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May 13

Advocacy at the Intersection of Disability & Immigration

Join Disability Law United and the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (CTLA) for a groundbreaking presentation on disability and immigration, from the history of American immigration law to the ways in which ableism manifests in modern immigration policy, and practical tips and arguments for advocating on behalf of immigrants with disabilities.

Virtual location

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May 13, 2025 12:00pm ET - May 13, 2025 03:00pm ET

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$40.00 - $50.00

Program & Speakers:


"A History of Disability in Immigration Law"

Tania Valdez


Tania N. Valdez is a law professor and lawyer dedicated to the study and practice of immigration law. Her research highlights the inadequacies of protections for noncitizens in the current era of aggressive immigration enforcement, most recently focusing on the unique experiences of people with disabilities. Her scholarship has been published by the Notre Dame Law Review, the Washington University Law Review, and the Boston College Law Review, among others. Tania has also taught and supervised law students in immigration legal clinics at the University of Denver, Villanova University, and Berkeley Law.  


"Disability in Modern Immigration Policy"

Qudsiya Naqui


Qudsiya Naqui (she/her) is a lawyer and disability media-maker. Qudsiya’s work on disability has been featured in Vox, Oxford University Press, the Disability Visibility Project, Forbes Magazine, and the UCLA Law Review. She has also lectured on disability and its intersections with policy areas including healthcare and immigration, and served as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Immigrant and Noncitizen Rights Clinic at CUNY Law School, where she developed a novel curriculum on the intersection of disability rights, disability justice, and immigration law. Qudsiya is also the creator and host of Down to the Struts, a podcast on disability and design. She received her J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law and her B.A. from Barnard College. When she’s not teaching, writing, or podcasting, Qudsiya enjoys organizing adaptive sports programming in her local community through her role on the board of the Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes. 


"Immigration x Disability for the Practitioner"

Laura Murchie and Anne Kelsey


Laura Murchie (she/her) is a Disability Law United Staff Attorney who works at the intersection of disability and immigrant justice. In this role she focuses on litigating disability issues in the immigration system, primarily within immigration detention. She previously worked as a Litigation Staff Attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, working on impact litigation in both voting rights and immigrant justice, and as a Direct Services Attorney with the Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative at the Southern Poverty Law Center, providing legal representation to immigrants detained throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. She earned her B.A. from the University of Miami and her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School. Outside of work, Laura loves to spend time in nature, in particular hiking with her rescue dog, Penny.


Anne Kelsey (she/her) is the Senior Policy Analyst for Disability Rights at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, where she works at the intersection of immigration and disability rights for unaccompanied and similarly situated immigrant children. Anne has worked on disability and health rights issues for more than a decade. She has previously held positions at the Center for HIV Law and Policy; the Community Service Society of New York; and at Disability Rights Advocates. Anne received her J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia. 


Q&A Session with the Speakers





Continuing Legal Education credit:


  • Arizona: The State Bar of Arizona does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirement. This activity may qualify for up to 2.5 hours toward your annual CLE requirement for the State Bar of Arizona, including 0 hour(s) of professional responsibility. 
  • California: Retroactive accreditation will be sought following the event. 
  • Colorado: Accredited for 3.00 EDI credit hours.
  • Florida: This program has been approved by the Florida Bar for 3.0 General credits and 3.0 Immigration and Nationality Law Certification credits. 
  • New Mexico: Application for accreditation is pending .
  • New York: Accredited through New York’s Approved Jurisdiction Policy. 
  • Ohio: Application for accreditation is pending. 
  • Oregon: Retroactive accreditation will be sought following the event. 
  • Texas: Accredited for 2.5 credit hours.
  • Washington: Retroactive accreditation will be sought following the event.