A DYSFUNCTIONAL PODCAST ABOUT A DYSFUNCTIONAL SYSTEM
Immigration Ain't Easy
Host: Mo Goldman
An immigration attorney since 2000, Mo Goldman has seen the
good, the bad and the consistent ugly of the U.S. immigration
system. Mo's law practice, Goldman Immigration, PC is based in Tucson, Arizona. He enjoys educating the public about our immigration policies, laws and practices. He has recently published the educational memoir The Last Survivor: Lessons From the Past and the Dying Dream of Freedom.
About the Podcast
Immigration Ain't Easy provides a variety of perspectives and stories on modern-day U.S. immigration. The show will bring some levity to an often somber subject. Shows include:
- Interviews with people who have attempted, both successfully and unsuccessfully, to navigate a draconian and antiquated system.
- Interviews with immigration lawyers and other experts.
- A weekly review of the wild and ridiculous actions taken by the U.S. government.
Be Heard!
Your voice matters! Contact Mo if you are interested in being a guest on the podcast. Email mo@immigrationainteasy or connect on Bluesky, Facebook or other social media. We need to share our stories and make sure history doesn't keep repeating itself.
Where to Hear It
You can hear the Immigration Ain't Easy podcast on all major podcasting platforms including Spotify, Apple, Buzzsprout, Amazon Music and many others!
Discover Immigration Ain't Easy Podcast
Episode 35:
Originally hailing from Senegal, Aly Wane came to the United States with a diplomatic visa at the tender age of 9-years-old. His mother hoped that the United States would provide him with an excellent education and future opportunities. Eventually on a student visa, Aly received two educations:
1) An education through academia, and
2) An education on how difficult, rigid and cruel the U.S. immigration system is.
After following all the rules, he found himself in a terrible predicament after his mother tragically died overseas: without lawful status and trapped in a country that he considered his "home". He could not even go abroad to pay his respects to his mother. Had he left, he would likely never be able to return to the U.S. He chose to remain in the U.S., his adopted homeland.
While many would remain disillusioned by this situation and go underground, Aly regrouped and found a new purpose. Living in Syracuse, New York, he came out publicly in 2012 as undocumented and became a community and human rights organizer. Aly has focused his advocacy on antiwar, economic justice, racial and immigrant justice. He has become an active voice for peace and humanity. His organizing has been connected with numerous organizations including the American Friends Service Committee, the Workers' Center of Central NY, the Syracuse Peace Council, the Black Immigration Network, the UndocuBlack Network and the Black Alliance for Just Immigration. He has also served on the Board of the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse, a politically progressive interfaith organization.
While Aly has been placed in a difficult position, he has always been about helping others and the community. We should all strive to be like Aly.
Episode 34:
David Asser is a jack of all trades. A man of many talents and skills. He has been a comedian, an actor, a television and film producer/director/writer, an attorney, and even the Press Secretary and Spokesperson of the Justice Department of The Netherlands in The Hague and as an International Policy Advisor for the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service. What David has more than all else is a huge heart and a desire to help immigrants find what he once did: The American dream.
David was born in Amsterdam and lived in the Netherlands until 1986 when he moved to the United States for a few years before returning to his homeland to pursue a career in theatre, film and television. He succeeded in those industries for several years before shifting to a markedly different field: working for the Dutch government where he was involved in numerous high-profile cases and evolving immigration issues in Europe.
In 1999, David immigrated to the US permanently and has since been working in the immigration law field where he has a diverse background that covers a wide spectrum of legal issues including deportation matters, litigation in federal court, asylum, business immigration, temporary visas, family based immigration and international mobility.
David has received numerous honors for his pro bono work. He is a well-respected mentor to many peers. His son, Ben, has followed him into the law and says the following about his father: "Growing up around my father, I always marveled at his compassion, understanding, and tenacity when assisting his immigration clients. To his clients, he was not just a lawyer, he was a pillar of strength – a reminder that even if it seemed that hope was lost, he would do everything he could to provide a light at the end of the tunnel. While I will be focusing my practice on transactional law, I will aim to be more than a lawyer, but a pillar of strength for my clients."
Episode 33:
Akash Desai immigrated to the United States, but that process was not overly difficult in comparison to his struggles to retain high-skilled foreign workers in this country. Akash is the Co-CEO of CyFlare, a fast-growing cybersecurity solutions company based in West Seneca, New York. In this episode, Akash speaks about the trials and tribulations of being an executive in the high tech industry and the difficulties in trying to get work visas, like the elusive H-1B, for international talent. The insight provided by Akash illustrates how many companies are forced to decide between taking a much costlier and uncertain route of trying to keep foreign nationals legally in the U.S. versus having them work remotely from abroad. The modern U.S. immigration system often provides more of an incentive for companies to have their employees work offshore.
