I Am Attorney Jessica

This episode is recorded at the end of January 2023 in order to serve as a recap of the 2022 year in immigration law and policy in the United States as well as the developments so far in January 2023. 2022 marked the continuation of prosecutorial discretion  and the Uniting for Ukraine program by the Biden administration but was also marked by litigation attempting to bring down the prosecutorial discretion flexibility for ICE and USCIS officers and trial attorneys as well as further litigation by restrictionist immigration groups looking to bring down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) with a decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in October 2022 partially affirming the denial by the district court of part of the 2012 program and a remand for a new decision on part of the case..  2023 saw the announcement of parole for Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans building upon a program for Ukrainians and later Venezuelans to be paroled in 2022. Jessica is joined by Miami based attorney Tamika Grace Judge of Jude Law  in Florida.In these episodes we discuss:

Tamika's life and education in Dominica and her representation of clients from the Caribbean;Tamika's work with different populations especially and Haitians in particular;Tough cases Tamika and Jessica have handled and how they managed these legal issues;The intersection of the criminal justice and immigration systems and how those systems can be biased against certain people or groups:Tamika's experience in representing black immigrants in contrast to people of other backgrounds;The January 5, 2023 announcement by the Biden administration regarding parole mentioned above; the winding down of TItle 42 and the expanded use of expedited removal as well as the use of a new CBP app for phone/computer use required for all asylum applicants and parolees entering recently;The recommendations of Jessica and Tamika for best practices including not to rely on anecdotal advice from family members or neighbors.

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA, ATTORNEY (HOST) 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an attorney, former law professor, expert witness and media commentator on all things immigration and human rights related. You can contact her practice in California at http://www.attorneyjessica.com or (559) 264-2500.  You can also follow the podcast on Facebook and Instagram at I Am Attorney Jessica and send us an email with show suggestions or feedback at [email protected]

TAMIKA GRACE JUDE, ESQ. (GUEST) 

Tamika Grace Jude, Esq. is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of New Jersey. (If you are located in another state, don't worry. Immigration law is Federal and Attorney Jude is able to practice Immigration Law in all 50 states.) Attorney Jude is an immigrant from the beautiful island of Dominica in the Caribbean. As an immigrant herself, she is very familiar with the immigration process. After completing her Associates Degrees at the Dominica State College, she attended the University of the Virgin Islands where she pursued two Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She was very passionate about immigration law and went on to Barry University-Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, where she graduated with her Jurist Doctor Degree and a Litigation Honors Certificate.Attorney Jude served as an Associate Editor for the Barry University Environmental Earth Law Journal, served within the Student Bar Association as a senator for all three years of law school, worked in the Immigration Clinic, was a member of the Trial Team and was on the executive board of multiple student organizations on campus including the Immigration Law society and is a member of Phi Alpha Delta. She was also the recipient of an immigration stipend from Barry University. While at law school she volunteered with a small law firm in Orlando Florida and participated in free naturalization clinics for the community.Since graduation, she served as a law clerk for an immigrat

This episode is recorded at the end of January 2023 in order to serve as a recap of the 2022 year in immigration law and policy in the United States as well as the developments so far in January 2023. 2022 marked the continuation of prosecutorial discretion  and the Uniting for Ukraine program by the Biden administration but was also marked by litigation attempting to bring down the prosecutorial discretion flexibility for ICE and USCIS officers and trial attorneys as well as further litigation by restrictionist immigration groups looking to bring down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) with a decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in October 2022 partially affirming the denial by the district court of part of the 2012 program and a remand for a new decision on part of the case..  2023 saw the announcement of parole for Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans building upon a program for Ukrainians and later Venezuelans to be paroled in 2022. Jessica is joined by Miami based attorney Tamika Grace Judge of Jude Law  in Florida.In these episodes we discuss:

Tamika's life and education in Dominica and her representation of clients from the Caribbean;Tamika's work with different populations especially and Haitians in particular;Tough cases Tamika and Jessica have handled and how they managed these legal issues;The intersection of the criminal justice and immigration systems and how those systems can be biased against certain people or groups:Tamika's experience in representing black immigrants in contrast to people of other backgrounds;The January 5, 2023 announcement by the Biden administration regarding parole mentioned above; the winding down of TItle 42 and the expanded use of expedited removal as well as the use of a new CBP app for phone/computer use required for all asylum applicants and parolees entering recently;The recommendations of Jessica and Tamika for best practices including not to rely on anecdotal advice from family members or neighbors.

