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 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.
Episode 23:
Colorado state representative Naquetta Ricks' immigrant story has been a primary influence in her decision to enter the political arena. Rep. Ricks is the first African immigrant to be elected to the Colorado General Assembly, and the first Liberian American to be elected to any state legislature. At 13 years old she was forced to flee civil war in Liberia, and her family settled in Aurora, Colorado. Thanks to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which included the amnesty program, Rep. Ricks received legal status.
She is the owner and operator of a successful small mortgage brokerage business and is the founder and President of the African Chamber of Commerce, Colorado USA. As a leading Black woman in business and politics, she works tirelessly to improve her community by helping build economic opportunities, and by championing the rights of immigrants and refugees.
Episode 22:
Myles Traphagen is the ultimate champion for migrant rights: for insects, animals and humans. He is a recognized advocate for the conservation and protection of our ecology in the face of human-created devastation. Myles is consistently cited to and quoted by numerous media organizations when it comes to the negative impact of the border wall on the natural environment on the U.S./Mexico border. As the Borderlands Program Coordinator for the Wildlands Network, Myles is the foremost expert on the borderlands region with a focus on channeling collaborative efforts to maintain and restore habitat for species like jaguar, black bear and Sonoran pronghorn. His critical research has documented dramatic reductions in wildlife crossings through border walls compared to vehicle barriers and highlights the urgent need for mitigation strategies to preserve biodiversity and restore wildlife connectivity in the region. He is an important voice against the border wall and other human-made barriers.
Myles also serves as an important advocate for the rights of migrants who travel through the Southwest border and speaks about his experiences in assisting them. His perspective is extremely important and he embodies the MLK, Jr. quote: "let's build bridges, not walls." Please join me and listen to Myles' story and his unique experiences working on the border for the common good.
To support the Wildlands Network please visit their website.
Episode 21:
Ehadj (El) Ndoye embodies the phrase "giving back". He immigrated from Senegal as a student and found a permanent home and community in Tucson, Arizona. However, El never forgot his roots and in 2010 he founded "The Forgotten Children", a non-profit geared towards helping the street children (talibè) in Senegal by achieving goals of self-sufficiency. What began as a means of providing clothes and other necessities to the orphaned, impoverished and homeless children in M'bour Senegal, West Africa, became a larger mission. Behind El's leadership, they established a boarding school that would provide safe housing, nourishment and education for these children in dire need. El published his memoir, Dream On, Seydou: A Memoir Of A Senegalese Immigrant, where you can learn about his life story, the motivation behind his non-profit organization and how they took a desolate plot of land and turned it into a place of education and safety for some of the most vulnerable in our world. His story serves as an inspiration for all and he has now helped many Senegalese orphans get an education and a chance at opportunity and success.