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PRODID:-//AILA MidSouth Chapter//Vice v. Virtue 2026//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:AILA MidSouth 2026 · Vice v. Virtue
X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/Chicago
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Chicago
X-LIC-LOCATION:America/Chicago
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0600
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:CDT
DTSTART:19700308T020000
RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU
END:DAYLIGHT
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TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0600
TZNAME:CST
DTSTART:19701101T020000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-01@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T093000
SUMMARY:01 · Saintliness Required: DOL Hot Topics
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 01 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Robi
 n O'Donoghue (O'Donoghue Law\, Cambridge\, Massachusetts)\n• Douglas Rus
 so (Rose Immigration Law Firm\, Brentwood\, Tennessee)\n• Magaly Cheng (
 Clark Lau\, Boston\, Massachusetts)\n• George Ernst (Hall Booth Smith\, 
 Little Rock\, Arkansas)\n\nThe Department of Labor is keeping even seasone
 d immigration practitioners on their toes\, with evolving policies\, shift
 ing standards\, long processing times\, and employer compliance scrutiny t
 hat can feel like a test of professional patience\, creativity\, and possi
 bly sainthood.\n\nIn this hot topics session\, panelists will unpack the l
 atest DOL developments\, spotlight the trouble spots causing headaches in 
 real-world practice\, and offer practical strategies for helping employers
  make it through the process with compliance\, credibility\, and maybe eve
 n a little grace intact.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Current trends in
  prevailing wage determinations\, recruitment requirements\, audits\, and 
 supervised recruitment.\n• Practical approaches for responding to audits
 \, requests for information\, and other forms of DOL scrutiny.\n• Emergi
 ng DOL enforcement priorities and their potential impact on employment-bas
 ed immigration practice.\n• Best practices for counseling employers on n
 avigating evolving DOL requirements and processing time realities.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-02@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T093000
SUMMARY:02 · Vice & Visas: NIV Waivers for Drugs and Morality Issues
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 02 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Dani
 el Parisi (DJP Immigration\, Madrid\, Spain)\n• Brian McInerney (Former 
 DOS Official)\n\nWhen a client's past misconduct collides with their futur
 e travel plans\, practitioners must navigate the line between vice and vir
 tue. This panel explores nonimmigrant visa waivers for drug-related and mo
 rality-based inadmissibility grounds\, including common offenses that trig
 ger waiver requirements\, exceptions that may eliminate the need for a wai
 ver\, and strategies for preparing persuasive INA § 212(d)(3) requests.\n
 \nPanelists will also discuss current waiver processing trends and recent 
 Foreign Affairs Manual developments affecting adjudications.\n\nThe panel 
 will discuss:\n• Common drug and morality-based offenses requiring waive
 rs.\n• Exceptions to waiver eligibility requirements.\n• Preparing and
  submitting a persuasive waiver package.\n• Current processing times and
  adjudication trends.\n• Recent updates impacting NIV waiver practice.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-03@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T094000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T104000
SUMMARY:03 · When the Promise of Miracles Leads a Case Straight to Hades: 
 Ethical and Strategic Responses to Attorney Misconduct
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 03 · Room A · Ethics\n\nPanelists:
 \n• Samantha Ratcliffe (Metropolitan Public Defender\, Portland\, Oregon
 )\n• Emily Stotts (Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors\, Nashville\, Ten
 nessee)\n• Jessica Ramos (The Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio\, Cinc
 innati\, Ohio)\n• Laura Ferner (Crouch Harwell Fryar & Ferner\, Springda
 le\, Arkansas)\n\nBecause sometimes the biggest obstacle in an immigration
  case isn't the government. It's the lawyer who promised a miracle. When t
 he “attorney of miracles” leaves a client with a case headed for immig
 ration Hades\, the next lawyer inherits more than a file. They inherit eth
 ical dilemmas\, damaged trust\, and the challenge of determining what can 
 still be saved.\n\nThis interactive panel brings together practitioners wo
 rking with individuals affected by Alexandra Lozano and similar situations
  to discuss the legal\, ethical\, and practical challenges that arise when
  prior counsel's conduct places a client's immigration future at risk. Par
 ticipants will explore strategies for reviewing inherited cases\, addressi
 ng questionable filings\, evaluating ineffective assistance claims\, couns
 eling traumatized clients\, and navigating heightened government scrutiny.