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA, ATTORNEY (HOST) 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an attorney, former law professor, expert witness and media commentator on all things immigration and human rights related. You can contact her practice in California at http://www.attorneyjessica.com or (559) 264-2500.  You can also follow the podcast on Facebook and Instagram at I Am Attorney Jessica and send us an email with show suggestions or feedback at [email protected]

TAMIKA GRACE JUDE, ESQ. (GUEST) 

Tamika Grace Jude, Esq. is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of New Jersey. (If you are located in another state, don't worry. Immigration law is Federal and Attorney Jude is able to practice Immigration Law in all 50 states.) Attorney Jude is an immigrant from the beautiful island of Dominica in the Caribbean. As an immigrant herself, she is very familiar with the immigration process. After completing her Associates Degrees at the Dominica State College, she attended the University of the Virgin Islands where she pursued two Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She was very passionate about immigration law and went on to Barry University-Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, where she graduated with her Jurist Doctor Degree and a Litigation Honors Certificate.Attorney Jude served as an Associate Editor for the Barry University Environmental Earth Law Journal, served within the Student Bar Association as a senator for all three years of law school, worked in the Immigration Clinic, was a member of the Trial Team and was on the executive board of multiple student organizations on campus including the Immigration Law society and is a member of Phi Alpha Delta. She was also the recipient of an immigration stipend from Barry University. While at law school she volunteered with a small law firm in Orlando Florida and participated in free naturalization clinics for the community.Since graduation, she served as a law clerk for an immigrat

In November 2022 the FIFA World Cup commenced in Qatar.  From the start the games were controversial.  The location seemed ideal in many ways a clean modern locale.  However, the fun and games soon had a dark shadow cast over it as reports of slave labor used to build the necessary facilities to house the games and the tourists who came from around the globe to see them. The LGBTQIA plus record of the Qatari government involved forced disappearances and torture of gay and transgender people and an abysmal record overall.  Celebrities such as Shakira refused to perform or attend due to these issues.  Latin Music sensation Maluma ended an interview abruptly due to being questioned about whether it was ok to endorse a repressive country by attending and performing.  All in all there. were sparks flying and they were not all good.  In this episode immigration attorney Kime Abduli joins Jessica as well as Otra X Favor podcast hosts Ricardo Contreras Plaza and David  Hernandez who are die hard soccer fans whose podcast focuses on soccer, life and culture. 

In this episode we discuss:  

Kime's perspective as a Muslim American about the switches the Qatari government made to policies in the name of Islam after the games were scheduled to be held there;

Richie and David's history as soccer fans and their development of their podcast Otra X Favor focused on culture, life and soccer.  

The guests perspectives on the human rights issues that hung over the games in 2022;

Looking towards the next World Cup and what the guests believe will occur when it is held in the US, Canada and Mexico in terms of human rights issues and protest;

Jessica's explanation of recent human rights reporting on the Qatari government's abuses of LGBTQIA plus, labor and servitude as well as general human rights problems;

How human rights and sports have been linked since the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City to Colin Kappernick taking ta knee to protest police brutality in more recent times;

What the future of human rights and sports most likely holds for FIFA World Cup and other sports

Finals predictions of the guests and Jessica 

BIOGRAPHIES

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST)

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an attorney, former law professor, media commentator and host of the podcast.  She practices immigration law and has worked in various human rights and international organizations in the past prior to establishing her law practice. She can be reached at [email protected] or I Am Attorney Jessica on Instagram or Facebook.  

