Professor Michael Vastine joined the faculty of St. Thomas University College of Law in 2004, where he is a tenured professor of law and Director of the Immigration Clinic. A frequent conference speaker and author, he is also a leader of the immigration bar, with extensive service within the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). From 2011-20, he was elected to serve on the AILA South Florida Chapter Board of Directors, including a term as Chair of the Chapter. Professor Vastine’s AILA national-level service includes multiple terms on the Federal Litigation Section Steering Committee, Annual Conference Planning Committee, and Amicus Curiae Committee. His impact litigation principally relates to immigration and crimes, including the lead case at the Florida Supreme Court establishing the constitutional rights of immigrant defendants to effective representation by their criminal counsel, and multiple cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit delineating the immigration consequences of Florida convictions involving controlled substances. Additionally, he has represented AILA and other community-based organizations, as amicus curiae counsel, in forums ranging from the Board of Immigration Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, in matters including the constitutional limits of indefinite detention of immigrants, the due process rights of the physically deported, and the immigration consequences of state crimes. In 2013, Professor Vastine received the AILA (National) Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching.
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Promoting the Well-Being of Migrants and Survivors of Human Trafficking: The Role of Local, Community, and
Faith-Based Organizations
September 25, 2020 | 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Local, community, and faith-based organizations serve a vital role in promoting the well-being of migrants and survivors of human trafficking. Hear from several organizations around the nation serving these groups during this online event in honor of the 106th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
This free program is open to the public with registration and part of a larger event series in honor of World Day of Migrants and Refugees. It is proudly hosted in partnership with SHEPHERD and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services.
Opening Remarks
Rev. Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale
Chairman, International Council on Human Trafficking
The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
President Emeritus, Retired August 2018
St. Thomas University
Miami, FL
Distinguished Panel
Mary Anne Silvestri
Co-founder, ESTHER Ministry
St. Joseph Parish
Long Beach, CA
Shima Rostami, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Gateway Human Trafficking
Professor, Department of Sociology
University of Missouri
St. Louis, MO
Susan Patterson
Author & Advocate
SoCal Faith Coalitions Against Human Trafficking
Irvine, CA
Moderator
Lisa Lungren, M.A.
National Education and Outreach Coordinator
Immigration and Anti-Trafficking
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Washington, D.C.