A Q&A with Sandra Sheridan Reguerin

Partner Sandra Sheridan Reguerin recently received a commendation from the outgoing President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Jennifer Minear, recognizing her service to the Association during the 2020-2021 AILA year.

A longtime AILA volunteer, Sandra has served on the Association’s national State Department Liaison Committee for more than eight years. We asked Sandra about the commendation, her work with the Committee, and her take on volunteer opportunities with AILA during a recent Q&A.

Q: The outgoing AILA President awards President’s Commendations to volunteers who demonstrate “exemplary service to the President and to AILA.” Tell us about what you’ve been doing for the Association.

I have served on the State Department Liaison Committee of AILA since 2012. Three years ago I was asked to become the committee’s vice chair, and last year I became its chair. Prior to that, I served as Waiver Review Division Liaison and wrote the monthly “Check-In with Charlie” column for over six years. It is an honor to serve on the committee as it serves as a crucial conduit for information between State and the immigration bar.

In a normal year, we would hold in-person liaison meetings with the State Department  in Washington, D.C. twice a year and an annual meeting with the National Visa Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.The committee also periodically meets with the Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Although we continued these engagements during the 2020-2021 committee year, they were held virtually and off of their normal schedule, due to the pandemic. 

We engage with the Chief of Chief of Visa Control and Reporting Division, Charlie Oppenheim, and wrote a monthly column on the visa bulletin for over six years until that engagement was suspended in August 2020 in preparation for a public YouTube event.  AILA’s national DOS Liaison Committee works with local committee DOS liaisons, analyzes and raises trends to the State Department, keeps AILA’s membership aware of changes and identifies advocacy priorities. If AILA disagrees with a policy or legal interpretation, we take it back to the government and discuss it with them.

Every member of the State Department Liaison Committee contributed significantly during this pandemic year. I consider this personal commendation as a reflection of the combined efforts of my extremely talented colleagues on the committee who gave tirelessly of themselves during a very challenging year.

Q: The COVID-19 pandemic must have made the committee’s work far more challenging.

Absolutely. Things were already challenging over the last few years due to the Trump Administration’s many policy changes. Most did not require regulatory action yet had a profound impact on the way cases were adjudicated and on the experience of our clients. These rapid changes made AILA members’ work quite complicated. AILA’s members dealt with an array of Presidential Proclamations that were not being handled in a uniform manner by the various government agencies or even by consular posts within the same geographic region. Immigration policies are changing constantly, and most consulates continue to either be closed for routine visa operations or are operating at significantly reduced capacity. This creates an environment of uncertainty and confusion, and the DOS liaison committee worked hard to understand the ever-changing situation and to educate AILA’s members.

Reflecting on the challenges of the last year, it is fitting to recognize outgoing AILA President Jennifer Minear, who honored me with this commendation, and whose scope of challenges far transcended those of AILA’s DOS liaison committee. Immigration is somewhat fluid even in stable times. Jennifer led AILA through an extremely difficult year-- the toughest that I can remember since I began practicing immigration law in 1996. Her leadership inspired all of us to work hard for AILA’s members notwithstanding the challenges of our own practices.

Q: Why are AILA volunteers beneficial to the immigration bar?

AILA has more than 15,000 members, so even a small contribution ripples out to that larger community and provides a positive impact. AILA is a very collaborative organization and one quickly discovers that the value of the relationships forged far outweigh the time expended in volunteer service. There are dozens of ways to contribute so there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.

 I highly encourage every immigration lawyer to get involved in AILA. You’ll create valuable relationships that are personally significant and expand your perspective on the industry by getting to know practitioners from diverse backgrounds. And you’ll be making the immigration bar stronger as well.

Q: Any words of advice for lawyers considering volunteering with AILA?

Get involved. It doesn’t have to be the biggest or most high-profile job. Do anything you’re comfortable with and to which you can dedicate your time. Something as simple as serving as a day coordinator at a conference might be a good start. It doesn't have to be anything fancy or require a significant time commitment. No matter what role you choose, you’ll be making lifelong friends and colleagues and will enrich your career beyond your expectations.