KIME ABDUILI (GUEST)

Kime Abduli is an immigration attorney and regular on the I Am Attorney Jessica podcast.  Kime is a soccer fan and world traveler. Her own immigration story is compelling and she assists immigrants and refugees every day in her practice in Wisconsin. You can contact her through her firm website.  http://www.abduliimmigrationlaw.com

RICARDO CONTRERAS PLAZA (GUEST)

Ricardo is a photographer and podcast host of Otra X Favor podcast focused on soccer, life and culture.  Please check out Otra X Favor on Apple and Spotify. Ricardo is a proud recipient of the benefits of the DACA program.  You can also contact Ricardo or Richie through their podcast or at [email protected].  

JORGE MARTINEZ (GUEST)

Jorge is the cohost of Otra X. Favor with Ricardo and a life long soccer fan.  Jorge's father owns a soccer store in the Austin, Texas area so soccer really was life for Jorge. Jorge can be reached at Jorge @otraxfavor.com.

Released on Thanksgiving Day, this episode honors the rights and memories of Native Americans of the United States, Canada and South America.  Jessica and Guillame McMartin discuss the significance of the holiday, the history of Native peoples in the Americas and other related topics.  In 2021, the New York Times reported that thousands of Native children vanished in Canada. Guillaume reveals more of the history of this human rights abuse and that the children were taken forcibly from in many cases loving homes and raised as white Canadians.  Many of these children were abused in various ways and some murdered.  There were similar residential school abuses of Native American children in the United States including many deaths. 

In this episode we discuss:

Guillaume's background as a French Canadian with some Scottish heritage who felt a calling to help Native

American people and later learned he had Native roots on his father's side of the family;

Guillaume's depression after living a life as a firefighter in an environment that involved bullying;

What Jessica was taught in school about the history of Thanksgiving;

The residential school system and the murdered children in the United States and Canada;

What Guillaume learned from talking to native  peoples;

Guillaume's journey about being closer to nature and some of his roots;Guillaume's efforts to assist native

Canadian communities in economic development and how he got in wrong in his view the first time around;

Guillaume's work in real estate development in New York and why he left that life;

Negative portrayals of native peoples in media;

Guillaume's book and his message to the world;

Guillaume's plan to go on a journey of exploration on horseback to visit native communities from Canada to Guatemala;

The attempts by US and Canadian governments to remedy past abuses;

How the near extermination of native populations amounts to a crime against humanity and genocide under the International Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide which did not come into legal force until later after the Holocaust;

Jessica's experience of being trolled online by pro Turkish government genocide deniers trying to usurp the cause of Native Americans for their own political ends;

The influence on Guillame of the book "Live In the City of Dirty Water" by Clayton Thomas-Muller a native Cree man who led the charge for environmental justice against big oil intesrests (see link below to the book);

The elements of forced assimilation and forced marriage imposed upon native peoples in North America:

How non-native peoples and white Americans and Canadians can remedy the harm of the past and try to forge a new path forward.

BIOGRAPHIES

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST) 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla ("Attorney Jessica") is an immigration and human rights lawyer, media commentator and former law professor.  She can be reached at [email protected] or I Am Attorney Jessica on Facebook or Instagram

GUILLAUME McMARTIN (GUEST)

Guillaume McMartin is an author, speaker and visionary CEO.  Guillaume has made it part of his life path to uncover abuses and bring to light the abuses against native Canadians and other native North Americans. Guillaume has authored a book:  The Messenger:  The Untold Journey available on Amazon.

CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION AND PUNISHMENT OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE (1948) 

Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 9 December 1948The Contracting Parties,

Having considered the declaration made by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 96 (I) dated 11 December 1946 that genocide is a crime under international law, contrary to the spirit and aims of the United Nations and condemned by the civilized world;

Recognizing that at all periods of history genocide has inflicted great losses on humanity; and

Being convinced that, in order to liberate mankind f

In September 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a likely contender for the 2024 Republican presidential ticket flew migrants under the umbrella of a new program he started from Texas to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.  Martha's Vineyard, long a playground for the well-off in the Northeast was seen as a target by DeSantis and others who wanted to mock the "liberal elite" and their less than restrictive policies on immigration law and refugee rights.Joseph Lackey is an award winning Miami based immigration and criminal defense lawyer who was cited in an article about these events written by Marc Caputo and published on NBC News on September 19, 2022.

