Illuminating US Immigration Policies, Asylum, and the Southern Border

00:03.21
Bruce Anthony
On today's episode I'll be interviewing Tamina Watson she's an immigration lawyer and advocate and we're gonna be talking about immigration law. But first things first.

00:23.33
Bruce Anthony
I'm really excited to be interviewing to me and at Watson today. She's like I said early in opening. She's an immigration lawyer and I feel like immigration is really hard to understand. I try to read as much as I can about it because it's ah it's a topic that I'm interested in especially because it's in the news so much and you don't really know what to believe because you have news organizations giving you information and let's face it news organizations are going to give what the viewers. What they want to maintain ratings so you have to take anything that you get from the news from whatever news organization with a grain of Salt. So I love to research and find out what the truth is and I'll be real honest. No matter how much I read and I dated somebody that worked in immigration no matter how much I read and I ask certain people like I really can't get I can't wrap my hand around it. Oh it is more complicated to me than trigonometry and geometry and those were extremely complicated to me. So like I said I'm really excited to be interviewing Tamina she's the founder of the watson law. Ah the Watson immigration law firm. She's also an author. She wrote the startup visa key to job growth and ah and economy prosperity in America.

01:44.37
Bruce Anthony
She's the founder of wyn that's widenlaw dot org. It's a nonprofit organization that was helped ah to train and mentor lawyers to help detain their immigrants. She also is a part of airportlaw.org

02:01.44
Bruce Anthony
That was to provide critical help during the travel ban crisis during the pandemic you know something that we often didn't think about during a pandemic where those people that were trying to get into the country and get into the country because they want to immigrate here and like I said. Some immigrants are coming from really bad bad places like we talk about the projects here in the states like no matter how poor it is here in the states is nothing like some of these other countries. We talk about how how rough it is in the projects or in the trailer parks look all that violence and everything is not as bad as it is for all the countries I have. A friend of mine who's serbian. Um, that moved here as a young child and she's a serbian female. So she's a white female and she moved to southeastdc in the 90 s and I was like whoo that had to be a show shock. This is really dangerous to southeast during ah during that time she was like I'm from Serbia it was a. Country that was constantly in war like Southeast was ah was a picnic compared to that and I'm like Gee I really have no conceptual idea what it's like in other countries and as I've gotten older and I've traveled I realize you know there's reasons why people will want to get out of these countries. So ah, we'll be talking about you know. What's the process. You know what are the laws. What are the policies. What are the procedures. Um, and I really hope to learn a lot and to gain some real understanding about immigration because like I said.

03:33.70
Bruce Anthony
Everybody talks a big game about like they understand what immigration is and what the policies are but the more and more I read into it. It's not black and white and this isn't 2 plus two equals 4 this is some really complicated stuff. That's gonna take. Real policies and reform to really help those people that are getting in the country and this idea that we don't want people to come into this country I don't understand that because this country is the way it is because of immigrants. Everybody is an immigrant in this country. Well. You know I mean you've been here, you got a couple of generations you've been living here for a while but you were somebody in your family was an immigrant at some time. That's how that works here. So I'm really excited to interview to Mina and really get some perspective of immigration and laws and the policies but enough of my rambling. Let's get to the interview.

00:11.49
Bruce Anthony
I'm here today with a lawyer and activist an author and maybe the most important job a mother Tamina Watson thank you so much for joining me today.

00:24.73
Tahmina Watson
I'm so honored to be here. Bruce thank you for having me.

00:27.77
Bruce Anthony
Of course I was happy to get this on the schedule because we're talking about something really important today and that's immigration. So ah, the first question is how did you get involved and specializing and immigration law.

00:42.19
Tahmina Watson
You know it's so funny because this is the last thing I wanted to do I wanted to be a lawyer growing up but immigration was the 1 thing I said I didn't want to do you know you could be a lawyer in bankruptcy law be a litigation you know litigator.

00:47.50
Bruce Anthony
2 smart.

01:00.65
Tahmina Watson
Family lawyer. You could be so many things and immigration was the thing that I said you know of all the things that are out there. This is the one I don't want to do and then I moved from the United Kingdom to the United States to be with my husband I was born and raised in London and I took the New York bar exams

01:11.35
Bruce Anthony
In.

01:18.82
Tahmina Watson
Which um, meant that living in Washington state I live in Washington Seattle Washington um, the laws are not necessarily the same as other states as a lawyer you need to have the state license to practice that particular state's law but immigration is a.

01:31.29
Bruce Anthony
Um.

01:38.82
Tahmina Watson
Federal area of law and that allows you to practice in any state really and my choices were very limited when I um took the New York bar exams and was looking for a job and immigration kept following me.

01:52.19
Bruce Anthony
2

01:54.22
Tahmina Watson
It was the fourth job that I said okay I'll do this. Thank you very much I'll just do this for a few years and then I realized I was meant to do this the universe throwing it at me until I said. Okay so I succumbed to the calling and I fell in love and here I am i'm.

02:07.59
Bruce Anthony
Um, okay.