Akash is joined by Danielle "Dani" Rizzo, a highly recognized immigration lawyer who discusses her own journey in the immigration law field. She also provides details about how difficult it is for U.S.-based businesses to get the proper work visas for much needed foreign workers and the absurdities of the process to keep them legally in the U.S.
This episode serves as just another cry for better legal pathways for both U.S. employers and foreign employees.
Episode 32:
Professor Ilya Somin from George Mason University emigrated as a refugee from the former Soviet Union to the United States with his parents in 1979. The family was assisted in this move by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and were resettled in Westport, Connecticut. The Somin family eventually settled in Lexington, Massachusetts. After some difficulty with assimilation to the United States, Professor Somin found an appreciation for debate and eventually attended Amherst College, Harvard University (M.A. in political science) and Yale University (law).
Professor Somin is now one of the preeminent scholars in constitutional law. He also focuses his research on property law, democratic theory, federalism, and migration rights. Professor Somin is published in numerous scholarly journals, consistently interviewed by major media and his writings have been widely cited to by numerous courts including the U.S. Supreme Court.
He is the author of Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom (Oxford University Press, revised and expanded edition, 2022), Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter (Stanford University Press, revised and expanded second edition, 2016), and The Grasping Hand: “Kelo v. City of New London” and the Limits of Eminent Domain (University of Chicago Press, 2015, rev. paperback ed., 2016). Professor Somin is the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute.
In this episode he discusses his childhood as a new immigrant and the opportunities provided to him and his family in their new country. He talks about journey from not being able to speak or read English to becoming one of the top constitutional law experts in the country. The discussion also delves into some of the constitutional crises the U.S. currently faces.
Episode 31:
Sahra Hirsi was exiled from her native Somalia in the early 1990's. She lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for around 15 years before finally resettling in the United States. She arrived in Tucson, Arizona with a new lease on life and was provided support from wonderful advocates such as Barbara Eiswerth and the Ishkashitaa Refugee Network.
Sahra took full advantage of her opportunity and she attended the University of Arizona and went on to open several businesses that have created a multitude of jobs. She also has made an emphasis of her ventures to provide jobs and support to new refugees arriving in the Tucson community. In 2014, Sahra was awarded the title "Woman of the Year" by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
In this podcast interview she speaks about her life before arriving on our soil and how difficult it was to be a displaced refugee. As humble as they come, she speaks to her success as an entrepreneur and community advocate. Sahra is a shining example of why refugees, amongst other immigrants, are so important to our economy.
Episode 30:
Safwat Saleem joins me in this episode to talk about his journey from Pakistan to the United States and how immigrant themes are prevalent in his artwork. Safwat is a multidisciplinary artist with a key focus on cultural loss resulting from assimilation. As described on his website, "Safwat’s body of work weaves together themes of preservation, desire to belong, resistance and joy as an immigrant father raising a multiracial child in the American Southwest."
Safwat, now a Pakistani-American, talks about his arrival in the U.S. as an F-1 student visa holder attending college in Mississippi and the cultural differences that came with living there as a practicing Muslim. He speaks of his motivations to become an artist and how he uses satire as a tool to challenge perceptions. Safwat art is multidimensional as he uses graphic design, illustration and writing to film and sound.
Safwat believes in using his art for social impact and has collaborated with non-profit and change-making organizations like Fine Acts, 18 Million Rising, RUN AAPI, SAADA and TED.
Safwat is a pizza connoisseur and that makes him a-OK in my book!
Episode 29:
Ira Kurzban's last name has become synonymous with the field of immigration law. He published the first edition of the Kurzban's Immigration Law Sourcebook in 1990 and it quickly became one of the most respected treatises on U.S. immigration law. Nineteen editions later, the book is universally used by private immigration lawyers, government lawyers, judges, policy makers and countless immigration advocates as one of the primary sources of U.S. immigration law and policy.
Mr. Kurzban is much more than just a book, however, and in this podcast we discuss the incredible civil rights litigation he has engaged in. Most notably, his work on behalf of Haitian citizens. He has received countless awards and recognition for his work on behalf of immigrants and the legal community.
Mr. Kurzban is also one of the founders of Immigrants’ List, the first pro-immigrant bipartisan political action committee in the United States.
Episode 28:
THIS IS PART 2 OF A 2-PART AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL EPISODE
In this final part of our discussion, we delve more into the loving bond between Alejandra and Jesus and how her ongoing deportation case made it even stronger.