In this episode we discuss;

1) Florida state politics and how Governor DeSantis fits into that landscape;2) The hypocrisy  of not allowing sanctuary cities while supporting that state and local locales get to decide which refugees or immigrants can come or stay;3) How Gov De Santis may be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2024;4) The confusion among the population between the undocumented or those here "illegally" and asylum or refugee seekers like those at Martha's Vineyard;5) The correction of those misconceptions by even some conservative pundits like Bill Kristol about the status of asylees and refugees or those seeking protection under those sections of US law;6) What the US law requires to obtain asylum or refugee status;7) What crimes Gov. De Santis could be charged with potentially under state and federal law for trafficking;8) What relief apart from asylum in the form of U or T visas the asylees and refugees may be eligible for due to their being transported under false pretenses;9) The dehumanization of migrants by the Republican parties loudest voices continues.  Who can take back the party?

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST)

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an immigration attorney, law professor and media commentator  with twenty years experience.  She can be reached through the podcast at [email protected] or by visiting her lawfirm website at http://www.attorneyjessica.com.

JOSEPH LACKEY (GUEST) 

Joseph Lackey is an experienced immigration and criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida.  He is a media commentator and has also lectured at conferences nationally and internationally on diverse topics. Joe was asked to comment on the Martha's Vineyard crisis in September for NBC News.  The article is linked below.  You can reach Joe through his practice website at http://www.josephlackey.com.  

Article in Which Guest Joe Lackey is cited:  https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/migrants-landed-marthas-vineyard-tricked-misleading-brochure-lawyers-s-rcna48390

In this episode Jessica and Aura Elena Martinez discuss topics related to empowerment and focus in life and existence.  Especially at this time women's rights have faced challenges and the impact on women's physical, mental and emotional health has been detrimental to their well being in nearly all cases.  Aura taps in to how to overcome tough times and situations and focus our lives and energy on the good things in life. She offers personal coaching and consulting services and is an accomplished public speaker for hire as well. Aura recently was the speaker at a TedX talk in the Bronk, which is her home area.  In this episode we discuss:  

1) How Aura and her family overcame extreme adversity when her father became immobile in his 30's when Aura was a little girl;2) What it was like for Aura growing up as the daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic in the Bronx, New York;3) What Aura and her family learned from the tough times and how it built resilience within her for later life lessons;4) Aura's experience with public speaking, coaching and related work;5) Aura and Jessica's love of bachata music;6) Aura and Jessica's views on racism and colorism in the United States as well as Latin America and the Caribbean;7) Aura's plans for the future and how she believes women can heal themselves in these tough times 8) What a journey of self discovery can look like for people and why coaching is helpful in this process 

BIOGRAPHIES

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST) 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an attorney, media commentator, podcast host and has been cited in major media publications such as Forbes, the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle and other major publications.  She has practiced immigration and human rights law for 20 years and her firm can be reached at http://www.attorneyjessica.com.  She can also be reached through at [email protected] 

AURA ELENA MARTINEZ (GUEST) 

Aura E. Martinez is a Self-Discovery and Empowerment Coach, helping women gain total clarity in their purpose so they can wake up to a life of daily fulfillment and certainty. As a person who has traveled the world as a Flight Attendant, the opportunity has helped her learn and see so much and she discovered the most fabulous place for us all to see that is truly the key to greater well-being and she shares that with others worldwide. 

Aura is the founder of Live to the Max™/Viva al máximo™, author of the book Creating a Lifetime of Wellness: Start Having the Life You Deserve. The book has been seen on Spirituality and Health magazine, Psychology Today and Natural Awakenings NYC.Aura E. Martinez is a Self-Discovery and Empowerment Coach, helping women gain total clarity in their purpose so they can wake up to a life of daily fulfillment and certainty. As a person who has traveled the world as a Flight Attendant, the opportunity has helped her learn and see so much and she discovered the most fabulous place for us all to see that is truly the key to greater well-being and she shares that with others worldwide. Aura is the founder of Live to the Max™/Viva al máximo™, author of the book Creating a Lifetime of Wellness: Start Having the Life You Deserve. The book has been seen on Spirituality and Health magazine, Psychology Today and Natural Awakenings NYC. 

