17th Annual Sister Sally Furay Lecture: For the Voices That Have Not Been Heard

Location

Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, Theatre

Free

Featuring University of San Diego alumnus Congressman Juan Vargas '83 and a screening and discussion of the Academy Award-Winning Film Inocente.

In focusing on child protection, the 17th Annual Sister Sally Furay Lecture gave voice to undocumented immigrants, victims of cross-border trafficking and others along the U.S.-Mexico border who face serious human and civil rights violations without access to justice.

Representative Juan Vargas of California’s 51st Congressional District, discussed his recently introduced bill, “The Child Protection Act of 2013” – Hazel’s Law, which will allow perpetrators of child sex trafficking to be prosecuted even when the perpetrator claims not to have known the age of the victim. A screening of this year’s Academy Award-winning film Inocente was followed by a panel of local experts in the fields of immigration law, advocacy and legal protections for children and victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. The panel addressed the often searing experience of undocumented immigrants from both personal and legal perspectives. Casa Cornelia attorneys provided particular insight on the situations faced by Inocente and the hundreds like her they have served, as they secured legal residency for Inocente, her mother, and siblings under current laws that protect immigrant victims of domestic violence.

Read more about the event.

_______________________

Founded in 1993, Casa Cornelia Law Center is a public interest law firm providing quality pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations. The Center has a primary commitment to the indigent within the immigrant community inSouthern California. Casa Cornelia strives to educate others regarding the impact of immigration law and policy on society and the public good.

The Trans-Border Institute of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies of the University of San Diego promotes understanding, dialogue, and collaboration between Mexico and the United States, and addresses urgent transnational issues affecting their people and those of neighboring countries through policy research and analysis.

The event was co-sponsored by the University of San Diego's Center for Community Service-Learning.