Description

The new immigration bill, SB 1718 that was signed on May 10, 2023 goes into effect on July 1, 2023. Technically, the bill establishes a roadmap to citizenship for undocumented noncitizens by allowing them to apply for temporary legal status with the opportunity to apply for lawful permanent residence after five years, conditions apply. 

The conditions and other restrictions and penalties written into the bill are what have some concerned. Vanessa Coe, Esq. and Shane O'Meara, Esq. with the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County will join us to explore what impact SB 1718 could have and respond to questions. 

FREE to Attend

About the Presenters 

Vanesssa Coe, Esq is an attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County in the Non Profit Legal Assistance Project where she focuses her time advising Non Profit agencies on legal issues in the areas of employment law, human resources, compliance, and board governance. A graduate of Nova Southeastern Law and University of Florida, Vanessa started her career defending the rights of migrant and seasonal guest workers throughout Florida. Prior to joining the Non Profit Legal Assistance Project, Vanessa acted as the employment attorney at Legal Aid litigating on behalf of low wage workers in Palm Beach County.

Shane O’Meara, Esq practices immigration and nationality law at the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. in West Palm Beach, Florida. Shane has supervised the Legal Aid Society’s Immigrant Advocacy Project since 2004. He has represented foreign nationals before US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals for the past 25 years. He has also represented noncitizen children in dependency proceedings and foreign nationals appealing adverse public assistance decisions before the Social Security Administration and the Florida Department of Children and Families. He specializes in assisting foreign nationals who are disabled, homeless or coping with chronic illness as well as victims of domestic violence, violent crime, human trafficking and child abuse, neglect or abandonment.