May 2026 Group 37 Meeting

Meeting Notes and Agenda

Google Doc - Group 37 Meeting Agenda

General Meeting 2:00pm-3:00pm CDT

• Introductions - Letter Writing action - be ready to write!
• Amnesty Priority Campaigns
• Activism Opportunities
• News/Events
• MMIW
• Group 37 Funds
• IAR Mohamed Ziane
• Tabling
• Death Penalty
• Philippines

Guest Speakers - 3:20pm CDT

Michele Garnett McKenzie, Advocates for Human Rights

Michele Garnett McKenzie from Advocates for Human Rights should be able to give an update on what’s happening with immigration enforcement.

https://www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org/Person/Index?id=3 

Michele Garnett McKenzie leads The Advocates for Human Rights, ensuring the organization fulfills its mission to promote civil society and reinforce the rule of law. As Executive Director, she is responsible for all aspects of The Advocates' programming and operations.

After serving as an intern and volunteer, Michele joined The Advocates' staff in 1999 as an attorney representing asylum seekers and detained immigrants. She later managed the organization's immigration legal services program, domestic policy advocacy, strategic communications, and operations. Michele has documented and reported on human rights issues and is the author of publications on human trafficking and immigrant rights.

Michele has served on the national leadership team of the Immigration Advocates Network and chair of Detention Watch Network. She chaired the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault public policy committee, served on the Minnesota Human Trafficking Task Force, and is part of the Immigrant Defense Network's steering committee. She is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota and has worked as an adjunct clinical faculty member of Mitchell Hamline College of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School.

Michele believes we are all called to stand up, because dignity and justice are not optional - they're our responsibility.

Prior to joining The Advocates, Michele was in private immigration practice and served as a judicial law clerk for the Executive Office for Immigration Review in Arizona and Nevada.

She received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School and her B.A. cum laude from Macalester College.