Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. and

Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

are pleased to announce the next lecture in our

Human Rights Speaker Series

The Treatment of Immigrants & Refugees Under Minnesota Law:  Dreams and Reality

presented by

Mario Alberto Hernandez and Jorge Saavedra

 Thursday, April 21, 12:00-1:00 P.M.

at

Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

U.S. Bank Plaza (formerly Pillsbury Center)

200 South Sixth Street, Suite 4000

Minneapolis, MN

Are we passing laws that help, or hinder, refugees and immigrants in Minnesota? Approximately six percent of Minnesota's population is foreign-born, over 40 percent of whom are refugees who fled persecution in other countries. During the 1990's Minnesota's foreign-born population increased by 130 percent. During this same time period, the Latino population increased by 250 percent; in Minneapolis alone, the Latino population tripled. Join Mario Hernandez and Jorge Saavedra as they discuss state legislative initiatives and laws that impact refugees and immigrants in Minnesota. Topics will include the DREAM Act, the driver's license law and other state and local legislation. Complimentary lunch will be provided for those who preregister. Application will be made for 1.0 CLE credit.

Mario Hernandez is the Management Analyst at the Chicano Latino Affairs Council where he gathers community input on how state laws, services and regulations affect Latinos in Minnesota. Hernandez uses this information to advise and educate state legislators and other state policy makers about Latinos in Minnesota. Previously, Hernandez spent three years as the Council's greater Minnesota community liaison. Since joining the Council, Hernandez has created hundreds of Latino demographic profiles, written policy briefs on issues related to Latinos and currently writes editorials for La Prensa, a Twin Cities bilingual newspaper.

Jorge Saavedra is chief legal officer of Centro Legal, Inc., a non-profit law office and advocacy organization serving Minnesota's Latino community. Saavedra received his J.D. from Hamline Univeristy School of Law. Under Saavedra's leadership, Centro Legal has won several prominent immigration and workers' rights cases. Centro Legal advocates for city ordinances that prohibit local police from enforcing federal immigration laws. The Minneapolis City Council recently passed the first such ordinance in the state.

This human rights speaker series will be held on the third Thursday of every other month throughout 2005. Lectures are free and open to the public (registration required). For more information, please contact Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights. You may find directions to Fredrikson & Byron at: www.fredlaw.com/contact.htm

Please R.S.V.P. to Min Chong at Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights by noon on Tuesday, April 19. Phone: (612) 341-3302 ext. 115 • Email: mchong@mnadvocates.org