 \n\nDesigned as a collaborative discussion rather than a lecture\, this se
 ssion focuses on sharing resources\, developing best practices\, and build
 ing a network of practitioners committed to protecting vulnerable clients 
 while maintaining public trust in the profession.\n\nAfter attending\, par
 ticipants will be able to:\n• Analyze ethical obligations when represent
 ing clients affected by attorney misconduct\, fraud\, or ineffective assis
 tance.\n• Identify strategies for investigating inherited cases and corr
 ecting problematic filings.\n• Evaluate remedies including motions to re
 open\, ineffective assistance claims\, and other corrective measures.\n•
  Apply trauma-informed approaches when counseling clients who have lost tr
 ust in the legal system.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A,Ethics
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-04@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T094000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T104000
SUMMARY:04 · Naughty by Natz: The Virtues and Vices of Naturalization
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 04 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Elai
 ne Kimbrell (New Orleans\, Louisiana)\n• Petula McShiras (Kolko & Casey\
 , Greenwood Village\, Colorado)\n\nFrom the first N-400 filing to the fina
 l oath of allegiance\, and everything that can go wrong in between\, this 
 panel covers the virtues\, vices\, and complexities of naturalization prac
 tice.\n\nPanelists discuss pre-filing red flags\, preparing clients for in
 terviews\, recent developments involving N-648 disability exceptions\, sig
 nificant circuit court decisions\, processing delays\, canceled oath cerem
 onies\, and the increasingly important issue of denaturalization\, with pr
 actical strategies for every stage of the naturalization journey.\n\nThe p
 anel will discuss:\n• Before You Confess: pre-filing screening\, eligibi
 lity requirements\, good moral character\, and potential red flags.\n• P
 reparing for Judgment Day: interview preparation\, civics testing\, and re
 cent developments involving N-648 disability exceptions.\n• The Courts H
 ave Spoken: significant circuit court decisions and their implications for
  naturalization practice.\n• Purgatory at USCIS: overcoming processing d
 elays\, stalled applications\, and canceled oath ceremonies\, including fe
 deral litigation.\n• Citizenship's Original Sin: denaturalization procee
 dings\, grounds for revocation\, and strategies for protecting naturalized
  citizens.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-05@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T105000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T115000
SUMMARY:05 · Keeping the Faith: Heavenly Boundaries\, Client Communication
 \, and Sustaining the Advocate
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 05 · Room A · Wellness\n\nPanelist
 s:\n• Sara Mailander (Fragomen\, Del Rey\, Bernsen & Loewy\, Boston\, Ma
 ssachusetts)\n• Kenneth Mayeaux (Rozas & Associates\, Baton Rouge\, Loui
 siana)\n\nDay after day\, advocates are asked to perform small miracles fo
 r clients facing life-changing consequences. Over time\, that burden can a
 ffect not only personal well-being\, but also communication\, judgment\, a
 nd the long-term sustainability of a legal practice.\n\nIn this uplifting 
 well-being session\, panelists explore how attorneys can keep answering th
 e call to serve without sacrificing their own health. The discussion focus
 es on creating healthy boundaries\, fostering effective client communicati
 on\, recognizing signs of burnout\, and building a support system that hel
 ps advocates thrive rather than simply survive.\n\nThe panel will discuss:
 \n• Managing client expectations and setting healthy boundaries around c
 ommunication\, urgency\, availability\, and scope of representation.\n• 
 Distinguishing true emergencies from perceived urgency for clients\, staff
 \, and ourselves.\n• Knowing when to guide rather than save\, while avoi
 ding the trap of carrying clients' burdens alone.\n• Recognizing burnout
 \, compassion fatigue\, and secondary trauma\, and finding renewal through
  AILA\, bar associations\, and other well-being resources.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A,Wellness
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-06@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T105000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T115000
SUMMARY:06 · Saints\, Sinners\, and SEVIS: From F-1 Studies to Full-Time E
 mployment — What's Going On with F\, M and Js?