02:12.94
Tahmina Watson
Still practicing immigration law almost twenty years later

02:16.79
Bruce Anthony
Wow. Okay, that's that's pretty cool sometimes life just says you're meant to do this stop running from it and that was great that that you em embraced it in 20 years congratulations with that. That's that's remarkable. Um, can you help me understand. The current immigration policies and what options are available for individual seeking immigration.

02:42.98
Tahmina Watson
Um, so let's talk about policies first and then the options next because they're each very very big topics. Um the policies that we have at the moment.

02:46.77
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

02:57.19
Tahmina Watson
Ah, really policies are set by administration so to speak and and just to break it down for your listeners a little bit. There are the laws that are set by congress. Those are you know the immigration and nationality act. Um, the last real update was in 1990

02:59.70
Bruce Anthony
A.

03:06.35
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

03:14.54
Bruce Anthony
She.

03:16.20
Tahmina Watson
And so the laws we have are very old then there are the regulations that is interpreting the law breaking it down like you know we say we need x these are the 3 things you need to prove x so that's regulation. So when people hear about the regs. It's the regs. The policy.

03:26.76
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

03:33.51
Tahmina Watson
These are how you sort of directing those regulations. How are you? The regulations can be interpreted as well and so the policies are coming from the administration primarily and how an agency is going to direct particular you know cases. Um, what we. What your listeners might have remember from the last few years is that when we had a different administration. The policies were very restrictive. Um and they were restrictive because of the ideologies of that particular administration. But what.

03:56.49
Bruce Anthony
Here.

04:02.34
Bruce Anthony
Are.

04:11.60
Tahmina Watson
And also is that we had a global pandemic and you had to create policies to protect us the citizens but those policies were created with also those ideologies and so policies.

04:21.10
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah.

04:27.60
Tahmina Watson
From the previous administration have been handed down to this administration and this administration is working through a broken immigration system archaic laws that don't really serve us as well as it should.

04:41.82
Bruce Anthony
Are you here.

04:43.98
Tahmina Watson
And regulations take a long time to change so they're working with the policies that came from that particular administration and they're trying to update them and modify them for what we need now. Um, So if you think about now. Sort of post covid if you like so a lot of the bans that we had through executive actions those have been lifted under this administration and what we see and a lot of your listeners and viewers might be thinking about the Southern Border What's happening at.

05:06.75
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

05:14.88
Bruce Anthony
If he.

05:18.44
Tahmina Watson
Ah, so policies are being changed with that with you know what we need to do in a post-curvid Era but I think what people need to understand is policies can be a vehicle to like what can we do now in this situation. But what we.

05:35.17
Bruce Anthony
A.

05:38.12
Tahmina Watson
Really need is a law to change and that is something that we cannot do unless Congress takes action.

05:39.59
Bruce Anthony
Okay. Okay, so I'm a I'm a detour a little bit because if you pay attention to the media right now. Some news organizations will say crisis at the southern border and there was something that happened last week some maybe it was a policy or a regulation that ran out I'm trying to understand this very very complicated issue of immigration without having any law degree and so that's kind of the reason why I had ah have you on so that. You can explain to our audience. What exactly is going on down there. Um, what was the thing that was eliminated or ran out last week and how does that how does that affect people come into this country and people already here in this country.

06:36.58
Tahmina Watson
Um, so I think what your listeners and viewers might be hearing about is something called title 42 and um, essentially covid restrictions were a way to say you know we're going to have these limits on how we let people come into the Us.

06:40.10
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

06:53.82
Tahmina Watson
Um, what this administration is trying to do is to say hey you know we're going to try to process you before you come into the Us and so there's now a phone application in which people can you know schedule interviews. It's a very complicated problem that.

07:00.13
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

07:10.66
Tahmina Watson
Doesn't really have an ideal solution. Um, and so what people are seeing and hearing about is ah how restrictive um laws if you like regulations um in how to.

07:14.17
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah.

07:29.21
Tahmina Watson
Slow down people coming into the Us How to have an organized way of having them come into the us. Um, that's try. That's there's sort of ah, a new way. A new system in which the government is trying to have people come into the Us am I making sense so outside.

07:44.22
Bruce Anthony
Yes.

07:47.59
Tahmina Watson
Um, is ah to go back to basics asylum what is it. Asylum is essentially somebody coming to the borders of the United States they could be flying here. They could be driving here. They could be walking here. They'll say hey.

07:51.45
Bruce Anthony
You.

08:05.43
Tahmina Watson
I'm going to die if I stay where where I am please let me come into the us. Okay, and and the various treaties that we have you know international treaties our laws our laws say if you're going to die somewhere else. Somebody's persecuting you.

08:06.27
Bruce Anthony
Are.

08:23.10
Tahmina Watson
Trying to kill you take your life is at risk we will let you stay here. We will give you Asylum Asylum says Protection Sanctuary Um, what's happening is a lot of people are coming in and our system is broken and so that system.

08:29.00
Bruce Anthony
Um, is it.

08:36.10
Bruce Anthony
Yeah.

