Volunteer software developers and lawyers have created a website over the weekend to help connect free lawyers with travelers who are affected by President Donald Trump's travel ban.
Airport Lawyer allows the input of information by users regarding individuals targeted by the ban who are traveling to the United States - regardless of whether it's a friend, family member or the user themself. The information can then be shared with multiple lawyers who are available at the respective airports to monitor arrivals.
President Trump's executive order (also known as the 'Muslim ban') temporarily bans immigrants and refugees of seven Muslim-majority countries from setting foot in the United States. A San Francisco federal appeals court heard oral arguments this Tuesday deciding the legality of the executive order by the Trump administration.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Takao Yamada, one of the lawyers who works for the website, said "Two of the scariest things for people waiting at the airport are not knowing what's going on with their loved ones, and if something is going on, not knowing what to do about it." He added, "We can help them find out and get them some help."
Yamada is a co-founder of ReUp, a tech startup, and has been volunteering at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The project lead is a Seattle-area immigration lawyer, Greg McLawsen. While speaking to the Washington Post, he shared how the website came into being. McLawsen stated that he was informed by a colleague who worked at a legal data-management company, Clio, how the company could help.
Volunteer lawyers have previously been granted access to Clio's legal software. Clio was also receiving inquiries regarding a secure intake form in order to organize points of contact with groups of volunteers. McLawsen got in touch with many other Seattle-area lawyers, including Yamada. The lawyers also worked with Neota Logic, a legal software company, which donated technology to the website.