You can reach Aura through her website http://www.auraemartinez.com.

In June 2021 a young man who grew up in Northern California qualified in the World Championships in Oregon to run in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 1500 meters.  That young man was Luis Miguel Grijalva Morales.  What transpired between that Monday in June and the end of July was nothing short of history.  It was life altering for Luis, his attorney Attorney Jessica Smith Bobadilla (host) and people all over the world.  Luis was the first DACA Olympian and required an advance parole permit to travel to Tokyo and return safely to the United States.  The media attention Luis attracted and the significance to the DACA and DREAMER community was nothing short of extraordinary.  In addition, the precedent was set for emergency advance parole for non medical/humanitarian emergencies a process that usually takes upward of five months to obtain a DACA travel permit if filed through the normal channels.  

In this episode we discuss:

1) How Luis and Jessica connected to make history as attorney and client;2) Luis' history with the sport and his childhood and history as a runner;3) Luis' love of the sport of track and field and what he feels it has contributed to his life;4) The impact of the victory for Luis in the Olympics making it to the finals and setting records for Guatemalan and Central American runners;5) Luis' recent victory as 4th fastest in the world in the 1500 meters in Oregon in July 2022;6) Luis' recent trip to Europe in June and plans to head back to Europe again in late August provided he is granted another permit to travel for more races;7) Jessica's love of jogging and running as stress relief, leisure and preventative medicine:8) What the future holds for Luis as an athlete and what he does in his spare time;9) The special place Guatemala holds in Luis' heart and the love he and Jessica have received from the Guatemalan community in the country and abroad;9) The impact of all the attention on his career and the significance of the media attention for the case.

BIOGRAPHIESJESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST) 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an attorney, podcast host, media commentator, former law professor and expert in immigration and human rights law and policy.  She is the attorney for today's guest, Luis Miguel Grijalva Morales and has represented immigrants and refugees from all over the United States in her 20 year career of practice in private firms, non-profits and law school teaching.  She can be reached through the podcast email at [email protected] or on Facebook or Instagram at I Am Attorney Jessica.  Her law firm website is http://www.attorneyjessica.com.

LUIS MIGUEL GRIJALVA MORALES (GUEST)

Luis Miguel Grijalva Morales was born in Guatemala and arrived in the United States when he was one year old.  He learned at a young age that he had a gift for running.  Following the rollout of the DACA program Luis obtained a scholarship to attend Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona and joined the track team as part of his entry into university life.  Luis wants to expose others to track and field and running.  He recently took 4th place at the World Championships in Oregon in July 2022 following his ascension to the finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in August 2021.  Luis can be contacted through the podcast at iamattornyjessicapodcast.com or on Facebook and Instagram at I Am Attorney Jessica.

On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that the addition of a new federal holiday to recognize Juneteenth. The Juneteenth holiday was commemorated in African-American communities throughout United States history.  However outside of black communities there were lots of questions following the President's announcement as to the meaning and significance of this holiday.  President Biden's announcement also followed the Senate unanimously passing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on June 15, 2021.  The holiday name derives from June and Nineteenth and is referred to as a portmanteau or a blend of words.  The holiday celebrates the Emancipation of slaves in states in rebellion against the Union on June 19, 1865 which is the date slaves in Texas were proclaimed free.Recent hot topics such as the detention and trial in Russia of WNBA star Brittney Griner in Russia on cannabis oil possession charges as well as the ongoing controversy related to the August 28, 1955 murder of 14 year old Emmett Till in Mississippi following charges that were later proved to be based on false and contradictory testimony.  The accuser Carolyn Bryant as well as the people who murdered Emmett have never been brought to justice.  Jessica is joined in this episode by her high school classmates and life long friends Dr. Natasha Greene and Margaux Johnson.  Dr. Natasha Greene works with the federal government and has provided mentorship and motivational/consulting services.  Margaux relocated following high school and now resides in Georgia where she has rose through the ranks in various companies in accounting and financial roles in a variety of companies requiring domestic and international travel. She is now a division controller and has over 15 years in the manufacturing industry.   Both Natasha and Margaux attended historically black universities.