08:41.77
Tahmina Watson
Depending on which side of this you know argument you're on about is it good. Is it bad. Um, nobody's necessarily happy with this the solution. But what the administration is trying to do is trying to wrap around wrap its arms around. How can we.

08:53.89
Bruce Anthony
Um, here here.

08:59.56
Tahmina Watson
Deal with this very serious problem and and bring some sort of organization to it.

09:04.99
Bruce Anthony
Okay, so when you bring up Asylum Um, and you say a person can come here based on treaties then say look if I go back home. My life is in danger is that. Who decides if that this is going to come out as a ah weird way to ask this question but who decides if that threat that they are saying that they have is valid or not is there is there a uniformed. Okay, this person says they're in danger and we kind of know this country is. Is bad So yes or is there somebody saying now this person what they're saying isn't isn't ballad Enough. We don't approve them to come in. Um, and if so how is that decided.

09:52.80
Tahmina Watson
That's a really great question that is the crux of what happens just because we have knowledge about a country having unsafe situations doesn't necessarily mean you Bruce the individual are in danger.

09:57.54
Bruce Anthony
Um.

10:09.16
Tahmina Watson
And so the question becomes how does the individual prove that their lives are in danger. So when they come in the first thing that happens is there is something called a credible fear interview that happens with an officer who they have to prove that yes I really do have fear and that's stage one if you like.

10:09.35
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah.

10:12.79
Bruce Anthony
Right.

10:25.72
Bruce Anthony
Um, okay.

10:28.12
Tahmina Watson
And then there is an application that has to happen you file it and and it's really important for people to know. It's not just a southern border that have people who want to apply for asylum asylum is for anybody whose life is in danger right now a lot of the work that I'm doing in. My community which is up north from the Southern Border in Seattle Washington we have a lot of people from ah the Afghanistan who came in um, on humanitarian parole and they need a permanent solution to stay here. They too will be applying for asylum and.

10:48.50
Bruce Anthony
Is it.

11:02.71
Bruce Anthony
Um, and.

11:06.90
Tahmina Watson
Everybody's case is different. You have to prove why your life is in danger from going back and so once the credible fear and how this Asylum application happens depends on where you are and how you entered and so forth.

11:12.86
Bruce Anthony
Um, yes.

11:22.99
Tahmina Watson
So the people from the southern border once they get through this interview process will have the opportunity to file an application. So the people that I'm helping you know who are going to be applying for asylum. There's a form that gets filed with us c I s the United States immigration services.

11:38.50
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

11:42.31
Tahmina Watson
Um, citizenship services us Cis and then an immigration officer will look at that application. They'll interview you and they'll make a decision on whether they can approve your application and if they cannot approve it. They'll say we cannot make a decision. Going to send you to a judge and then a judge will then have a hearing where you will essentially have a trial where you would have another chance to prove that your life is in danger now each of these stages take a long time by the time you have the interview.

12:02.80
Bruce Anthony
Um, and.

12:16.61
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah here.

12:18.78
Tahmina Watson
For Credible Fear That's part of what's going on right? this minute and you enter the Us then you file the Asylum application when you do that You don't know when you'll have that interview with an immigration officer when you have that interview and they make a decision. It's not necessarily immediate all the time. But by the time you're referred to the immigration court to see a judge that takes time and by the time you get to the judge that's going to take years because we have a backlog So every part of this system has complexities involved.

12:56.10
Bruce Anthony
Who? Okay, so just 1 more question about Asylum Asylum is law correct. But as you said earlier the ah administrations can dictate policies based upon that law.

13:02.44
Tahmina Watson
Yes.

13:12.59
Tahmina Watson
Ah-ha. Yes.

13:13.80
Bruce Anthony
So comparing the previous administration to the current administration had they changed the policy of asylum seekers was one are was 1 strict and 1 a little bit looser or. Is it pretty much been the same throughout the 2 administrations.

13:36.00
Tahmina Watson
Um, let me give you an example of policy versus law. So anybody who comes to the us and they say my life is in danger they are entitled to file an Asylum case. That's what law says Okay, they can do that The policy is how are they doing that.

13:44.28
Bruce Anthony
Right? okay.

13:50.76
Bruce Anthony
Are.

13:52.49
Tahmina Watson
And so that's what is happening at the border you may remember that a few years ago. The previous administration said you know we want to prevent people from coming in because the law says they can apply for Asylum but we're going to prevent them from doing that. How are we going to do that. We're going to separate them from them children that's policy. Okay.

14:01.63
Bruce Anthony
Um.

14:11.44
Bruce Anthony
Um, okay, okay.

14:12.00
Tahmina Watson
Policy separating them for children as a deterrent mechanism. This administration's like we're not going to separate you from your children but we're going to try to have this is chaotic already. We're going to have to have some sort of organized chaos that's policy.

14:29.52
Bruce Anthony
Ah I got you? So basically people should not listen all the time to the news or listen to multiple news organizations to kind of get the truth.

14:29.70
Tahmina Watson
Some eat sense.