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 06 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Maka
  Hutson (Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld\, Dallas\, Texas)\n• Kathleen Ga
 sparian (Gasparian Spivey Immigration\, New Orleans\, Louisiana)\n\nAs imm
 igration scrutiny intensifies\, F-1 students face increasing challenges in
  maintaining status\, navigating employment opportunities\, and planning f
 or long-term immigration success. Proposed limits on duration of stay\, he
 ightened enforcement\, and emerging revenue streams such as NIL deals\, sp
 onsorships\, and influencer income have created new compliance risks for s
 tudents\, athletes\, and creatives.\n\nThis panel explores how to keep cli
 ents on the virtuous path while avoiding the pitfalls that can derail acad
 emic and professional goals\, with practical strategies for advising stude
 nts\, schools\, and stakeholders in an evolving enforcement environment.\n
 \nThe panel will discuss:\n• The Virtues of Status Maintenance: SEVIS co
 mpliance\, enrollment requirements\, reporting obligations\, and the impac
 t of a potential shift from D/S to fixed admission periods.\n• The Sins 
 of Student Status: unauthorized employment\, travel risks\, visa revocatio
 ns\, SEVIS terminations\, social media scrutiny\, and reinstatement challe
 nges.\n• Temptation in the NIL Era: applying F-1 employment rules to NIL
  activities\, sponsorships\, internships\, and influencer income while dis
 tinguishing passive income from unauthorized work.\n• Creating a Culture
  of Compliance: best practices for DSOs\, universities\, and athletic depa
 rtments to manage risk and maintain program integrity.\n• Redemption and
  the Road Ahead: OPT\, H-1B transitions\, reinstatement strategies\, and o
 ptions such as NIW and O-1 for high-achieving students and athletes.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-07@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T140000
SUMMARY:07 · Prudence\, Fortitude\, and Temperance: Drafting Effective Pet
 itions for Review with the Circuit Courts
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 07 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Dunc
 an Fulton (Loyola University New Orleans College of Law\, New Orleans\, Lo
 uisiana)\n• Alicia Triche (Triche Immigration Appeals\, Memphis\, Tennes
 see)\n\nPetitions for review (PFRs) remain the primary mechanism for obtai
 ning federal judicial review of adverse asylum decisions. This panel discu
 sses how to identify reviewable errors\, frame compelling issues\, preserv
 e jurisdiction\, challenge adverse credibility determinations\, and maximi
 ze the likelihood of remand or alternatives in the federal courts of appea
 ls.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Whether a claim is reviewable in feder
 al court.\n• Identifying and preserving issues likely to survive jurisdi
 ctional challenges.\n• Tips for drafting an effective petition for revie
 w.\n• Developing persuasive arguments challenging credibility and corrob
 oration findings.\n• How the Fifth and Sixth Circuits differ in their ap
 proach to asylum review.\n• Seeking stays of removal and emergency relie
 f.\n• Drafting compelling appellate briefs that highlight reversible leg
 al error.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-08@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T140000
SUMMARY:08 · Righteous Indignation: RFEs\, NOIDs & NOIRs in Family-Based C
 ases
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 08 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Bran
 don Riches (The Riches Law Firm\, Ocean Springs\, Mississippi)\n• Logan 
 Luquette (Tierra Law Firm\, Mandeville\, Louisiana)\n\nRFEs\, NOIDs\, and 
 NOIRs can derail even strong family-based cases. With USCIS's August 2026 
 policy update restoring officers' discretion to deny cases without first i
 ssuing an RFE or NOID\, practitioners must be prepared to front-load evide
 nce and respond strategically when government concerns arise.\n\nThis pane
 l covers practical approaches to overcoming evidentiary challenges\, fraud
  allegations\, and Affidavit of Support issues while building a record for
  approval and potential review.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• The impact
  of the August 2026 USCIS evidentiary standards memo on family-based pract
