Immigration Attorney Christopher Stender practices law at Federal Immigration Counselors AZ in Phoenix. He previously practiced with a firm in San Diego. When he's not working, Christopher Stender enjoys traveling and has been to dozens of countries in Central America and Europe, including Luxembourg. Often overlooked by travelers, the tiny country of Luxembourg, which sits between Germany, Belgium, and France, is worth a visit. Luxembourg City, for example, is a beautiful city grown out of a 10th century fortress. The best way to explore the commune is to follow the Wenzel Walk, which leads through various historic sites along old cobblestone streets. Be sure to visit Luxembourg Castle, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages, and the Chemin de la Corniche, affectionately known as Europe's most beautiful balcony. Another great way to explore Luxembourg is on bike. The country offers 600 kilometers of bike paths (with more on the way) and 700 kilometers of mountain bike trails. These trails are well marked and well maintained and take bikers away from the city into pristine natural areas of unforgettable beauty. Tourists can rent bikes in-country. Finally, be sure to indulge in the local cuisine. Due to its proximity to three countries, Luxembourg's cuisine is a curious but delicious mixture of all three. Dishes include the German-inspired Kaesespaetzle, which is an egg pastry with plenty of cheese, and the Swiss potato cake Rosti.
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The recipient of a juris doctor from Syracuse University, Christopher Stender is an experienced immigration attorney who serves as the owner of Phoenix, Arizona's Federal Immigration Counselors. Beyond his work as an attorney, Christopher Stender enjoys playing racquetball in his free time. A fun and invigorating cardiovascular activity, racquetball has grown significantly in popularity since the 1980s. The game is played between two players in a 40-foot by 20-foot court with front walls about 20 feet high. Using rackets and a 2.25-inch diameter rubber ball, players earn points by hitting the ball off the wall and past their opponent. Below are three effective shots to accomplish that goal. 1. Pinch shot - By bouncing off two walls, this shot forces the opponent to work hard to track the ball's trajectory and successfully return it. To perform a pinch shot, hit the ball low near the end of one of the side walls so that it subsequently bounces off the front wall and stays close to the floor. 2. Straight-in shot - Hit the ball to the front wall as low as possible so that it bounces back in areas that are hard for the opponent to cover. If it bounces twice before passing the service line, it's referred to as a kill shot. 3. Z-shot - Named for the trajectory the ball takes, this shot is difficult to perform, but also extremely difficult for the other player to track. Aim to hit the ball with force high on the front wall at an angle. The ball will quickly bounce off the side wall, and come back deep to the opposite side wall, making a return next to impossible. An accomplished immigration attorney with more than 25 years of experience, Christopher Stender serves at Federal Immigration Counselors AZ in Phoenix, Arizona. Alongside his work as an immigration attorney, Christopher Stender is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). In March of 2018, the AILA drafted a new report outlining specific ways the Trump administration has ramped up deportation forces and employed aggressive enforcement policies against individuals who have lived peacefully in the US for a long time. In the report, titled “Cogs in the Deportation Machine,” the organization detailed a number of specific policy moves. First, the Trump administration has done away with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections, leaving upwards of a million people immediately vulnerable to deportation. Second, enforcement officials have been zeroing in on agencies that have the ability to quickly identify individuals - even those who have been checking in for years without incident. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials have been targeting hospitals and other locations where people are vulnerable and have been using aggressive tactics against sponsors who take in unaccompanied minors looking to receive asylum protections. Finally, the Justice Department has been employing policies in the courtroom and in policymaking that threaten to undo years of progress and that are aimed at undermining the independent judiciary. To read the report in full, visit aila.org. Possessing more than two decades of experience as an immigration attorney, Christopher Stender serves as a partner at Federal Immigration Counselors in Phoenix, Arizona. Christopher Stender networks with colleagues as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). In a recent statement, AILA called upon the House Judiciary Committee to abandon immigration policies that focus on harsh enforcement standards that not only are burdensome to local law enforcement because they mandate procedures that are unfunded, but also violate the spirit of the Constitution. Specifically, AILA has asked lawmakers to strike down further discussion on the Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act and additional measures related to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. AILA president William A. Stock condemned the measures, saying they are totally inappropriate and do nothing to further any meaningful immigration reform. He went on to further say that the House Judiciary Committee has missed the mark in its reasoning and should instead focus on trying to find real solutions to immigration issues instead of posturing “enforcement only” measures. As an immigration attorney currently based in San Diego, California, Christopher Stender is a seasoned professional in giving legal advice on all issues dealing with immigration. Attorney Christopher Stender is a member and former vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association Arizona chapter and has tried cases in the First, Fifth and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals. The United States courts of appeals act as the intermediary between the trial court and the Supreme Court system. Courts of appeals are considered to be the most influential part of the US judicial system since that is where new laws and legal precedence can be enacted. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is especially important since it covers such a large area of the United States. With 15 federal districts in the western region, including Hawaii and Alaska, the Ninth Circuit has been considered by some to be the most liberal and diverse. Recognized as a leading immigration attorney in San Diego, California, Christopher Stender has published a number of Board of Immigration Appeals and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decisions. In addition to his work as an immigration attorney, Christopher Stender has provided financial support for the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing legal services for individuals detained in the state of Arizona.