14:43.97
Bruce Anthony
Because there are certain news organizations that will say one one administration is worse than the other and it's letting more people in that are causing harm when in actuality, it's not necessarily the case.

14:59.36
Tahmina Watson
Well I think there's there's harm no matter what you talk about because there's inherent issues in all of these very deep problems. Um what I will say for your listeners who are interested in learning more is yes.

15:08.65
Bruce Anthony
Um.

15:16.82
Tahmina Watson
Listen to multiple different news channels. But how you what kind of perspective you get will depend on that news Channel and if you are absolutely interested in the law and the policies go to the source of organizations that deal with the law.

15:23.99
Bruce Anthony
Yeah.

15:36.50
Tahmina Watson
But there's The American Immigration Lawyers Association ala a ILADotOrg there's a lot of information that talks about the law and explains the law there is another organization called the American Immigration Council

15:36.60
Bruce Anthony
Um.

15:42.10
Bruce Anthony
Over here.

15:54.27
Tahmina Watson
A I c and their job is to really have explainers among other things. So if somebody is interested in learning about title 42 or asylum or work visas. You name it. Ah the american immigration council.

15:58.46
Bruce Anthony
A letter.

16:14.19
Tahmina Watson
Likely has an explainer on it. They're actually easy to understand. They're not terribly complicated in the way they're written and if anybody is truly interested I think one of those websites will be able to give you some factual information about this is the law. This is what happens in the law.

16:45.67
Bruce Anthony
So I I kind of have to ask as as we were talking about in the previous segment ah people learning more about immigration law and what the policies are. Um I have to ask you? What are some of the misconceptions that people have out there about immigration law and how can we aside from giving them the information go seek that information out. How can we kind of debunk these misconceptions and immigration law.

17:12.80
Tahmina Watson
I love that question Bruce thank you so much for addressing number the biggest misconception and maybe you've heard this your listeners have heard it. They're taking our jobs away.

17:23.78
Bruce Anthony
Here here.

17:27.23
Tahmina Watson
That is the number 1 thing that you will hear they're taking our jobs away that was always a myth. But if you think about the covid pandemic when we were all in our homes locked in in lockdown. We couldn't go out. Um.

17:39.44
Bruce Anthony
Oh.

17:45.72
Tahmina Watson
That really and Post-covid as well has exposed how that's not true. It was never true, but it's exposed how it's not true and we are actually in dire straits about having a workforce no matter what industry you're in.

17:49.69
Bruce Anthony
Sorry.

18:04.56
Bruce Anthony
Um, and then.

18:04.92
Tahmina Watson
If You are seeking assistance for medical issues. Not enough doctors out there. Um, if you are trying to find an accountant or you know the type of help you need. You're not going to be able to get them. There is a severe teacher shortage nobody can disagree with that. It is absolutely visibly Evident. There are not enough teachers. There are not enough nurses if you go to the senior care home. Um places not enough caregivers.

18:23.79
Bruce Anthony
Yes.

18:29.92
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

18:42.10
Tahmina Watson
If you go to restaurants not enough. Waiters construction is coming back. Not enough construction workers. Um, you go to hotels not enough people to help in the hotels. Every industry is suffering from people from a lack of workforce.

18:59.43
Bruce Anthony
You hear.

19:01.37
Tahmina Watson
The agricultural industry has always suffered. It is now to such a extent that you know food prices have increased already. We don't have enough workers. So if you think about every industry where is where are the jobs being taken.

19:08.74
Bruce Anthony
There.

19:20.40
Bruce Anthony
Yeah, yeah.

19:21.37
Tahmina Watson
Right? You know you think about the tech industry. You know, ah, there are millions of jobs that are open all the time even with the layoffs you know there are jobs that are out there that are not being taken so America has this. Misconception of the taking our jobs away. But in reality we can't get enough people to do anything and who is the ultimate doer when that happens if you're in a nursing home getting help. You're likely a Us citizen an american person who needs help.

19:58.60
Bruce Anthony
You.

20:00.49
Tahmina Watson
When you grow if you just think about you know I would ask your listeners to close their eyes for a second and just listen imagine you're back in the covid era you're under lockdown. You can't leave your house. You can't even go and say hi to your neighbor. You are permitted.

20:05.50
Bruce Anthony
Are you.

20:18.49
Tahmina Watson
To go to the grocery store though just for limited times. That's the only place you can go So what are you doing at home. You're now what-sapppping your friends and family Whatsapp was created by an immigrant. We're using your phone where the network.

20:31.49
Bruce Anthony
Are.

20:37.31
Tahmina Watson
And the hardware and the software are being maintained by skilled immigrants primarily you're likely using Zoom to do so zoom schooling or working or seeing family Zoom was created by an immigrant. If. You go to the grocery store and you're looking for the shiny apples on the grocery shelves those were picked by immigrants if you're getting milk because your kids need cereal. The dairy farmers are often hiring immigrants. You can be.

21:09.24
Bruce Anthony
Man.