 ice.\n• Tips and tricks for responding to RFEs\, NOIDs\, and NOIRs\, inc
 luding boilerplate RFEs and unsupported requests for evidence.\n• Respon
 ding to fraud allegations\, credibility concerns\, and marriage fraud find
 ings.\n• Tackling common I-864 issues\, including joint sponsors\, incom
 e calculations\, and domicile.\n• Preserving issues for motions\, appeal
 s\, and federal court review.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-09@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T141000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T151000
SUMMARY:09 · Lawful Good: APA\, FOIA\, Mandamus\, and Making the Governmen
 t Follow the Rules
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 09 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Sara
 h Wilson (Colombo Hurd\, Orlando\, Florida)\n• Courtney Moran (Murray Os
 orio\, Merrifield\, Virginia)\n• Lindsay Vick (Gordon Rees Scully Mansuk
 hani\, Sacramento\, California)\n\nWe counsel our clients every day on the
  importance of complying with complex laws\, regulations\, procedures\, an
 d deadlines. But practitioners also encounter agencies that unreasonably d
 elay decisions\, fail to fulfill statutory or regulatory obligations\, wit
 hhold critical records\, or otherwise fail to follow the rules governing t
 heir own actions.\n\nThis session examines the legal and practical tools a
 vailable when traditional advocacy is no longer sufficient. Panelists expl
 ore how the Administrative Procedure Act and federal mandamus actions can 
 address unreasonable delays and agency inaction\, obtain critical informat
 ion\, challenge unlawful government action\, and promote agency accountabi
 lity\, with practical guidance on evaluating claims\, developing litigatio
 n strategies\, and weighing the opportunities and risks of taking a disput
 e to federal court.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Using the APA and mand
 amus to challenge unreasonable delays\, agency inaction\, and failures to 
 comply with legal obligations.\n• Evaluating when to move from administr
 ative advocacy to federal litigation\, and strategies involving USCIS\, DO
 S\, CBP\, and EOIR.\n• Navigating jurisdictional\, procedural\, ethical\
 , and practical considerations\, including lessons from successful cases a
 nd cautionary outcomes.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-10@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T141000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T151000
SUMMARY:10 · Amazing Grace: From Parole\, TPS & DACA to Permanent Residenc
 y
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 10 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• John
 na Main Bailey (Siskind Susser\, Memphis\, Tennessee)\n• Alexandra Friz-
 Garcia (Fonte Friz-Garcia Immigration\, Coral Gables\, Florida)\n• Melis
 sa Boggs (BAL Immigration Law\, Richardson\, Texas)\n• Amber Seay (Baker
  Donelson\, Chattanooga\, Tennessee)\n\nAs humanitarian immigration progra
 ms disappear\, practitioners increasingly face questions about how individ
 uals with DACA\, TPS\, parole\, asylum-related protections\, and other hum
 anitarian statuses can transition to long-term lawful status through emplo
 yment-based immigration.\n\nThis panel explores the intersection of humani
 tarian and employment-based practice\, focusing on creative and practical 
 strategies for moving clients from temporary protection to permanent resid
 ence.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Employment-based options for clients
  with humanitarian immigration histories.\n• Adjustment-of-status eligib
 ility versus consular processing requirements\, including 212(d)(3) waiver
 s and 245(k).\n• Common grounds of inadmissibility and available waivers
 .\n• Advising employers on sponsoring workers with complex immigration b
 ackgrounds.\n• Practical challenges from the expiration or termination o
 f temporary humanitarian protections.\n• Long-term strategic plans for c
 lients seeking permanent residence.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-11@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T152000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T162000
SUMMARY:11 · Thou Shalt Not Gatekeep: Making Federal Litigation More Inclu
 sive
