pullara has unique experience in the area of representing immigrants charged or convicted of a criminal offense. Along with successfully representing immigrants charged with violent crimes, theft offenses and drug charges, he has had extraordinary success vacating or modifying convictions for immigrants facing denial of naturalization or deportation based upon a conviction.
Mr. Pullara is actively involved in the Southern California legal community. He was appointed by the Santa Monica City Council as a Commissioner for the City of Santa Monica Social Service Commission where he served as Vice-Chair. Mr. Pullara donated his time and legal expertise to the First AME Church and the former California non-profit Westside Legal Services.
His clients include individuals from every walk of life. However, many high profile individuals have sought Mr. Pullara’s representation, including: the former mayor of a Southern California city, a former Chief of Police, entertainment executives, international musicians, and celebrities of television and motion pictures. Mr. Pullara has also represented people within the criminal justice system such as Los Angeles Superior Court employees, Los Angeles police officers, firefighters, Los Angeles deputy sheriffs, and Los Angeles County probation officers.
In the area of Criminal Defense Mr. Pullara was selected as a Southern California Super Lawyer in 2015, 2014, 2011 & 2009. He was also selected as a Rising Star in the area of Criminal Defense for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Mr. Pullara has been recognized as a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Mr. Pullara has provided continuing legal education and lectured other lawyers regarding the subject of criminal immigration law.