News & Commentary written by Michael Tan

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Michael Tan

Deputy Director

ÌÒ×ÓÊÓÆµImmigrants’ Rights Project

Bio

Michael Tan is Deputy Director of the ÌÒ×ÓÊÓÆµImmigrants' Rights Project (IRP). From 2008 to 2022, Michael held a range of roles at IRP, where he began as a Liman Public Interest Fellow and later worked as a Skadden Fellow. Prior to returning to the ACLU, Michael served as Senior Advisor to the Co-Presidents at Community Change, a nationwide organization that empowers low-income people, and particularly low-income people of color, to lead movements for social change. Michael was also a Clinical Lecturer in Law and Associate Research Scholar in Law at Yale Law School, where he co-taught the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic, and served as Executive Director of The Movement Project, a new initiative on labor, climate, and migration issues.

Michael is a graduate of Harvard College and the Yale Law School and also holds a Master's Degree in Comparative Literature from New York University. He clerked for the Honorable M. Margaret McKeown of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has received several awards for his work, including a California Lawyer of the Year Award in Immigration Law, a Best Lawyers Under 40 Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, and a Best LGBT Lawyer Under the Age of 40 Award from the National LGBT Bar Association.


Featured work

Aug 20, 2009

Class Action Challenging Prolonged Immigration Detention Goes Forward

Class Action Challenging Prolonged Immigration Detention Goes Forward

Aug 18, 2009

Aleo’s Story: A Refugee and Single Father Is Locked Up for Five Months Before Winning His Immigration Case

Aleo’s Story: A Refugee and Single Father Is Locked Up for Five Months Before Winning His Immigration Case

Aug 4, 2009

No End in Sight: Immigrants Locked Up for Years Without Hearings

No End in Sight: Immigrants Locked Up for Years Without Hearings

Jul 13, 2009

Longtime Legal Resident Finally Gets His Day in Court

Longtime Legal Resident Finally Gets His Day in Court

May 4, 2009

Mentally Disabled Immigrants Deserve Due Process

Mentally Disabled Immigrants Deserve Due Process