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 11 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Hiro
 ko Kusuda (Loyola University New Orleans College of Law\, New Orleans\, Lo
 uisiana)\n• Hon. Janis van Meerveld (Chief Magistrate Judge\, U.S. Distr
 ict Court\, Eastern District of Louisiana\, New Orleans\, Louisiana)\n• 
 Sabrina Damast (Law Office of Sabrina Damast\, Los Angeles\, California)\n
 • Samuel Scillitani (Assistant Federal Public Defender\, New Orleans\, L
 ouisiana)\n\nFederal litigation is increasingly an essential tool for achi
 eving meaningful outcomes for immigration clients. Yet many attorneys\, pa
 rticularly solo practitioners\, small-firm lawyers\, and those from histor
 ically underrepresented backgrounds\, lack access to the mentorship\, trai
 ning\, and professional networks that often serve as gateways to federal c
 ourt practice.\n\nThis panel demystifies federal litigation\, provides pra
 ctical guidance for getting started\, and explores how greater inclusion i
 n the federal bar can expand access to justice for both attorneys and the 
 communities they serve.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Federal court basi
 cs for immigration practitioners\, including APA\, mandamus\, habeas\, and
  other common federal actions.\n• Breaking down barriers to entry for so
 lo\, small-firm\, rural\, and underrepresented attorneys.\n• Building co
 nfidence through mentors\, co-counsel\, inclusive professional networks\, 
 and practical first-case strategies.\n• Expanding access to justice by b
 roadening participation in the federal bar and leveraging AILA and other l
 itigation resources.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-12@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T152000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T162000
SUMMARY:12 · Good People\, Bad Discretion: The New Morality of USCIS
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 12 · Room B · Professionalism\n\nP
 anelists:\n• Brittany Faith (Abbott\, Weiss & Faith\, Chattanooga\, Tenn
 essee)\n• Eszter Bardi (Sonoda Law Firm\, Atlanta\, Georgia)\n• Helen 
 Parsonage (Elliot Morgan Parsonage\, Winston-Salem\, North Carolina)\n\nUS
 CIS's May 2026 policy memorandum emphasizing adjustment of status as a dis
 cretionary benefit has shifted the focus from merely proving eligibility t
 o proving why a client deserves approval. Practitioners now face increased
  scrutiny of credibility\, character\, rehabilitation\, and the positive a
 nd negative equities that can influence an officer's exercise of discretio
 n.\n\nThis panel examines how Good Moral Character and discretionary adjud
 ications are evolving\, with a focus on interview preparation\, credibilit
 y issues\, and building a record that supports a favorable exercise of dis
 cretion. Through practical examples and mock interview scenarios\, partici
 pants will learn how to prepare clients for an increasingly subjective adj
 udication environment.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• USCIS's May 2026 di
 scretion memorandum and its impact on Good Moral Character and discretiona
 ry adjudications.\n• Framing Good Moral Character beyond the statutory m
 inimum by highlighting credibility\, rehabilitation\, and positive equitie
 s.\n• Identifying and addressing negative equities\, adverse facts\, and
  character concerns before they become interview problems.\n• Preparing 
 clients for difficult\, subjective\, or unexpected interview questions.\n
 • Mock interview scenarios and “Am I Being Punk’d?” moments to bui
 ld stronger\, more credible case presentations.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B,Professionalism
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-13@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T173000
SUMMARY:13 · Run Your Firm Like a Business: Pricing\, Growth\, and Your Ex
 it
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 13 · Room A · Practice Management\
 n\nPanelists:\n• Amanda Butler Schley (Business Law Group\, New Orleans\
 , Louisiana)\n• Lily Axelrod (Axelrod Immigration Law\, Memphis\, Tennes
 see)\n• Ruby Powers (Powers Law Group\, Houston\, Texas)\n\nStrategies f
 or finding autonomy\, flexibility\, meaningful client relationships\, and 
 financial success\, and for the challenges of small practice: underchargin
 g or undervaluing your services\, inconsistent fee practices\, unclear eng
