by
Tahmina
Watson)
My
lawyer
friends,
I’m
back.
Back
with
a
regular
column
to
talk
about
immigration
issues
that
may
be
keeping
us
in
utter
dismay.
But
before
we
dive
into
policy,
chaos,
and
the
latest
developments,
I
want
to
talk
about
something
else,
something
that
has
become
essential
to
my
survival
in
this
profession.
I
have
one
word
for
you:
joy.
You
may
recall
my
2022
piece,
where
I
first
shared
my
love
of
bird
photography.
At
the
time,
it
was
a
newer
discovery.
Today,
I
can
say
with
utmost
conviction
that
I
am
a
bird
and
wildlife
photographer.
I
have
traveled
far
and
wide
in
pursuit
of
birds,
turning
school
breaks,
family
vacations,
and
even
work
conferences
into
birding
expeditions.
I
have
taken
solo
trips
—
just
to
see
birds
—
something
I
never
would
have
imagined
doing
before.
And
the
transformation
has
been
profound.
Here
is
what
I
have
discovered
along
the
way:
It
gave
me
adventure.
I
have
traveled
far
and
wide
in
search
of
birds.
I’ve
flown
to
Alaska
for
a
single
day
to
see
a
rare
white
raven
—
and
miraculously,
I
found
it.
I’ve
driven
alone
through
rural
Nebraska
in
pursuit
of
the
Sandhill
Crane
migration,
where
hundreds
of
thousands
of
birds
descend
on
the
Platte
River.
I
navigated
New
Mexico
to
witness
the
breathtaking
spectacle
of
cranes
and
snow
geese
in
flight.
I’ve
chased
puffins
along
the
rugged
coast
of
Maine,
despite
canceled
flights,
missed
connections,
and
plans
that
refused
to
cooperate.
I
ventured
deep
into
Bali
Barat
National
Park,
far
from
the
postcard
version
of
Bali,
just
for
a
chance
to
see
the
elusive
Bali
myna,
found
only
in
that
region.
In
Vietnam,
I
was
fortunate
to
encounter
the
critically
endangered
Delacour’s
langur,
one
of
only
about
200
remaining,
in
a
remote
and
hauntingly
beautiful
nature
preserve.
And
there
are
many
more
such
stories.
Somewhere
along
the
way,
“adventure”
became
part
of
who
I
am.
It
unlocked
creativity.
Before
bird
photography,
I
never
thought
of
myself
as
a
“creative.”
I
didn’t
consider
my
extensive
body
of
writing
as
creative.
Bird
photography
changed
that.
It
took
time,
years,
in
fact,
to
fully
embrace
the
title
of
“bird
photographer.”
Now,
I
feel
a
quiet
thrill
when
I
am
introduced
at
conferences
and
events
as
an
“immigration
lawyer
and
bird
photographer.”
Even
more
surprising:
creativity
begets
creativity.
What
started
with
photography
has
expanded
into
a
series
of
coloring
books.
It
was
inspired
after
I
created
my
journal
Finding
Joy
to
help
my
friends
and
community
discover
their
version
of
birding.
Now,
I
have
eight
coloring
books
in
the
series
and
many
more
to
come.
I
have
even
been
commissioned
to
create
an
exclusive
coloring
book
for
an
organization!
And
while
juggling
everything
else,
I
am
preparing
for
my
first
ever
photo
exhibition
later
this
year
(you
are
invited).
Unexpected
opportunities.
My
enthusiasm
for
this
hobby
seems
to
have
traveled
further
than
I
ever
realized.
So,
when,
out
of
the
blue,
I
was
invited
to
join
the
board
of
the
American
Birding
Association,
I
didn’t
hesitate
to
say
yes.
It’s
a
role
I
wear
with
deep
pride.
If
you
are
even
remotely
interested
in
birds,
you
may
find
this
organization
incredibly
helpful!
It
built
bravery.
I
was
a
timid
child.
