O'Melveny's 2018-2019 Pro Bono Review

O’MELVENY PRO BONO PROGRAM REVIEW 2018- 2019 16 convicted felons, even though he had no criminal background. As a result of his victory, W.A. had a hearing before an immigration judge and was granted bail. He now is free, safe and able to assist in the preparation of his case. Reuniting Immigrant Families In November 2017, F.D. was detained by ICE and held in an immigration detention center for nearly six months. O’Melveny began representing him after a failed bond hearing in which the judge expressed significant doubts about F.D.’s prospects for staying in the US. Still, after O’Melveny presented evidence of the client’s familial hardship and good moral character, the Department of Homeland Security withdrew its opposition to F.D.’s application to cancel his deportation order, and the court granted him a green card. He has now returned home, where he cares for his disabled partner and their two young daughters. Fighting the Immigration Ban Simindokht Naghi Zadeh and Mohmmadhosin Moazzami Farahami were granted visas in 2016 to emigrate from Iran to the United States to join their children who are US citizens and have lived in Los Angeles for seven years. Mr. Moazzami Farahami suffers from early stage Parkinson’s disease and early onset Alzheimer’s and Ms. Naghi Zadeh has high blood pressure. They sold their belongings and property and began their trip to Los Angeles on the morning of January 28, 2017. But on a layover in Abu Dhabi, US immigration officials detained them and told them they could not complete their journey to the US because President Trump had just signed a law banning any immigration from Iran. They were told to sign a document, written in English, a language they do not understand, and were then returned to Iran. Worried about the health and safety of his parents, their son Hesam contacted the Immigrant Defenders Law Center (IMMDEF), which immediately reached out to O’Melveny. On the evening of February 3, 2017, the Western District of Washington granted a temporary restraining order against the enforcement of key provisions of the ban, including the prohibition against entry by visa holders from Iran. O’Melveny and IMMDEF advised Hesam to buy his parents another pair of tickets to fly to the US immediately, through Frankfurt, where there is no US customs office in the airport. In the meantime, the O’Melveny team prepared an emergency temporary restraining order and habeas petition. They simultaneously began working with the DOJ and CBP to try to secure their clients’ entry. Mr. Moazzami Farahami and Ms. Naghi Zadeh landed in Los Angeles that Sunday afternoon. They were separated and detained for questioning upon arrival, but they informed CBP that they were represented by attorneys waiting for them in the arrival hall. O’Melveny and IMMDEF notified the DOJ of the couple’s detention and continued to prepare a TRO and habeas petition in case the clients were not released. After several hours, however, they were let go and reunited with their children. O’Melveny attorneys were active at LAX when the immigration ban went into effect, working to stop deportations and secure the release of detainees in conjunction with the ACLU, Public Counsel, IRAP, IMMDEF, Onejustice, NILC, and other public-interest groups.