 agement agreements\, scope creep\, referral arrangements\, staffing decisi
 ons\, and uncertainty about long-term growth.\n\nThis candid and practical
  program brings together women law firm owners to discuss the topic lawyer
 s often avoid: money. Participants will learn how to set fees confidently\
 , communicate value\, manage changing scopes of representation\, handle re
 ferral relationships ethically and profitably\, and make intentional decis
 ions about firm growth\, including what comes next\, whether that is a bou
 tique lifestyle practice\, a multi-lawyer firm\, or selling or transitioni
 ng your practice.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Developing fee structure
 s that reflect the value of our services.\n• Communicating fees confiden
 tly and effectively to prospective clients.\n• Drafting contracts that a
 nticipate changing client needs.\n• Managing changes in scope and additi
 onal work without resentment.\n• Making strategic decisions about hiring
 \, growth\, and firm culture.\n• Creating a long-term vision for success
 ion\, transition\, or exit from practice.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A,Practice Management
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-14@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T163000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261113T173000
SUMMARY:14 · From Vice to Visa: Winning O\, P\, and EB-1 Cases for Adult E
 ntertainers
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 14 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Jame
 s Hollis (Hollis Immigration\, Memphis\, Tennessee)\n• Karin Wolman (Law
  Office of Karin Wolman\, New York\, New York)\n\nO and P visa cases for a
 dult entertainers and other provocative performers require practitioners t
 o prove extraordinary ability or distinction while overcoming assumptions\
 , credibility concerns\, and heightened scrutiny.\n\nThis lively panel add
 resses how to keep these cases focused on the law\, build persuasive evide
 nce\, prepare clients for government review\, and navigate the ethical iss
 ues that arise when a client's profession may trigger bias or moral judgme
 nt.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Proving extraordinary ability\, distin
 ction\, and sustained acclaim when traditional evidence does not fit the c
 lient's work.\n• Addressing credibility concerns\, RFEs\, NOIDs\, fraud 
 referrals\, and agency scrutiny before they derail the case.\n• Reconcil
 ing social media\, promotional content\, public personas\, and compliance 
 issues with the legal record.\n• Preparing clients for interviews\, site
  visits\, and government review while managing ethical concerns and implic
 it bias.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-15@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T093000
SUMMARY:15 · Virtue in the Courtroom: Avoiding the Sins of Removal Defense
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 15 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Ione
 la Sierra (Sierra Amrosio Law Firm\, Smyrna\, Tennessee)\n• Maximiliano 
 Gluzman (Belmont University College of Law\, Nashville\, Tennessee)\n• A
 ssma Ali (Law Offices of Ali & Associates\, Ridgeland\, Mississippi)\n• 
 Megan Jackler (Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith\, New Orleans\, Loui
 siana)\n\nWith increasingly accelerated immigration court proceedings\, ef
 fective removal defense often depends on mastering the basics: scrutinizin
 g the charging document\, challenging government evidence\, preserving obj
 ections\, making a complete record\, and strategically filing motions that
  create opportunities for relief both now and on appeal.\n\nThis practical
  session walks through the objections\, motions\, and procedural tools to 
 consider in virtually every courtroom appearance\, from master calendar he
 arings through merits proceedings\, including lesser-used motions that may
  create leverage\, preserve appellate issues\, or simply make DHS do its h
 omework\, and how administrative closure\, continuances\, and the status d
 ocket can preserve relief while collateral applications remain pending.\n\
 nThe panel will discuss:\n• A systematic review of charging documents an
 d government evidence\, and common defects in NTAs and supporting records.
