David Tarr

Licensed attorney (Maryland Bar, Georgetown Law) with nearly 20 years of experience in immigration law. Recognized agency subject matter expert on worldwide non-state armed groups and U.S. terrorism-related immigration inadmissibility grounds (INA 212(a)(3)(B)). Extensive training, teaching and other public speaking experience (in person and virtual) on matters of immigration law and know your rights information.

Author of extensive formal and informal written guidance on application of terrorist bars in immigration, use of country of origin information, and all aspects of refugee definition. Primary author of two Exercises of Authority related to INA 212(a)((3)(B) published in Federal Register. Supervision of legal team at a nonprofit and of U.S. government officer teams on the ground in Latin America, Middle East, and Africa, project management (multiple projects simultaneously), legal analysis and policy implementation, coordination of qualitative research, training development, stakeholder coordination, and field operations within U.S. government agencies and for a faith-based nonprofit.

Native speaker of English with ability in several foreign languages including Spanish and French.

Immigrants’ Rights Managing Attorney at Council on American-Islamic Relations, San Francisco Bay Area Office (CAIR-SFBA) (2025-10 – Present) • Supervision: Supervise a diverse team of attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, non-accredited caseworkers, interns and law clerks (up to eight individuals at one time) in affirmative immigration applications/ petitions, removal defense (detained and non-detained), federal litigation, and consular matters related to Special Immigrant Visas (SIV).

• Direct Legal Services: Represent individuals in person before USCIS, at ICE check-ins and in removal defense proceedings. Prepare applications, petitions, personal declarations, motions (to terminate, consolidate, change venue) and BIA appeals. Prepare clients for affirmative interviews and court appearances.
• Litigation: Via California-barred senior staff attorney, wrote, edited and filed habeas petitions, temporary restraining orders with California Eastern and Southern District Courts; edited and filed stay of removal and Petition for Review before 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Public Speaking and Liaison: Participate in panel presentations, Know Your Rights (KYR) sessions, and round table discussions at universities, Islamic centers, coalition meetings and other venues. Present and answer questions at live press conferences and live online sessions related to ICE encounters, current immigration policy, US government refugee processing, and INA 212(a)(3)(B) inadmissibilities. Interviewed by members of the press. Write public-facing materials for organization website. Primary public point of contact for Immigrants’ Rights program. Attended coalition meetings.
• Nonprofit Management: Explored potential grants and made grant pitches. Tracked deliverables and developed strategies to meet project goals. Developed familiarity with California Wage and Hour laws. Liaison between human resources and supervised non-exempt employees.

Worldwide Supervisory Refugee

Officer/ Team Leader at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) (2022-08 – 2025-06) • Supervision: Led changing and diverse teams of four to six refugee officers on international circuit rides to different locations in Latin America, Africa, Middle East, and Eurasia, quarterly for four to eight weeks, with 100% supervisory review of all cases and evaluation for each officer at the end of the trip. Interviewed complex cases on an as-needed basis. Simultaneously supervised a fixed team of direct reports who were on different circuit rides and provided year-end comprehensive evaluations.

• Training: Organized and led three-day pre-departure briefings on logistics, resources and background information on destination countries and refugee populations, including applicable U.S. and foreign laws. Observed officer interviews and provided written and oral feedback. Provided immediate and long-term feedback on interview notes and assessments.
• Liaison: Primary point of contact before, during and after circuit rides for Dept. of State counterparts, partner NGOs and USCIS headquarters staff on all operational matters. Terrorism-Related Inadmissibility Grounds (TRIG) Division – Officer/ Policy Advisor/ Researcher/ Trainer at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) (2015-08 – 2022-08) • Policy and research: Agency expert on INA 212(a)(3)(B) inadmissibilities. Initial drafter and principal author of Afghan Allies and CLMS/ Insignificant Material Support Tier I/II TRIG exemptions, published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2022. Wrote implementation and other adjudicative guidance related to these exemptions and other aspects of 212(a)(3)(B) inadmissibilities and exemptions. Introduced and advocated for changes in policy and procedure which were adopted as agency standards. Prepared written, detailed and fully cited reports of between five and twenty pages on a monthly basis for seven years. Provided legally-sound conclusions to factual research papers, applying INA 212(a)(3)(B) and case law. Drafted and revised FAQs on various aspects of this INA provision, including briefs on recent case law. Managed multiple projects simultaneously.
• Casework: Reviewed and adjudicated cases referred from Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) with TRIG concerns subject to exemption consideration. Reviewed record of complex affirmative asylum and refugee cases and provided feedback and lines of inquiry for reinterview.
• Liaison: Regular point of contact and subject matter expert in interactions with USCIS Office of Chief Counsel, Field Office Directorate, Service Center Operations, ICE Office of Principal Legal Advisor, Refugee Affairs Division Office of Policy, DHS Policy, State Department and other U.S. Government entities on terrorism-related laws and policies, including attendance of classified interagency briefings and other cross-functional meetings.

Policy

Advisor at Department of Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Immigration Section (2020-01 – 2020-06) Temporary detail.

• Legal research and policy: Legal analysis regarding potential civil rights impact of draft immigration regulations and legislation, including comments, management memos and alternative language. Suggested alternative language which was adopted into Federal Register Exercise of Authority.
• Editing: Redline edits and comments on draft legislation, regulations, and internal guidance, e.g. SOPs.

Overseas

Officer/ Agency Liaison with U.S. Embassy at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) (2012-10 – 2015-08) • Liaison: Agency point of contact for immigration-related questions from Department of State (DOS) posts throughout former Soviet Union, including questions about business immigration, and for communications between USCIS HQ and DOS.

• Interviewing: Interviewed (in-person with interpreter) and adjudicated up to five refugee cases a day.
• Public interaction: Processed and adjudicated immediate family member petitions, travel document and boarding letter requests, adoption cases, and requests to surrender permanent residence, including in-person interviews. Answered in-person, phone and email questions from the general public and Members of Congress on case-related and other immigration law matters. RAIO Research Unit, Regional Coordinator for Europe and Central Asia at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) (2010-01 – 2012-10) • Qualitative research and writing: Wrote original, formal research papers in response to questions related to asylum and refugee cases and other immigration matters regarding issues in the Former Soviet Union, Europe, Afghanistan and Pakistan, utilizing publicly available sources, including subscription databases and archival research, as well as direct outreach to recognized experts in academia and the U.S. Government. Managed multiple projects simultaneously.
• Editing: Reviewed and provided comments and red-line edits for the work product of my colleagues.
• Liaison: Developed and maintained a network of expert contacts in government, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Twice on the U.S. Delegation to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Human Development Review Conference, Warsaw, Poland, October 2010 and 2011. As a delegate, represented USCIS to members of the State Department, international NGOs, other stakeholders, and foreign government counterparts.

Arlington Asylum

Office - Asylum Officer/ Training Officer at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Office of Refugee, Asylum and International Operations (RAIO) (2007-08 – 2010-01) • Interviewing: Two in-person interviews of between two and four hours with asylum applicants daily, probing for credibility as well as developing a record related to national security and other potential inadmissibilities. Full written assessments for all cases.

• Training and curriculum development: As Acting Training Officer from April to June 2009, organized three separate panel discussions with U.S. Government and outside experts on country conditions related to religious freedom and other commonly encountered asylum claims.

Juris Doctor: Georgetown University Law Center

B.A. in Drama/ Film – Vassar College