IRLI Senior Counsel Michael Hethmon to speak today at the American Bar Association Annual Conference

August 11, 2017

Media Advisory

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) announced its Senior Counsel Michael Hethmon will speak August 11, 2017 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the American Bar Association Annual Conference in New York City.

Mr. Hethmon will speak on a panel titled, “Sanctuary Cities – The Role of State & Local Governments in Addressing Undocumented Immigrants.” Sanctuary cities have become a hot topic in the ongoing national debate over immigration and immigration reform. This panel will address the history of sanctuary cities and other local government forays into immigration, the reasons behind such efforts, and the legal issues raised when local governments take action.

Mr. Hethmon has worked on public interest advocacy litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative tribunals since 1999. He has designed, drafted and defended immigration-related legislation and regulations in federal, state and local jurisdictions throughout the United States. He has written on a range of immigration law and policy topics, from amnesty to xenophobia.

Mr. Hethmon was asked to replace ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan and his legal advisor Tracy Short on the panel as they had to back out given Justice Department concerns that their presence might interfere with ongoing sanctuary city litigation.

The panel will be moderated by Ron Kramer, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Chicago, IL. Other panelists include: Dennis Herrera, City Attorney, San Francisco, CA and Bitta Mostofi, Assistant Commissioner, New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, New York, NY.

For additional information, contact: Jade Haney • 202-232-5590 • [email protected]