 \n• Raising and preserving evidentiary\, procedural\, and legal objectio
 ns.\n• Using motions strategically to develop and protect the record.\n
 • Underutilized procedural tools available in immigration court.\n• Ad
 ministrative closure\, continuances\, and the status docket to preserve co
 llateral relief\, including I-601A waivers\, U visas\, SIJS\, and other pe
 nding benefits.\n• Demonstrating good cause\, likelihood of success\, an
 d productive delay when requesting time before the Immigration Judge.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-16@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T093000
SUMMARY:16 · Healing the System: Ethical and Innovative Advocacy for Healt
 h Care Workers
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 16 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Elis
 sa Taub (Siskind Susser\, Memphis\, Tennessee)\n• Rosanna Fox (Lepore Ta
 ylor Fox\, Livingston\, New Jersey)\n\nAs workforce shortages continue to 
 challenge the health care industry\, immigration lawyers play a critical r
 ole in helping employers recruit and retain essential talent.\n\nThis pane
 l explores practical and creative immigration strategies for physicians\, 
 nurses\, and allied health professionals\, including temporary visas\, per
 manent residence options\, physician waivers\, and solutions for underserv
 ed communities.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Visa options for physician
 s\, nurses\, and other health care workers when things are on “pause.”
 \n• Schedule A\, PERM\, and immigrant visa strategies given current dela
 ys.\n• Conrad 30 and other physician waiver programs\, and their current
  challenges.\n• Addressing licensing\, credentialing\, and retention cha
 llenges.\n• Creative solutions for difficult or nontraditional cases.\n
 • Ethical considerations in health care immigration practice.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-17@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T094000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T104000
SUMMARY:17 · Second Chances: Quickly and Effectively Preparing Motions to 
 Reopen
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 17 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Rebe
 cca Chavez (National Immigration Project\, Texas)\n• Nathalia Rocha (Roc
 ha Immigration Law\, Baton Rouge\, Louisiana)\n\nMotions to reopen have be
 come an increasingly essential tool for protecting clients facing removal 
 orders\, detention\, and barriers to relief. This practical panel focuses 
 on the real-world reopening issues practitioners encounter throughout the 
 MidSouth.\n\nPanelists discuss best practices for gathering evidence quick
 ly\, identifying viable legal theories\, litigating equitable factors\, an
 d overcoming common procedural obstacles.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• 
 Potential grounds for reopening removal proceedings.\n• Strategies for c
 hallenging in absentia removal orders.\n• Developing reopening arguments
  in SIJ\, detention\, and notice-related cases.\n• Gathering and present
 ing persuasive evidence under compressed timelines.\n• Navigating jurisd
 ictional and procedural challenges.\n• When sua sponte reopening should 
 be considered.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-18@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T094000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T104000
SUMMARY:18 · The Compliance Holy Trinity Under the New Enforcement Archite
 cture: Understanding Coordinated Enforcement by FDNS\, DOL\, and ICE
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 18 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Bruc
 e Buchanan (Phelps Dunbar\, Nashville\, Tennessee)\n• Emily Brown (Eleva
 te Justice\, Pensacola\, Florida)\n\nToday's enforcement environment is de
 fined by unprecedented coordination among ICE\, FDNS\, and the Department 
 of Labor\, a compliance trinity capable of turning a single oversight into
  a multi-agency investigation. ICE worksite audits\, FDNS site visits\, an
 d DOL H-1B enforcement initiatives such as Project Firewall are surging si
 multaneously\, while information sharing lets each agency capitalize on th
 e findings of the others.\n\nParticipants will learn how agencies coordina
 te investigations\, where compliance vulnerabilities most commonly arise\,
  and how to build corporate immigration programs grounded in the virtues o
 f diligence\, transparency\, and accountability while avoiding the vices o
 f complacency\, siloed compliance\, and willful ignorance.\n\nThe panel wi
 ll discuss:\n• The evolving partnership among ICE\, FDNS\, and DOL and w
 hat it means for employer compliance.\n• ICE worksite audits\, raids\, a
 nd I-9 enforcement trends.\n• FDNS site visits\, fraud indicators\, and 
 petition verification initiatives.\n• DOL enforcement priorities\, inclu
 ding Project Firewall and H-1B wage investigations.\n• How a vice in one
  area can become a violation in another through interagency data sharing.\
 n• Common compliance sins: incomplete public access files\, wage discrep
 ancies\, job duty inconsistencies\, and I-9 deficiencies.\n• Virtuous co
 mpliance practices that reduce risk before government scrutiny begins.\n
 • Preparing employers for audits\, site visits\, subpoenas\, and governm
 ent investigations.\n• Ethical obligations when uncovering historical co
 mpliance problems.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-19@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T105000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T115000
SUMMARY:19 · The Blue Light Part of the Dumpster Fire: What in the World I
 s the Status of Asylum These Days?
