Professor Michael Vastine joined the faculty of St. Thomas University College of Law in 2004, where he is a tenured professor of law and Director of the Immigration Clinic. A frequent conference speaker and author, he is also a leader of the immigration bar, with extensive service within the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). From 2011-20, he was elected to serve on the AILA South Florida Chapter Board of Directors, including a term as Chair of the Chapter. Professor Vastine’s AILA national-level service includes multiple terms on the Federal Litigation Section Steering Committee, Annual Conference Planning Committee, and Amicus Curiae Committee. His impact litigation principally relates to immigration and crimes, including the lead case at the Florida Supreme Court establishing the constitutional rights of immigrant defendants to effective representation by their criminal counsel, and multiple cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit delineating the immigration consequences of Florida convictions involving controlled substances. Additionally, he has represented AILA and other community-based organizations, as amicus curiae counsel, in forums ranging from the Board of Immigration Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, in matters including the constitutional limits of indefinite detention of immigrants, the due process rights of the physically deported, and the immigration consequences of state crimes. In 2013, Professor Vastine received the AILA (National) Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching.
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Roundtable: The Intersection of Pornography and Sex Trafficking
Evaluations in Public Health, Social Work, and Law
February 18, 2021 | 9:30 am - 11:30 am
The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking is proud to host a Roundtable titled The Intersection of Pornography and Sex Trafficking: Evaluations in Public Health, Social Work, and Law. This Roundtable is a cooperation between St. Thomas University School of Law’s Graduate Program in Intercultural Human Rights, Barry University School of Social Work, and Palm Beach State College School of Health Sciences.
In 2018, the Florida House of Representatives passed House Resolution 157 (HR 157) with bipartisan support. This Resolution recognized the public health risk created by pornography and cited that pornography “is related to the increased demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, and child pornography.” During this Roundtable, students and faculty from the three academic institutions will assess the various intersections between pornography and human trafficking through an interdisciplinary approach and discussion.
Students will hear from distinguished panelists from each of the cooperating academic institutions, followed by a screening of Episode 3 of Brain Heart World, a 3-part documentary on the harmful effects of pornography by Fight the New Drug. Students will then participate in collaborative discussions on the issue from the perspective of public health, social work, and law.
**This is an invitation-only event.**
Moderator
Kutisha T. Ebron
Ph.D. Candidate, Institute for Ethical Leadership
St. Thomas University
Distinguished Panel
Kanathy N. Haney, PhD, CHES, CPH
Professor Health Sciences and Education
PBSC Human Trafficking Coalition Chair
Palm Beach State College
Liza E. Smoker, Esq.
Managing Director
The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
St. Thomas University School of Law
Sambra Zaoui, LCSW, CCTP, Certified EMDR
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Center for Human Rights & Social Justice: Lead Faculty Human Trafficking Initiative
Barry University