Rural representation: Small but mighty
IJC Fellows work at host organizations across the United States, from California to Maine. For some, those organizations are located in cities where they are able to tap into the local network of immigration advocates working together to support immigrant communities. For others, their host organizations are operating as the sole provider of immigration legal services in their state, and our Fellows are one of the few immigration attorneys available to help immigrants in need.
Our Fellows working in rural areas are faced with a set of unique challenges: high levels of need, transportation concerns, small legal teams and more. Four Fellows working in rural regions, in Nebraska, Colorado, Vermont and Missouri, shared their experiences facing those challenges and why they continue to do their work, even when it is difficult.
“This case reminded me what truly matters: a child’s future. Not my preference for in-person meetings. Not a perfect environment.”
Doug Bartel
2023 Justice Fellow
The Asylum Clinic Kansas City
University of Kansas School of Law
“To be resourceful in a place where resources are scarce is to be a collaborator. And that collaboration bears opportunities to create an impact in our communities that will last far beyond my fellowship.“
Cameron Briggs Ramos
2024 Justice Fellow
Vermont Asylum Assistance Project
Vermont Law and Graduate School
“I am honored to drive across these ‘amber waves of grain’ from cities to small towns to meet with children and their families to plot out the steps we can take to take back some certainty for their lives.“
Tanner Carlson
2024 Justice Fellow
Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement
UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
“Our office may be small, but we are mighty. We are willing to put in the hard work to help the immigrants in our community and we have a village of volunteers supporting us.”
Marlene Pierce
2024 Justice Fellow
Catholic Charities of Central Colorado
Sturm College of Law
To read more stories from Fellows and IJC alumni, visit our News page.
