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B1C honors Judge Robert Katzmann, distinguished jurist and founder of Immigrant Justice Corps

Building One Community honors the memory of Judge Robert A. Katzmann, who died this past week. Among his many professional and personal contributions, Judge Katzmann created the Immigrant Justice Corps, a program that enables recent law school graduates to gain in-depth experience in immigration law and represent immigrants that are facing nearly impossible odds for relief in immigration court without an attorney.

The New York Times published a moving tribute to Judge Katzmann on June 11th that explains his motivation in creating IJC.

The expansive, generous attitude Judge Katzmann brought to his work on the bench extended to his engagement with the people whose lives and futures were affected by his rulings. As the son of a refugee from Nazi Germany, Judge Katzmann was deeply aware of how destructive it can be for citizens to feel abandoned by the law.

He noticed this particularly in immigration cases, where many litigants spoke no English and the quality of their legal representation was often shockingly poor. “I was really having trouble sleeping, thinking about what an awful situation this is,” he told me in 2018. “And then I realized there was an even more fundamental problem, and that is, most immigrants didn’t have lawyers at all. And if you don’t have a lawyer, you’re really in difficult shape.” Judge Katzmann began to study the issue and found that immigrants with lawyers had a 74 percent chance of winning their cases. Without a lawyer, that number dropped to 13 percent.

Building One Community is fortunate and grateful to be a partner with Immigration Justice Corps.  We have hosted IJC Fellows since 2019 and will continue to do so, making it possible for many of the unrepresented immigrants in Fairfield County to have their day in court.

U.S. Senior Federal District Court Judge Jed Rakoff said, “No judge ever took a broader view of the role of a judge in promoting justice in our society, or was more successful in turning those views into practical accomplishment.”

Robert A. Katzmann’s obituary is here.

The NYT Op-Ed tribute by Jesse Wegman is here.

Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans: Free Information and Q&A on May 4 @ 6 PM

4th of July - Long Weekend - Operations Hours
Thursday, July 3rd: We’ll be open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM, and all our regular classes will be in session.
Friday, July 4th: We will be closed for the holiday—enjoy your celebrations!
Saturday, July 5th: No classes; we'll operate only as a Cooling Center! The Recreation area will be open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Sunday, July 6th: Join us again for some fun! The Recreation area will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July! Stay safe and have a great time!

4 de Julio - Fin de semana largo - Horario de atención
Jueves 3 de Julio: Abriremos de 9:00 a. m. a 8:30 p. m. y todas nuestras clases regulares estarán en sesión.
Viernes 4 de Julio: Cerrado por el feriado. ¡Disfruten de sus celebraciones!
Sábado 5 de Julio: No habrá clases; ¡funcionaremos únicamente como Centro de Recreación! El área de recreación estará abierta al público de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.
Domingo 6 de Julio: ¡Únanse a nosotros de nuevo para divertirse! El área de recreación estará disponible de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.
¡Les deseamos un maravilloso 4 de julio! ¡Cuídense y pásenla bien!

4 Jiyè - Long wikenn - Orè ouvèti
Jedi 3 Jiyè: Nou pral ouvè soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 5:00 p.m. m. a 8:30 p.m. m. epi tout klas regilye nou yo ap an sesyon.
Vandredi 4 Jiyè: Fèmen pou jou ferye a. Pran plezi nan selebrasyon ou yo!
Samdi 5 Jiyè: Pa gen klas; Nou pral opere sèlman kòm yon Sant Lwazi! Zòn rekreyasyon an ap ouvè pou piblik la soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.
Dimanch 6 Jiyè: Vin pran plezi nou ankò! Zòn rekreyasyon an ap disponib soti 9:00 a.m. rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.
Nou swete w yon bèl 4 Jiyè! Pran swen tèt ou epi pase yon bon moman!

4 de Julio - Fin de semana largo - Horario de atención

Jueves 3 de Julio: Abriremos de 9:00 a. m. a 8:30 p. m.
y todas nuestras clases regulares estarán en sesión.

Viernes 4 de Julio: Cerrado por el feriado. ¡Disfruten de sus celebraciones!

Sábado 5 de Julio: No habrá clases;
¡funcionaremos únicamente como Centro de Recreación!
El área de recreación estará abierta al público de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.

Domingo 6 de Julio: ¡Únanse a nosotros de nuevo para divertirse!
El área de recreación estará disponible de 9:00 a. m. a 5:00 p. m.

¡Les deseamos un maravilloso 4 de julio! ¡Cuídense y pásenla bien!
¡El equipo de B1C!

4 Jiyè - Long wikenn - Orè ouvèti

Jedi 3 Jiyè: Nou pral ouvè soti 9:00 a.m. pou rive 5:00 p.m. m.
a 8:30 p.m. m. epi tout klas regilye nou yo ap an sesyon.

Vandredi 4 Jiyè: Fèmen pou jou ferye a. Pran plezi nan selebrasyon ou yo!

Samdi 5 Jiyè: Pa gen klas; Nou pral opere sèlman kòm yon Sant Lwazi!
Zòn rekreyasyon an ap ouvè pou piblik la soti 9:00 a.m. pou
rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.

Dimanch 6 Jiyè: Vin pran plezi nou ankò!
Zòn rekreyasyon an ap disponib soti 9:00 a.m. rive 1:00 p.m. m. a 5:00 p.m. m.

Nou swete w yon bèl 4 Jiyè! Pran swen tèt ou epi pase yon bon moman!
Ekip B1C a!

4th of July - Long Weekend - Operations Hours

Thursday, July 3rd: We’ll be open from 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM,
and all our regular classes will be in session.

Friday, July 4th: We will be closed for the holiday—enjoy your celebrations!

Saturday, July 5th: No classes; we'll operate only as a Cooling Center!
The Recreation area will be open to the public from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Sunday, July 6th: Join us again for some fun!
The Recreation area will be available from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July! Stay safe and have a great time!
The B1C team!

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