Life is complicated. One thing that we know is nobody's perfect (besides Donald Trump). Alejandra Pablos learned the hard way after being detained for two years at the Eloy Detention Center and she's hoping for a second chance.
While Ale was born on side of the border and her brother, Jesus Magaña was born on the other side. Jesus, a U.S. citizen. Ale, who lived in the U.S. for nearly her entire life, finally realized she was not a U.S. citizen in her teens. She eventually became a permanent resident but after a difficult time that resulted in convictions for DUI and drug possession, Ale found herself in deportation proceedings in 2011. Ale has become an important voice in immigrant and women's reproductive health rights. Jesus, a veteran of the Air Force, is now a licensed social worker who helps immigrants by evaluating their mental health. While Jesus and Ale have many differences and their pasts are remarkably distinct, they have one strong commonality: Saving Ale from deportation. The two talk with me about their childhoods, the bond that has strengthened as they've grown and their fight to keep Ale in the United States.
Dr. Goldman's notes: Only Jesus cried...
Episode 27:
Life is complicated. One thing that we know is nobody's perfect (besides Donald Trump). Alejandra Pablos learned the hard way after being detained for two years at the Eloy Detention Center and she's hoping for a second chance.
While Ale was born on side of the border and her brother, Jesus Magaña was born on the other side. Jesus, a U.S. citizen. Ale, who lived in the U.S. for nearly her entire life, finally realized she was not a U.S. citizen in her teens. She eventually became a permanent resident but after a difficult time that resulted in convictions for DUI and drug possession, Ale found herself in deportation proceedings in 2011. Ale has become an important voice in immigrant and women's reproductive health rights. Jesus, a veteran of the Air Force, is now a licensed social worker who helps immigrants by evaluating their mental health. While Jesus and Ale have many differences and their pasts are remarkably distinct, they have one strong commonality: Saving Ale from deportation. The two talk with me about their childhoods, the bond that has strengthened as they've grown and their fight to keep Ale in the United States.
Dr. Goldman's notes: Only Jesus cried...
THIS IS PART 1 OF A 2-PART AFTER SCHOOL SPECIAL EPISODE
Episode 26:
Mark Shmueli lets his compassion propel his desire to help other humans. He has been in the trenches assisting immigrants for over twenty years and been outspoken regarding xenophobic policies that directly hurt the U.S. immigrant population and others trying to reach our shores. Mark has been the representative of the Maryland State Bar Association on the Governor’s Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland Mark co-authored its 2012 final report. In this interview, he speaks about the influences that helped shape his career in immigration law, including his own family's immigrant past. Mark also speaks about his leadership to push for more progressive immigration policies and reforms and his fight against restrictionist policies such as the Muslim travel ban. Mark summarizes his desire to help others:
"My dedication to justice, human rights and family unity shape my work. I am extremely fortunate to meet so many extraordinary people and to help them to achieve their dreams of living in the US.
At my core I do not believe that borders should separate families, keep people from safety or prevent people from working where they want and employers from hiring the workers they want or need. That is what drives me to fight for my clients."
Episode 25:
Anyone who wants the facts on immigration controls, policing and border enforcement must follow/subscribe to Dr. Austin Kocher on Bluesky and through his writings on Substack. He is a must follow! His research and data has been widely cited to and noted in both academic and media publications. Dr. Kocher is a geographer and Assistant Research Professor in the Office of Research and Creative Activity in the S.I. Newhouse of Public Communication at Syracuse University (GO ORANGE!!!). He was previously at the Civic Research Data Lab (CRDL) and the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a research lab at Syracuse University that uses Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to study the U.S. immigration enforcement apparatus. In this interview we discuss Dr. Kocher's unconventional path to becoming a well-known expert on immigration enforcement.
Episode 24:
He may have recently retired but you haven't heard the last of Douglas "Doug" Rivlin when it comes to progressive U.S. immigration policies and advocacy. For over thirty years, Doug has been an important voice for the immigrant community. After getting his start in the immigrant rights domain, along with Frank Sharry, as the Director of Communications for the National Immigration Forum, he became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL). Doug has worked tirelessly for immigration reforms that would keep immigrant families together, create more legal opportunities for foreign nationals to immigrate and bring more compassion to our often cruel and unforgiving system. After his work for Rep. Gutierrez, he became the Senior Director of Communication for America’s Voice and America’s Voice Education Fund. In this interview Doug talks about his professional journey and how he remains will continue to have a loud voice for progressive policies that will keep families united and make our country stronger. You can follow Doug on Bluesky.