In this episode we discuss:

1) Dr. Natasha Greene's educational and career path;2) Margaux's educational path and rise through the ranks in corporate America;3) The high school experience Margaux, Natasha and Jessica had in high school at a magnet school with high rankings located in a historically black community in West Fresno;4) Natasha and Margaux's experience attending historically black colleges and in Natasha's case graduate school at Howard University in Washington D.C.;5) The significance of Juneteeth's recognition as a federal holiday o Natasha and Margaux as black women;6) What Natasha and Margaux's families did to recognize the holiday long before it was a federal holiday;7) The Allensworth community south of Fresno, California near Earlimart in Tulare County established exclusively by African-Americans in 1908;8) The Brittney Griner prolonged detention and current trial in Russia on cannibis oil possession charges9) Whether Brittney Griner's case was long ignored in mainstream media as a female athlete;10 ) Whether Brittney Griner may be a political prisoner of the Putin regime in Russia;11) The Emmett Till ongoing controversy. and the unserved warrant against his accuser whose story has changed substantially throughout the years since his death:12) The significance for African-Americans and Americans in general that Emmett Till's murder and the related arguably shifting story by his accuser have both been met with impunity.13) The impact of movements to silence the voices seeking to teach United States history from all perspectives without leaving out the accomplishments of African-Americans or erasing systemic and institutional realities that they faced throughout U.S. history.

BIOGRAPHIES

JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA (HOST)

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is an immigration and human rights lawyer with 20 years experience.  She has also worked as a law professor and expert witness and served as an attorney, director and  board member for various immigration and human rights non-profit organizations.  She has also served as a media source and commentator.  Jessica can be contacte

On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court announced its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health.  The decision was met with a flood of protests nationwide leading to arrests in some cases of protestors.  The decision ended an era where women had a constitutionally protected right to seek an abortion enshrined in the Roe v. Wade decision announced by the Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade (USSCT, 1973).  The overturn of Roe v. Wade was a wake up call to progressives and those on the left that the Trump area policies and appointments were now a reality and continued to shape U.S. law and policy long after President Trump departed the White House.  In this episode we discuss with James Williams a community activist and organizer and registered nurse the impact of this decision legally, socially and politically and where the left and progressives including women’s rights advocates go from here.  In this episode we discuss:

1) James’ path to becoming an RN and his concerns about the Dobbs decision in light of 20 years of nursing experience2) James’ family history and path towards becoming a Democratic party organizer and leader3) James’ and Jessica’s thoughts on the Dobbs decision in terms of women’s health and rights in the United States4) The political factors and forces that led to the appointments to the Supreme Court that allowed Roe v Wade to be overturned in 2022 after almost 50 years as settled law5) Justice Thomas’ reference to unborn fetuses tested for COVID19 vaccines  in another decision on the heels of Dobbs decision in a statement deemed to be untrue6) Where do the left, women’s rights advocates and progressives go from here? 7) What are the areas of most concern in the United States in light of the decision such as the high rates of black maternal mortality 8) Whether the same justices who voted to overturn Roe are coming after all substantive due process rights9) What we can hope for in the future and how those who disagree combat this decision and others to come like it.

 

BIOGRAPHIES JESSICA SMITH BOBADILLA  (HOST) 

Jessica is the host of the I Am Attorney Jessica: Migration and Human Rights For All.  She has 20 years experience as an attorney and expert witness as well as her time as a law professor.  She can be reached at [email protected].  Her website is http://www.attorneyjessica.com.

