It seems somewhat fitting that I write to you on St. Patrick’s Day, a day that in many ways celebrates immigration. By some estimates as many as 4.5 million Irish emigrated to the U.S. from 1820-1930. A majority of these went on to become our friends and neighbors today. Thousands of Irish immigrants each year still remain in the U.S. post-visa and become undocumented “illegals,” and although few are deported relative to many other countries, that number has been rising steadily since 2017.
Immigrants and their families have often been at risk of being disrupted or deported to other countries when they are arrested for sometimes the most minimal of crimes, but now we are seeing them at risk of deportation without due process. It is a chilling erosion of the rule of law that has protected immigrants, documented or otherwise for years to give them access to opportunities in the U.S., flee countries at war or under occupation, contribute to our country’s intellectual and industrial prosperity, and work jobs that many others would find undesirable. Now, we find their opportunities for freedom, and thus ours, are once again assailed, especially those deemed lesser by virtue of race, class, gender identity, or even political opinions. As the American Immigration Council reported in October 2024, mass deportations are not only humanitarian crises, they are devastating to the U.S., its budget, and our economy.
During the first Trump Presidency, at a time similar to now, when many of us were feeling overwhelmed, and powerless to effect change, I started the volunteer organization Case For Here. As I wrote in 2017, “Our Mission is to provide free expert witness services to immigrants at risk of deportation, and provide the court with testimony regarding the potential impact of deportation on the client and their family's physical and mental well-being.” The time has come to remind you of our work, and invite you to join us.
I know from experience that clinical social workers, psychologists, and mental health professionals can often make a huge difference in these cases by conducting a family interview, preparing a brief report and testifying to the court about the individual's parental strengths as well as the traumatic injury such deportations might have on children, and the loss to the community. On several occasions, I and the 80+ volunteers of CFH have used our clinical expertise to persuade judges to prevent immigrants from deportation. In the course of our evaluations, we often discovered ways to provide support and access to resources by doing brief case management as well.
Such evaluations are often cost-prohibitive for defendants, which is where Case For Here comes in. Clinicians volunteer to donate a set number of pro bono cases per year and we link them up with attorneys seeking such expert witnesses. I know many of you have felt immobilized and overwhelmed by the recent assaults on human rights these past few weeks, and looking for concrete ways to get into what John Lewis called “good trouble.” This is one opportunity.
Becoming an expert witness can seem daunting, but if you are licensed in your state and other states, and looking for a rewarding way to use your clinical skills to make a difference in immigrant rights and support, we want to hear from you! Our goal is to have volunteers in all 50 states. If you are interested in signing up, you can do so here and we will add you to our referral base. If you are an immigrant seeking asylum or facing deportation and are looking for an evaluation, just have your lawyer contact us at mike@caseforhere.org There is no cost for this service to you. If you are an average U.S. citizen looking for a way to make a difference, feel free to share this information with the people in your life. Immigration binds many of us through history, and touches us all, you never know who you may be helping.