IJC Fellows bring "extraordinary skill, passion, and commitment"
IJC is proud to partner with legal services and community-based organizations on the frontlines of the fight to expand access to immigrant justice.
Since our founding in 2014, we’ve expanded from 18 locations in the New York area to over 100 different host organizations in 30+ states.
We asked our partners to share the impact IJC Fellows had on their organizations and immigrant communities. Here is what they had to say:
“For many years, the work of the Amica Center in ICE detention facilities has been broadened and deepened by the addition of IJC Fellows. Without the Fellows, many immigrants would have been unrepresented in court, facing deportation proceedings alone. Just this year, our IJC Fellow has worked for a number of immigrants in ICE detention that otherwise would not have had an attorney. One client, a man from Honduras, was able to secure asylum based on his serious mental health issues and the persecution he would face in his home country. He is now able to be here in the U.S. where he can be safe and receive medical help.”
— Michael Lukens, Executive Director, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights
“The Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project is honored to partner with IJC to expand access to counsel for people detained in immigration centers across Arizona—one of the most challenging and hostile environments in the country for immigrants seeking justice. Our IJC Fellows bring extraordinary skill, passion, and commitment to the fight for due process. They have strengthened our capacity to provide high-quality representation to adults and children facing deportation—a critical step in advancing our vision of universal representation. Through this partnership, we are not only increasing the number of people who receive critical legal services but also cultivating a new generation of advocates who embody the Florence Project’s core values of dignity and compassion. Together, we are building a more just and humane immigration system in Arizona and beyond.”
— Luis E. Herrera Sebastian, Managing Attorney, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP)
“Having IJC fellows at MIRC has allowed us to increase our reach, with children and adults. The fellowship has brought individuals to us from all over the country who have been dedicated to immigration rights advocacy and have been ready to use their skills to make an impact. The fellowships have allowed us to serve more children in and released from federal custody, especially at a time of funding and staffing instability. Our Fellows provided essential services to adults in immigration detention in a way that had not been possible for us in the past, particularly in a time when immigration detention has been increasing. The addition of these Fellows has been critical in continuing to meet the needs in the community, especially as the need for high-quality immigration legal services is greater than ever. We are always grateful when we get to host IJC fellows at MIRC.”
— Ana Devereaux, Senior Managing Attorney, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC)
“Our two IJC Fellows have made invaluable contributions to our immigration work in rural areas over the last year and two years, respectively. The training and support they receive through their IJC cohort was apparent in their work product from the start, and has been evident in their quick and consistent growth throughout their tenure with NWIRP. Not only have they expanded our organization’s ability to meet the increased need for our services, including outreach to our immigrant community members who are living in legal deserts, but they have also brought an enthusiasm and dedication to our work that has been a morale boost to the teams they are a part of. In fact, one has joined our team permanently after completing her fellowship with us, and we look forward to our current Fellow’s continued work with us in the coming year.”
— Bethany Eichler, Directing Attorney, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP)
“VAAP’s partnership with IJC has been transformative for our organization and for Vermont’s immigrant communities. Our IJC Fellows bring both skill and heart to their work—combining deep legal expertise with the humility and resourcefulness essential to chaotic community-based practice. They have expanded our capacity to provide high-quality, trauma-informed legal representation to people facing detention and deportation, while also helping us build sustainable systems of mentorship and training across the state. Our IJC Fellows have helped us strengthen partnerships with local advocates and pro bono counsel and develop a local model for immigrant legal services rooted in collective care and accountability. In a state with few immigration service providers, nonprofit or otherwise, our IJC Fellows have been the backbone of VAAP’s capacity to respond to urgent legal needs and to imagine a more just and welcoming Vermont.”
— Jill Martin Diaz (2016 Justice Fellow), Executive Director, Vermont Asylum Assistance Project (VAAP)
We are so proud of the work we’ve done with our partners in immigrant communities. Thank you to all our Fellows and host organization partners for making this critical work possible!