JAMES WILLIAMS (GUEST) 

James Williams is a Registered Nurse with over two decades of experience in the healthcare field.  He has worked on single payer healthcare issues for the last 19 years. Growing up on military bases shaped his views of the world and especially those on issues such as war and foreign policy.He currently is the longest continuously serving member of the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee with 15 years of time. He has been a member of the California Democratic Party during this time and has worked in various capacities there.  He served one term as a representative to the state party’s executive board.  He served six terms as a member of the state party’s Voter Services standing committee. He also served as Parliamentarian for the Progressive Caucus of the state party. In addition to this he served two terms as an officer of the California Democratic Council.In 2010 James was named volunteer of the year for his efforts in turning Fresno County to a Democratic registration advantage.  In less than four years thirty-three thousand new Democratic voters were added to the rolls in accomplishing this.In 2009 James was instrumental in bringing the Democracy for America Campaign Academy to Fresno where approximately five dozen activist were trained on how to run campaigns. In 2008 he worked as the local data manager for the Obama campaign. Currently he is President of the San Joaquin Valley Democratic club. The club calls itself the hardest working Democratic club in Frenso Co. and the Progressive voice of the Democratic party. Since its inception James has served in an

On May 24, 2022 a lone gunman entered Robb Elementary school in Uvalde Texas and killed 2 teachers and 19 students.  A few days later the spouse of one of the two teachers also died of a heart attack leaving behind 4 orphaned children.  This was not the first mass shooting in recent history.  Weeks before on May 14, 2022, ten people were killed in Buffalo. New York while grocery shopping.  The deceased were all African-American  the perpetrator was later found to have written racist messages on the actual firearm used in the crime erasing all doubt of his intent to kill black people while espousing an idea  called “” great replacement theory”an idea that there is a leftist conspiracy to open the Southern border sot that white Americans will eventually be replaced and outnumbered by people of color who will vote presumably according to the proponents for Democratic candidates and policies.  Just a month before, a mass shooting occurred on the Subway in Brooklyn, New York injured 29 New Yorkers after a lone gunman opened fire on crowded train.  There was also a church shooting of an Asian American congregation in Southern California in May 2022.  The school shooting in Uvalde took us back to Sandy Hook, Columbine and the other incidents triggered memories of other mass shooting all to frequent in our history.  The United States is the outlier in this area having more mass shootings than any other country in the world.  In this episode Professor John O’Connor, constitutional law professor and podcast host and Attorney Jessica discuss the following:

• What does the second amendment to the US constitution require?• What does Professor O’Connor think the major interpretations to the second amendment involve?• What is the difference between textualism and originalism with respect to the US Constitution?• What is a “living Constitution?• Would a new amendment be possible to change the second amendment?• Discussion of the relevant Supreme Court case law in the Heller v. District of Columbia, 554 U.S. 570 (2008) and McDonald v. City of Chicago, 561 U.S. 572 (2010) that have shaped where we are today• How much regulation is constitutionally permissible?• How is the new makeup of the Supreme Court likely to influence a decision on gun control?• Will the Supreme Court take up a gun control case again soon?• What are the policy reasons that might make a new look at this fundamental right to bear arms  worth examining with new perspectives?• What does Professor O’Connor think of the arming of teachers and other related proposals to prevent school shootings?• What type of online link is there to mass shootings? Should social media do better to spot these type of posts?• What are the human rights issues surrounding gun policy and gun control

 

Jessica Smith Bobadilla is the host of the podcast  as well as an attorney, former law professor and media commentator. Her website is http://www.attorneyjessica.com.  You can contact Jessica and the podcast by email at iamattorneyjessicapodcast.com with feedback and show ideas.  

John M. O'ConnorJ.D., University of California, Hastings College of LawM.A., University of Southern California, Annenberg School for CommunicationsB.A., Pomona CollegeProfessor  O'Connor has been the Research Attorney for the Madera Superior Court for the last seven years. Prior to that he was in private practice in Los Angeles, California, where his practice involved civil litigation (covering real estate, commercial lease, intellectual property, and employment disputes, among other areas) in state and federal courts.  In addition to Constitutional Law I and II he has also taught evidence, criminal procedure and professional responsibility at San Joaquin College of Law in Clovis, California.  

Professor O’ Connor is the host of two podcasts you can find on You Tube and other platforms. The first podcast is dedicated  to You can reach the podcast on Twitter at @proseandconlaw. He is launching a new podcast called Ke