An absence from the U.S. can affect one's ability to naturalize in a myriad of ways. During this webinar, we will discuss the different ways in which an absence from the U.S. can affect a client's naturalization application, including the effect upon his or her continuous residence, physical presence, abandonment of residence, and removability. We will discuss the law, important cases, and hypothetical cases.

Presenters:

• Eric Cohen, ILRC Executive Director
  Eric has been with the ILRC since 1988 and has extensive experience training both legal workers and lay advocates. His immigrant leadership trainings and expertise working with grassroots and union organizers remains a great asset. He has worked on many of the ILRC's manuals and other publications, including Naturalization & U.S. Citizenship: The Essential Legal Guide and How to Successfully Appeal Naturalization Denials. Eric has also conducted numerous trainings on a variety of immigration related issues and has served as a liaison between community groups and CIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) officials. He helped develop ILRC's community model for effectively processing naturalization applications in groups and trained both legal workers and lay advocates in the Bay Area and in Los Angeles, and works with community organizers and others on voter education for naturalized citizens.
• Erin Quinn, ILRC Staff Attorney
  Erin brings to ILRC over 8 years of experience as an immigration defense attorney and holds a joint degree in law and public policy (JD/MPP) from the University of Michigan. Prior to opening her own practice in 2007, Ms. Quinn represented immigrants as an associate at the Law Office of Robert B. Jobe. Her experience in immigration law and policy includes working as a fellow for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, EU headquarters in Belgium; clerking for the Immigration Court of San Francisco; and guest lecturer at CSU Eastbay.