FIRRP offers a full range of direct services for individuals in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Florence and Eloy, Arizona. At its Florence location, the FIRRP works closely with men detained in four primary holding facilities, helping them work their way through the Florence Immigration Court. At its Eloy location, FIRRP works with both men and women. FIRRP represents individuals at all stages of the immigration defense process, from individual attorney consultations and guided pro se assistance to group workshops and appearances before immigration judges. The organization also offers a Children’s Program and Integrated Social Services Program, which extend its support services to some of the most vulnerable immigrant populations. An experienced immigration attorney fluent in Spanish and German, Christopher Stender currently leads his own law firm in San Diego, California. Christopher Stender also stays connected with his fellow immigration attorneys through membership in organizations such as the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
Among its many resources and programs for members, the AILA hosts a yearly meeting that is relevant for immigration attorneys from a wide range of practice levels. The organization recently hosted the 2015 AILA Annual Conference on Immigration Law in National Harbor, Maryland, where attendees experienced a comprehensive and innovative continuing legal education program prepared by the AILA Annual Conference Program Committee. The program featured more than 145 in-depth sessions with practice tracks addressing key immigration law topics and dedicated seminars on ethics, trial skills, and law practice management. Along with the opportunity to earn as many as 33 CLE credits, attendees gained insights from hundreds of immigration experts and government representatives on the most recent changes in immigration law and policy. The 2015 AILA Annual Conference also included networking engagements and an exhibit hall. Christopher Stender, an immigration attorney, draws on 25 years of practice experience. Through the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), immigration attorney Christopher Stender offers his services at no charge to foreign nationals who must appear before an immigration judge.
Since January of 1983, the Executive Office for Immigration Review has handled all court proceedings that determine whether an immigrant may remain in the United States. It includes the Board of Immigration Appeals as well as the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, whose function was once part of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The office does not handle cases that fall under the jurisdictions of the Office of Immigration Litigation or the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices. The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge sets priorities and direction for the country's 260 immigration attorneys, while also disseminating information regarding policies and procedures involving removal proceedings. The proceedings themselves take place in courtrooms or jails across the nation. Appealed removal decisions go to the Board of Immigration Appeals, the highest authority available to interpret immigration law, which most often reviews case materials in print and then issues a binding decision. Meanwhile, the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer is available to hear certain applicable employment and fraud cases. An immigration attorney for more than two decades, Christopher Stender currently assists clients as a partner of Stender & Lappin, PC, a San Diego-based firm he founded in 2008. Throughout his career, Christopher Stender has contributed his time and resources to a number of charities and nonprofits, including the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP).
FIRRP provides free legal services to men, women, and children detained in Arizona for immigration removal proceedings. Currently, FIRRP provides these services through several programs, including its Detained Immigrant and Refugee Children’s Initiative, which helps unaccompanied minors who have been apprehended by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Each year, thousands of minors from Mexico and Central America cross the border into the United States without their parents. Those detained by ICE officials are held in secure facilities, contract shelters, and group homes. In some cases, unaccompanied minors are placed in foster care through the Office of Refugee Settlement. The Children’s Initiative works closely with those minors awaiting removal proceedings before the Phoenix Immigration Court to ensure that they understand their rights and have access to proper legal representation. If FIRRP is unable to provide representation itself, the Children’s Initiative helps connect clients with pro bono attorneys from the local community. An established San Francisco immigration attorney, Christopher Stender has a strong commitment to the community he serves. In a notable 2010 deportation case, Christopher Stender successfully represented a Nigerian immigrant who contracted AIDS and was subsequently convicted of dealing drugs. The case hinged on conditions in his client’s home country, where he was likely to face torture upon return.
Coming to the United States on a visa, Lawrence Eneh contracted AIDS from a contaminated needle while employed at a Minnesota health center. Gaining legal U.S. residency in 2000, Mr. Eneh was convicted for selling marijuana two years later and was ordered to be deported following a three-year prison term. In 2004, Mr. Eneh presented evidence that individuals convicted of criminal activity related to drugs in foreign countries are imprisoned upon their return to Nigeria. In addition, AIDS patients are not provided with the medications they require. Mr. Stender’s representation in appellate court resulted in a 3-0 ruling in favor of his client in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. |
AuthorChristopher Stender has practiced law for more than two decades. Archives
June 2017
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