IJC News

Immigrant Justice: The asylum process from the front lines

On May 6, 2019 we had an invigorating discussion at Roosevelt House for our event, Immigrant Justice: The Asylum Process from the Front Lines. Our panelists, Ryan Clough, Michelle Martinez, Emerson Argueta, and Allison Richman, drew from their varied experiences working with unaccompanied minors, families in detention centers, and clients fighting deportation to provide greater context to the many challenges immigrants face when seeking asylum and other forms of relief.

The event marked one year since the Trump administration implemented its family separation policy, tearing nearly 3,000 families apart without any plan for reunification. Our Fellows see the ramifications of these separations, and so many other draconian policies, every single day. The evening’s conversation reinforced that the need for free and competent counsel has never been more critical.

Thank you to our outstanding panelists and our moderator Deborah Sontag for leading the discussion and thank you to our supporters and friends who were able to attend. Together, we can ensure every immigrant has access to high quality legal representation and the justice they deserve.