21:12.99
Tahmina Watson
An American sitting on a chair looking for all the conveniences you need, but everything coming at you are ah touched by immigrants. So when we don't have a workforce who is the loser.

21:27.56
Bruce Anthony
Wow Wow That was poetic and apropos. That was you you answered that question that was perfect I mean I can ask for a better answer than that. Um, ok so.

21:44.63
Bruce Anthony
There are going to be some people out there that have a preconceived notion of what immigrants are because of the media and betrayal on television and public discourse. How is all of that impacted. Decisions that are made about policy for immigration.

22:05.60
Tahmina Watson
Um, so kudos to the Biden administration for recognizing we need immigrants and skilled talented immigrants and so this is a different group than the people that are coming from the border. Okay, just want to make sure your listeners understand that we're now going to put them in little buckets.

22:13.14
Bruce Anthony
Are.

22:23.18
Tahmina Watson
The buckets that we need are the skilled immigrants who can really make a difference to the economy to the things that we need. Um you may know and your listeners might know that the Biden administration passed something called the chips and science act that is to help us. You know.

22:36.91
Bruce Anthony
Who.

22:40.60
Tahmina Watson
We don't have enough semiconductors. We don't we don't have a lot of things to help ah with ah you know people are waiting. Ah my neighbor actually was waiting for a microwave not microwave a noven for over a year and you know there are things that are missing in all of the electronics that need to be created because there are not enough.

22:51.70
Bruce Anthony
Wow.

23:00.25
Tahmina Watson
Semiconductors and chips and whatever Whatever I'm not a scientist I just go by but what I've been told I can talk knowledgeably about immigration but science my husband will be like you sound very cute and like um I like I throw in the word pixelated because I feel like how to use that one but it goes into every sentence is.

23:03.80
Bruce Anthony
Right.

23:11.44
Bruce Anthony
Yeah, okay.

23:19.46
Tahmina Watson
But anyway what I'm asking you to take away is I may not know every word about the science issues. But what we do need are people who know science issues they have scientific backgrounds they have stem education. We need these people. Um this chips and science act passed.

23:25.91
Bruce Anthony
Um.

23:36.20
Bruce Anthony
Um.

23:39.31
Tahmina Watson
But without immigrants. We're not going to be able to do that. So coming back to your question about Policies. What are this? What? What can you do to make things better the various work visas. That's my bread and butter. That's what I do my knowledge on a day-to-day Basis is to help businesses and individual and entrepreneurs and. Um, companies who are hiring to be able to get work visas to work and live here. Those are the policies that are being updated by this administration saying if you have a stem degree. We're going to look at you favorably so that we can you know? um.

24:11.31
Bruce Anthony
Are here.

24:15.96
Tahmina Watson
Update the policy on the O Visa which is essentially the Genius Visa um, saying that if you have a stem degree. We're going to look at you favorably so that you can stay here and work on your tech project or you can work for a company that's working on stem research issues. Um. And so those are policies that are being um, affected and the government is trying to update the immigration policy manual so that ah people who are trying to come into the Us now can be able to meet those requirements I'll just give you an example. Um, my clients are small tomed businesses and they're everything they can be um I represent teachers I represent. Um architects I represent all different. You know mental Health counselors people people in the health industry I The whole Gamut. Um.

25:12.85
Bruce Anthony
Um.

25:13.17
Tahmina Watson
1 of my clients is in the construction industry and this person has been in different types of visas and we wanted to get them a green card. It was very difficult with the way that the policies and were written um for a particular category. Entrepreneurs the Biden administration really made a comprehensive list saying if you are making a difference in these national interest issues. There's a homeless crisis going on. There's a food crisis going on. There's a health crisis going on. Are you working with government agencies.

25:42.30
Bruce Anthony
Man.

25:51.82
Tahmina Watson
The government has given us a roadmapped say if you are doing these types of things we are going to look at you favourably because you are helping our national interest. That's an example of where an administration can use policies to help the economy. I come back to who is benefiting if if we have a homeless situation and just I think in Npr on npr yesterday I heard the Biden administration is trying to have some programs to help the homelessness crisis no matter which city you live in. There is a homelessness crisis.

26:09.92
Bruce Anthony
Right.

26:25.28
Bruce Anthony
Yes, there.

26:28.00
Tahmina Watson
There is a affordable housing crisis. The government is trying to find ways in which they can address them and this is the thing immigration is 1 aspect of a much bigger problem. Much bigger problem. We have so many problems you don't know even know where to start if you think about the education problem every school district in the country is suffering from a budget crisis because you know the students have left where did the students go I don't know but without heads the budgets are going to be cut.

26:45.97
Bruce Anthony
Yeah.

26:52.65
Bruce Anthony
Yeah, yeah.

26:59.33
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah, the.

27:03.29
Tahmina Watson
We don't have enough teachers. The education system is going through a very difficult problem. Immigration could be a solution. You know it's these problems are so deep that 1 person and 1 party can't really solve it all. Of us have to come together because it's our country our children our future and so you can't take 1 problem in isolation you can fix them I'm an immigration advocate I know what I can solve here but there are other advocates in different issues.

27:27.39
Bruce Anthony
Here.

27:39.14
Tahmina Watson
And so if any of your listeners are let's say a teacher or they're an administrator in the school talk about the problems and see aha I think immigration could be a solution for us. You know I think if your listeners are running restaurants small businesses and they're suffering from a workforce shortage. You've got to.

27:47.36
Bruce Anthony
Here.

27:57.38
Tahmina Watson
Speak up saying I'm a small business I cannot afford to you know? um I can't meet the needs of my customers which are Americans I can't meet their needs. How can I meet their needs. Oh yes, immigration could be a solution. So I think it's a time where all of us.

28:03.90
Bruce Anthony
Are.

28:16.15
Tahmina Watson
Have to come together as citizens and say these are our problems. How can we solve them and everybody's going to have solutions in different categories but immigration could be 1 solution for a lot of different industries.

28:24.49
Bruce Anthony
Right. So I kind of want to go back because you brought up something kind of interesting how the the the Biden policy of allowing people in that basically. I don't want to dumb down what you said, but just from my understanding is if you can provide a service here to this country that will help some of the issues that we're dealing with you're going to be more favorable looked at with in't that kind of almost like a a caste system.

28:58.44
Tahmina Watson
Not really very I get I get what you're saying and what I want to be very clear about the law has not changed. You cannot change the visas. We have those all remain the same in hands.

29:00.55
Bruce Anthony
Ah.

29:06.19
Bruce Anthony
E.

29:15.50
Tahmina Watson
Full of categories. The administration has been able to say we're going to look at this a little bit better. The other thing that's policy is how are cases being managed. So for example, the previous administration created backlogs.

29:22.30
Bruce Anthony
Are.

29:29.49
Bruce Anthony
Um, okay.

29:34.59
Bruce Anthony
Are.

29:35.60
Tahmina Watson
On purpose. Okay, they said we're going to interview every single person who goes through our system. The Obama administration didn't do that and by doing that like I'm going to interview everybody you immediately create a ah bottleneck and that bottleneck got you know.

29:44.51
Bruce Anthony
Um, yeah.

29:48.76
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

29:53.10
Tahmina Watson
And exacerbated by covid because you couldn't interview people even if you wanted to so then comes the Biden administration saying oh my gosh. How do we even get out of this problem and so their policy is you know if somebody doesn't need an interview. We will not interview them because their paperwork is strong.

29:56.30
Bruce Anthony
Um, right.

30:11.17
Bruce Anthony
Okay, ah I got yes I know exactly what you're saying.

30:11.76
Tahmina Watson
Do you see what in playing and so it depends on which category you're in and the administration is trying to take a pragmatic practical approach to saying how can we use the system that we have and try and make it a little bit better. Within our limitations.

30:33.80
Bruce Anthony
Okay, so I think I got this let me see if this analogy Works. You tell me if this doesn't or does not work when you apply to college you if your sat T Score back in the day when I was in college if your sat T Score was high enough. You are automatically placed in certain courses. Ah. But sometimes certain students got accepted into the colleges but they had to take a test to see if they were going to be placed in special math or English classes where you didn't necessarily get a credit but that you had to take them in order to progress On. But. If your scores were high enough you bypassed all of that. So in Essence it's It's essentially like there's a test and some people have to go through the interview process but some people scores are so high on this test. They don't need to interview. Their application is is good to go.

31:22.43
Tahmina Watson
Yes, that could be and this is for green cards. You know things are for green cards. A lot of people who are in the Us waiting for green cards. They would typically have to have interviews. Um and the government is saying.

31:24.11
Bruce Anthony
Green cards. Okay.

31:35.80
Tahmina Watson
Your paperwork is strong. We've done our Fbi background check we haven't found any problems with you. We're gonna let you have a green card.

31:42.13
Bruce Anthony
Okay, all right I know I got to get you out of here I've taken up a lot of your time already. Um, like I said earlier the most important job I don't I don't know if you feel that way. But I think that's the most important job is your mother. How do you balance work and personal life. Ah know it could be extremely challenging because you're not just a lawyer. You don't just have your own law Firm. You're also an advocate and author and you do things like this podcast and you give interviews on different Podcasts. You had your own radio show for a long Time. So How do you balance that that. The personal life and the work life.

32:17.30
Tahmina Watson
I love that question because sometimes I have to ask that of myself and I often talk to different mothers about brainstorming how we do that. The first thing I'd say is kudos to my amazing husband. He is so incredible.

32:32.55
Bruce Anthony
Yeah.

32:37.50
Tahmina Watson
He is a true partner in life and we've absolutely juggled together. Um, some of the things that I do is I calendar. For example, my kids do extracurricular activities and you know we have to shuttle them from 1 place to another and um I'm able to do that.

32:40.62
Bruce Anthony
Are yeah.

32:56.40
Bruce Anthony
Right.

32:56.21
Tahmina Watson
If it's on my calendar so he has to go on the calendar. Um, the other thing is I have an incredible team at my office. They're my second family they know where I am at any given time they'll you know, contact me saying what do we need to do for this and they'll just run with it or they'll say she's not available right now she'll come back.

33:01.26
Bruce Anthony
Are you.

33:16.10
Tahmina Watson
Um I have villages I call them villages you have villages for my work I have villages at home. The village at home is my husband but I have 2 incredible daughters. They inspire me I think the day that I became a mother is the day that I became a better lawyer too.

33:18.66
Bruce Anthony
Ah, yeah.

33:30.89
Bruce Anthony
Are a.

33:33.85
Tahmina Watson
You know, understanding the really truly understanding and trying to put my feet in the shoes of my clients who are anxious about their futures. Not just for them. But what's going to happen to their children. My children are my.

33:39.92
Bruce Anthony
You know.

33:46.28
Bruce Anthony
Um, right? That's beautiful.

33:50.76
Tahmina Watson
Muses my my fuel my inspiration I want them to be proud of me and you know it's funny when my now my children are there 2 beautiful daughters 13 and 10 they know now how now how how to do Google and they'll look at things and they'll see mummy you're famous I'm like what.

34:03.98
Bruce Anthony
Are.

34:10.19
Tahmina Watson
And I'll be like I'm not famous baby but I'm so happy that you think I am I'm currently writing a book which is coming out on July fourth and I do need mommy time for that and they'll give me the time and they'll come and say mummy how how actually 1 of them.

34:14.34
Bruce Anthony
Right? ah.

34:20.32
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

34:28.38
Tahmina Watson
Says I'm not allowed to say mummy anymore. So I'm still going through the and you know miss actually the 10 year old yeah I'm I'm really struggling to get through this transition of like don't call yourself mommy in front of my friends.

34:28.69
Bruce Anthony
Okay, the 13 year old really

34:41.19
Bruce Anthony
Right.

34:43.30
Tahmina Watson
So I won't figured out this transition because in my mind I can't get out of the mombi zone but she'll say um, ah tell me about your book. You know is it finished can I see it What does a cover look like and I just love that. Um, they are taking interest you know they are learning I.

34:46.21
Bruce Anthony
Right.

34:52.55
Bruce Anthony
Is.

34:58.69
Bruce Anthony
There.

35:03.13
Tahmina Watson
Had to struggle like a lot of mothers about how am I giving them enough time and ah, you know I honestly yesterday went to cost go I'm like what food can you put in the microwave. We're going to buy that I've got a book to write I'm not going to be able to cook for you for the next month um you know I go through the normal mother challenges.

35:12.77
Bruce Anthony
From right.

35:19.71
Bruce Anthony
Here you.

35:21.88
Tahmina Watson
And I have to find my own solutions I Guess the biggest thing I can tell any other mothers who are listening is that I have um, accepted that my house is going to be a mess. The dish is not always going to be done The laundry's not going to be done until somebody screams about oh I don't have any underwear.

35:33.82
Bruce Anthony
Right.

35:40.48
Tahmina Watson
And you know it's really figuring out. What are the things that really matter I'm ah happy is my husband happy you know are we happy as a family everything else can wait at in you know in the order it needs to happen. Um, the other.

35:40.83
Bruce Anthony
Um.

35:43.94
Bruce Anthony
Here.

35:50.44
Bruce Anthony
Yeah.

35:59.00
Tahmina Watson
I will say is that I have realized I need mummy time and for me that is bird photography. It's something I discovered in Covid where you know I just started to become a bird watcher and that bird watcher life has become.

36:03.74
Bruce Anthony
Okay, aha.

36:15.24
Tahmina Watson
You know has evolved and I am now a bird photographer and I have a very large lens which you know weight training to carry. Um and they know that if I go out and I'm doing bird watching I come back the happier person and you know it's better for everybody.

36:19.84
Bruce Anthony
Okay.

36:32.70
Tahmina Watson
So it's interesting I think every mother has to figure out what their mommy zone is but I I think every human in facts in fact, needs time for themselves. Um I think self-care and Wellness has sort of taken a different level of you know, different people taking different takes on it.

36:35.74
Bruce Anthony
E.

36:51.99
Tahmina Watson
My take is whatever you do in life and I started with being a mother but I realized every mother every leader every human needs time for their souls so that they can with themselves so that they can be better for everybody around them.

37:02.10
Bruce Anthony
Yes.

37:10.75
Tahmina Watson
You're doing a public service by taking time for yourself. It is not selfish. It is actually selfless to take time for yourself and so those are the things that I'm living by and that those ideas and those things that I have taken in internally have.

37:17.40
Bruce Anthony
Right.

37:29.55
Bruce Anthony
Yeah, Covid slowed us all down and what you're describing when you go out and you take and you take pictures of birds that calm that centering I call it the reset the reset allows you to? okay.

37:29.99
Tahmina Watson
Come from Covid frankly where I had the time to actually take stock.

