Immigration Law

MICHAEL MAGGIO: 1947-2008

By Greg Siskind

Michael Maggio, one of America's top immigration lawyers, died yesterday of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of 60. Maggio rose to prominence in the 1970s when he worked in Washington to oppose the Chilean dictatorship. Over the years, Michael worked with several refugee and human rights organizations and won numerous court victories in the field. Michael was a leading scholar on immigration law and wrote numerous articles on cutting edge topics in the field and was a leading expert on a variety of topics including the immigration of physicians and artists, legal ethics and deportation issues. Michael was also instrumental in lobbying efforts over the years. He recently worked to create Immigrants List, the bipartisan political action committee dedicated to achieving meaningful immigration reform. 

Michael's friend Peter Schey, the President for the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, had this to say:

Michael worked with the National Immigration Project of the NLG and other human rights and social justice groups on many domestic and international causes close to his heart. We will never forget what Michael stood for -- justice, equality, peace and love. We now say goodbye to an amazing man and close friend whose heart was filled with an abundance of love for life and for the friends, colleagues, and clients he met along his life's journey.

Though I knew about Michael's work since becoming an immigration lawyer 18 years ago, I only had the honor of meeting him last year. I was thrilled to meet a legend in the field.

Michael, you will be missed.

Full post as published by Greg Siskind's Blog on February 11, 2008 (boomark / email).