Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 15, 2017, Seyfarth Shaw partner and former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services director Leon Rodriguez, joined other former Department of Homeland Security Officials in filing an amicus brief in support of the State of Hawaii and other plaintiffs challenging the travel ban. 

The brief, which was also signed by former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and former Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, explained that individualized assessments, based on the rigorous vetting methods already in place at the time the travel ban was first instituted, provide far more effective protection for the United States than wholesale bans based on a traveler’s country of origin.   The brief cites congressional testimony about the refugee vetting process given by Mr. Rodriguez during his time as director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

A link to the brief is available here.