LOCATION:Room A\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 19 · Room A\n\nPanelists:\n• Jacq
 ueline Watson (Posada & Watson\, Austin\, Texas)\n• Alicia Triche (Trich
 e Immigration Appeals\, Memphis\, Tennessee)\n• Kaitlin Locascio (Loyola
  University New Orleans\, New Orleans\, Louisiana)\n\nAsylum law remains o
 ne of the most rapidly changing areas of immigration practice. This panel 
 provides a practical discussion of where asylum stands today and how pract
 itioners can effectively represent clients amid continuing policy shifts\,
  litigation\, and procedural uncertainty.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• 
 Where Are We Now? The current state of asylum practice.\n• Courts\, Poli
 cies\, and Litigation: what has changed and what remains unsettled.\n• N
 avigating credible fear\, border processing\, and access to protection.\n
 • Practical strategies for screening\, counseling\, and representing asy
 lum seekers.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room A
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:aila-midsouth-2026-session-20@vice-v-virtue
DTSTAMP:20261112T130745Z
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T105000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261114T115000
SUMMARY:20 · No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Immigrant Visa Processing in a 
 Time of Heightened Scrutiny
LOCATION:Room B\, Renaissance New Orleans Arts Hotel\, 700 Tchoupitoulas St
 reet\, New Orleans\, LA 70130
DESCRIPTION:Vice v. Virtue: Immigration Law in a Complex World\nAILA MidSou
 th Chapter Conference 2026 · Session 20 · Room B\n\nPanelists:\n• Petu
 la McShiras (Kolko & Casey\, Greenwood Village\, Colorado)\n• Erin Heber
 t (Ware Immigration\, Metairie\, Louisiana)\n\nThis panel focuses on press
 ing issues affecting immigrant visa applicants\, including public charge a
 djudications\, country-specific restrictions\, DS-260 pitfalls\, provision
 al waiver revocations\, administrative processing delays\, prior asylum fi
 lings\, passport and civil document challenges\, and processing for applic
 ants who cannot safely return to their countries of nationality.\n\nPaneli
 sts will discuss emerging trends from consular posts and provide practical
  strategies for preparing clients\, avoiding refusals\, and responding whe
 n cases stall or go off track.\n\nThe panel will discuss:\n• Current tre
 nds affecting immigrant visa adjudications at U.S. consulates.\n• Prepar
 ing clients for heightened public charge scrutiny and post-interview docum
 ent requests.\n• Recognizing common triggers for administrative processi
 ng and prolonged delays.\n• The consequences of prior asylum filings\, a
 sylum denials\, and other humanitarian applications during immigrant visa 
 processing.\n• 601A provisional waiver complications\, including revocat
 ions and post-departure inadmissibility findings.\n• Counseling applican
 ts facing country-specific restrictions\, travel barriers\, or lack of acc
 ess to a functioning U.S. consulate.\n• Strategies for clients with pass
 port\, civil document\, or nationality-related obstacles.\n• Communicati
 ng effectively with consular posts and using escalation options when cases
  stall.
CATEGORIES:AILA MidSouth 2026,Room B
STATUS:CONFIRMED
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR