Bakken Law renews its commitment to zealous defense of immigrant rights / November 20, 2016 by Torgrim Landsverk

Bakken Law is committed to defending all immigrants and their rights, now and in the uncertain future before us. We are proud to say that attorney Jamie Crawford lived out the firm’s commitment to immigrant rights when she traveled to the South Texas Family Detention Center in Dilley, Texas to volunteer for the CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project during election week. The CARA Family Detention Pro Bono Project is a joint effort between immigrant rights organizations CLINIC, AILA, RAICES, and the American Immigration Council. Go to the CARA Project’s website for more information about its partners and how to get involved.

The South Texas Family Detention Center currently imprisons about 1800 women and children. All of the detainees at the Center are women and children who fled the rampant violence and pervasive corruption of their home countries to seek asylum in the United States. Upon arrival at the border, many of the women and children were held in brutally cold temporary holding facilities known as “hieleras,” or ice-boxes, and denied access to basic necessities for days before being transferred to the South Texas Family Detention Center. http://immigrationimpact.com/2016/06/30/photographic-evidence-conditions-cbps-short-term-detention-facilities-hieleras-revealed/

Jamie and her fellow volunteer attorneys and advocates met individually with the women and children detained in Dilley to discuss their rights and to prepare them for Credible Fear Interviews with USCIS Asylum Officers. Credible Fear Interviews, or CFIs, are the first step in the asylum process for applicants arriving at the border. CFIs are often intense and vulnerable experiences, requiring the women and children to share their stories of abuse, violence, trauma, and fear with a stranger who has the power to make a decision that could open the door to asylum or slam it shut. Jamie, the CARA Pro Bon Project staff, and the other volunteers worked 12- 13 hour days providing competent and compassionate legal advice and representation.

Bakken Law is proud of Jamie’s dedication, and is inspired to fight harder than ever for the rights of immigrants.

By BAKKEN LAW - Timothy R. Bakken, 19.November 2016.

Bakken Law congratulates clients Maestro Simeone Tartaglione and his wife, violin virtuosa, Alessandra Cuffaro / August 30, 2016 by Torgrim Landsverk

Bakken Law congratulates Maestro Simeone Tartaglione and his wife, violin virtuosa, Alessandra Cuffaro. Simeone and Alessandra were recently granted lawful permanent residence based on Simeone’s extraordinary ability as a Conductor! Permanent resident status in the extraordinary ability category is very difficult to achieve, being reserved for individuals who have reached the top of their field.

Simeone is Conductor and Music Director of the Newark Symphony Orchestra, an Assistant Professor at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, Conductor at Strathmore Hall, and Music Director of the Italian Festival and the Delaware Youth Symphony Orchestra. Alessandra is a world-renowned violin soloist and the first Italian female violinist to ever play all 24 Paganini Caprices in a single performance.

Bakken Law is honored to have had Simeone and Alessandra as clients and to help them on their U.S. immigration journey. We look forward to watching both of their careers in coming years as they continue to enrich our country with their talents and beautiful music.

For your enjoyment, here is a rare sample of Simeone and Alessandra performing together.