37:49.17
Bruce Anthony
I've had my moment to reset my mind body and spirit now I can go on and tackle. Whatever I need to tackle but you have to have that reset or else it just everything just compounds and compiles on top of you and it becomes overwhelming. So Ah, I'm so happy that you that you found that and. Hey there were some good things that came out of the pandemic. Yeah.

38:09.32
Tahmina Watson
I say so too and I think the twenty twenty three motto that I have is really and I'm practicing I'm not perfect is not to be stressed and one of those is making sure that you take care of that problem. Explain to everybody what that problem and what that solution is and work towards that solution without being stressed if you have a plan and you take those step 10 steps. You can be a present. The I don't know how many times a day I say to people let's just practice the power of now what is.

38:32.66
Bruce Anthony
Um, here.

38:42.88
Bruce Anthony
Who.

38:45.71
Tahmina Watson
Issue that we have to deal with right now we know there's a plan we'll work towards it. Let's just take step one and then we'll deal with step 2 and 3 as it's needed and I think you know no matter what practice you have whether you're I mean I am practicing law but it could be any job. No matter what it is you can practice the power of now and it will make you so much better for yourself and everybody around you.

39:09.77
Bruce Anthony
I love that I think that's how we're going to end to Minna Watson everybody ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for coming on the show I know that my listeners as as as have I have learned so much from this very very complicated issue of immigration and then thank you. For opening up and sharing your personal life and giving sage knowledge of just how to balance a busy schedule and I appreciate you coming on the show. Absolutely thank you.

39:41.72
Tahmina Watson
I'm so grateful Bruce thank you so much for having me.

04:33.66
Bruce Anthony
Wow once again I want thank to Mina Watson Once again all of her information social media is her law firm her website the different organizations that you can get information from to learn more. Um, will be in the descriptions of both the Youtube page and in the podcast. It'll be all right there if you want to get more information you want to gain more knowledge. Go there. It'll be there I learned a lot during this interview. Um, and and. The questions there were questions that come up like in all my interviews there are questions that come up during the course of of the interview that that you know I always say I'm detour but you know the people that interview will bring up something that's interesting and I want to go down that avenue and 1 of the interesting things going down was asylum. And um, learning about how we're trying to bring in skilled laborers or skilled workers because our we don't our labor forces is pretty bleak right? like there are a lot of jobs out there available. Some of them aren't livable wage jobs. Um. And and you know I was somebody who went to school to be an educator I'm not going I'm not gonna be a teacher like this is not gonna happen like with what teachers set to put up with I don't have the time when a patients at 42 years old to jump into teaching game now that I don't had the energy. That's a young person's game unless you've been in it for a long time. But.

06:01.00
Bruce Anthony
Just learning so much about immigration and there's still more to learn like I'm going to those websites to learn more There are more questions that I have and I don't know what the answers are I would like people to come up with better answers than stop letting people in the country. And I would like people to come up with better answers than let anybody in the country which I don't really think anybody's actually saying contrary to what news organizations will say but I'm not going to get into specifics of that because like I said on the sibling happy hour I am not in the business of attacking people. In the business of learning more and that's the reason why our interview I'm in the business of teaching that's the reason why I interview and I'm in the business of helping other people understand and asking that question that I love to ask of people that are stole from Dan Lebertard I'm not telling you how to think I'm asking. you would you like to so my sister the other night broke down with the differences between smart intelligence and wise smart to somebody who knows facts. So think Jeopardy people right? They know a lot of facts. Intelligent are people that are smart know a lot of facts and take it a step further to really understand so they might say hey there's a lot of elephants in Africa and India somebody smart would know that somebody intelligent would take that as well.

07:35.22
Bruce Anthony
Let me read about Africa Indian 1 find out how they got there. What's the history of it. The history of the country how it affects the countries. That's what somebody intelligent would do and a wise person will say from the jump. Well I didn't know that there were elephants in Africa and India. But let me find out more so I'm not asking you to be smart right? because like I could give you a bunch of facts and you can regurgitate it and you can memorize it and but you're not really learning anything because you don't take any further than that I'm asking you do you want to be intelligent. Do you want to think. I think that the more we ask questions and step outside of ourselves and be wise to know that we don't know the answers and that we should seek the answers by asking questions and be open enough. To take in those answers from a variety of different sources and come together with our own educated opinion instead of just spouting off stuff that we heard from other people that's all I'm asking with all these interviews. And these podcasts not telling you what to think? don't want you to think exactly like me don't want to have people that think exactly like me in my life. That's the reason why everybody in my life has different aspects of their thought processes and their ideologies and I love having people that are like that around me because I can learn more.

09:08.75
Bruce Anthony
So I'm not asking you I'm not telling you what to think I'm asking. You would you like to and so here's immigration and all of his complexities but take it further than just this interview today. Go to those resources that are in the details. Ah the description section of both the Youtube and our podcast and learn more so you can have a true honest informed educated opinion about immigration all right I'm done with my sermon. It's not to put down in your body. You know I love all of you guys I just want us to grow as people and constantly learn and you know that's who I am and I'm not going to change so this is what it is but with all that I thank you for listening and until next time. Ah, holla.