“Justice Department: Do the Right thing. Free Obain – Let him Teach.” That was just one of the posters held by Boston high school students, calling for the release of Obain Attouoman.
Jail is not an entirely unfamiliar place for a man who was a political prisoner in his Ivory Coast home, but that was years ago. For the past decade, Obain has been in Boston, working as a teacher in the city’s public school system. But when he missed an immigration hearing, he found himself, once again, behind bars.
Obain’s lawyer blames tough, new immigration regulations put in place after 9/11. And although her client is now free — thanks in part to the outpouring of outrage by his students and colleagues — his future remains uncertain. Navigating the immigration maze with Obain Attouoman.
Guests:
Obain Attouoman, teacher at Fenway High School in Boston, MA
Susan Cohen, Partner with Mintz Levin, and Manager of the firm’s Immigration Department
Brian Rose, student at Fenway High School.