I
sought
permission,
reassurance,
and
certainty.
I
didn’t
even
drive
until
I
moved
to
the
United
States
after
marriage.
Today,
driving
represents
freedom.
It
has
taken
me
through
the
rolling
hills
of
New
Mexico
and
the
cornfields
of
Nebraska
in
pursuit
of
birds.
I’ve
tackled
New
Jersey’s
fast-paced
highways
where
missing
an
exit
can
cost
you
30
minutes
and
a
sunrise
(ask
me
how
I
know).
And
yet,
each
time
I
got
behind
the
wheel
to
see
birds,
I
felt
something
new:
courage.
Most
importantly,
it
gave
me
a
way
to
cope.
Practicing
immigration
law
right
now
is
hard.
In
fact,
it
is
harder
than
ever.
Every
case
presents
new,
unpredictable
challenges.
My
listservs
and
forums
are
filled
almost
daily
with
colleagues
sharing
thoughts
of
leaving
the
profession,
struggling
with
health
issues,
and
other
heartbreaking
realities.
As
lawyers,
we
are
conditioned
to
carry
the
weight
of
our
cases.
Birding
gave
me
a
counterbalance.
It
taught
me
what
joy
actually
feels
like
—
light,
expansive,
and
grounding.
And
now,
I
can
recognize
stress
more
clearly.
Even
when
I
can’t
get
outside,
looking
at
my
photos
brings
me
back:
the
crisp
air,
the
stillness,
the
movement
of
wings.
That
shift
has
made
me
more
resilient.
I’m
sharing
this
because
I
know
I’m
not
alone.
Lawyers
everywhere
are
feeling
the
erosion
of
the
rule
of
law
and
due
process.
Who
could
have
imagined
that
our
profession,
as
a
whole,
would
come
under
such
pressure?
So
yes,
I’ll
be
back
here
regularly
to
break
down
the
immigration
issues
impacting
my
clients
and
communities.
But
alongside
that,
I’m
going
to
keep
making
the
case
for
something
we
don’t
talk
about
nearly
enough,
lawyer
or
not:
You
need
joy.
Not
as
a
luxury.
Not
as
an
afterthought.
But
as
a
strategy.
Find
your
version
of
it.
Protect
it.
Invest
in
it.
Because
in
times
like
these,
it
may
be
the
very
thing
that
sustains
you.
And
perhaps
more
importantly,
it
may
be
what
allows
you
to
keep
showing
up
for
everyone
who
depends
on
you.
(P.S.
If
you
see
me
in
person
anywhere,
ask
me
about
my
Joy
Parties!)
Tahmina
Watson is
the
founding
attorney
of Watson
Immigration
Law in
Seattle,
where
she
practices
US
immigration
law
focusing
on
business
immigration.
She
has
been
blogging
about
immigration
law
since
2008
and
has
written
numerous
articles
in
many
publications.
She
is
the
author
of Legal
Heroes
in
the
Trump
Era:
Be
Inspired.
Expand
Your
Impact.
Change the
World and The
Startup
Visa:
Key
to
Job
Growth
and
Economic
Prosperity
in
America. She
is
also
the
founder
of
The
Washington
Immigrant
Defense
Network
(WIDEN),
which
funds
and
facilitates
legal
representation
in
the
immigration
courtroom,
and
co-founder
of Airport
Lawyers,
which
provided
critical
services
during
the
early
travel
bans.
Tahmina
is
regularly
quoted
in
the
media
and
is
the
host
of
the
podcast Tahmina
Talks
Immigration.
She
is
a
Puget
Sound
Business
Journal
2020
Women
of
Influence
honoree. Business
Insider recently
named
her
as
one
of
the
top
immigration
attorneys
in
the
U.S.
that
help
tech
startups. You
can
reach
her
by
email
at [email protected], connect
with
her
on
LinkedIn or
follow
her
on
Twitter
at
@tahminawatson.