Immigration Justice Campaign is an initiative of American Immigration Council, American Immigration Lawyers Association.
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Immigration Justice Campaign is an initiative of American Immigration Council, American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Over 13,000 asylum seekers previously subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as “MPP” or “Remain in Mexico, are now in the United States and need representation for their asylum cases. The Justice Campaign now seeks volunteer attorneys to represent these clients in their asylum claims (full representation), and/or help individuals prepare documents for pro se submission to the immigration court (limited representation).
For full representation, this opportunity involves meeting with the client (can be done remotely), preparing the application for relief, collecting supporting evidence, and conducting a hearing on the application for relief in immigration court (currently remote due to the pandemic in many courts).
For limited representation, this opportunity involves meeting with the client (can be done remotely), preparing the application for relief, working with them to prepare a declaration and country conditions research, and potentially other work like helping prepare a pro se Motion to Change Venue or Employment Authorization Document. This can be done fully remotely.
The Support We Provide
Your work will be supported by several innovated resources: (1) An in-house expert who will mentor you and a group of other attorneys with similarly situated cases; (2) An online library of resources and training materials including template briefs, examples, and detailed guides; (3) A hands-on guide to walk you step-by-step through local practices and procedures.
Relief Sought: Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and Protection under the Convention Against Torture
Location: Louisiana (San Diego Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua and Honduras
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: Pending
Mr. EDA and his family are from Nicaragua and most recently arrived in the United States in 2022. They are fleeing Nicaragua because they do not agree with the government's policies. Mr. EDA started to protest, but he was targeted and threatened by the police. Mr. EDA tried to move to a different city, but he was found by police. He left the country in between 2018 and 2019, but Honduras and Mexico were both too dangerous. Mr. EDA's family consists of his spouse, Ms. EMG, and their child, Mr. EDM. Ms. EMG has an independent case since she is from Honduras and traveled in a different manner, but their case facts and travel methods are similar. Mr. EDA and his family were subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and are now living in Louisiana. Their case is venued out of San Diego. Mr. EDA and his family seek limited scope pro bono assistance with filing a motion to change venue as the case is currently in San Diego and filing for asylum. Mr. EDA's one-year filing deadline was May 15, 2023, so he needs to file as soon as possible to avoid complication with his case.
Relief Sought: Motion to Reopen
Location: Georgia (Harlingen, Texas Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Venezuela
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: N/A
Mr. LMJ is a man in his mid 40's from Venezuela who arrived in the United States in 2020. He fled Venezuela with his son in 2019 and was later joined by his wife and daughter. They fled due to government and gang persecution since Mr. LMJ worked in the non-profit sector helping poor people attain basic resources- something the government sees as undermining its own goals. l Mr. LMJ was part of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), and now lives with his family in Georgia. Mr. LMJ applied for asylum upon entry, but the application was denied, and he was ordered removed in 2020. Mr. LMJ seeks pro bono assistance with a Motion to Reopen so that he may pursue asylum again.
Relief Sought: Asylum, Withholding of Removal, and Protection under the Convention Against Torture
Location: Indiana (Chicago Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Guatemala
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: March 27, 2024 (Master Calendar Hearing)
Mr. MMF is a man in his early 30's from Guatemala. He is afraid to return to Guatemala due to the large number of threats that he received due to his work for a security company. He tried to move multiple times, but he was still afraid of the threats. Mr. MMF was subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and now lives in Indiana; his case is venued in Chicago. Mr. MMF seeks limited scope pro bono assistance with his asylum case so that he may remain safely in the United States. His asylum filing deadline passed in April 2022, so he now needs help filing for asylum as soon as possible.
Relief Sought: Motion to Reopen
Location: Georgia (Harlingen, Texas Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Honduras
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: N/A
Ms. GEF and her son are a family from Honduras who most recently arrived in the United States in 2020. They are fleeing gang violence in Honduras after Ms. GEF's former spouse was accused of murdering a gang member. The 18th street gang began to threaten the family by showing up to their house to throw rocks through the windows, calling them on multiple occasions, and firing into the home of their father-in-law which resulted in his injury. Ms. GEF fled with her spouse and child in 2018, but they were part of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Their case was denied in 2020, and her spouse abandoned Ms. GEF and her son to go back to Honduras. Ms. GEF and her son now live in Georgia. They seek pro bono legal assistance with a Motion to Reopen so they may pursue their asylum case again and remain in the United States.
Relief Sought: Motion to Reopen
Location: Florida (Miami Asylum Office)
Country of Origin: Honduras
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: N/A
Mr. DSP is a man in his early 20's from Honduras who arrived in the United States last year. He is afraid to return to Honduras because gang members tried to recruit him. He did not want to join the gang, so he moved to a different city, but the gang members tracked him down and threatened him and his family. He left Honduras in 2019, but he was subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). While in Monterey, he was kidnapped and held for three months before he escaped. Mr. DSP now lives in Florida. Mr. DSP has a removal order, and he is seeking pro bono legal assistance with filing a Motion to Reopen so that he may present his asylum case.
Relief Sought: Change of Venue (COV) and Asylum
Location: Kentucky (Chicago Asylum Office)
Country of Origin: Cuba
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: Pending
Mr. RD is a man in his early 40s from Cuba who most recently arrived in the United States in 2020. He fears returning to Cuba after he began receiving threats from a military official that he worked for after a discussion. He fled to Nicaragua and traveled north. While in Mexico, he was threatened and had cars run into his by people associated with the Cuban government. Mr. RD was part of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and now lives in Kentucky. His case is currently venued in Texas, so he needs a Change of Venue (COV). Mr. RD seeks limited scope pro bono assistance, including a COV, with his asylum case so that he may remain safely in the United States.
Relief Sought: Change of Venue (COV) and I-589 Assistance
Location: Florida (San Antonio Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Cuba
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: July 14, 2025 (Master Calendar Hearing)
Ms. DAR is woman in her early 40's from Cuba. She was formerly subject to the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) and now lives in Florida. Her next Master Calendar Hearing is July 14, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. Ms. DAR seeks limited scope pro bono assistance with a motion to Change Venue so she may continue her asylum case from her local court in Florida. Ms. DAR also seeks assistance requesting a copy of her record from the court to assess how to best update and supplement her formerly filed I-589.
Relief Sought: I-589 Assistance and Change of Venue (COV)
Location: South Carolina (Miami Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: February 24, 2025 (Master Calendar Hearing)
Mr. IFJ is a man in his mid 30's from Nicaragua who most recently entered the United States in October 2022. He is fleeing violence in Nicaragua due to his support of student protests in 2018. He was injured in the protests by paramilitary soldiers. Mr. IFJ's cousin was killed shortly after he left the country in 2019 in a case of mistaken identity. Neighbors of the farm where they worked had a conflict with Mr. IFJ and killed his cousin. Mr. IFJ fears that he will be killed if he returns to Nicaragua. He was part of the Migrant Protections Protocols (MPP) and now lives in South Carolina; his case is venued out of Florida. Mr. IFJ seeks limited scope pro bono legal assistance filing his I-589 and filing for a Change of Venue (COV) so that he may pursue asylum in the U.S.
Relief Sought: Change of Venue (COV) and Limited Scope Asylum Assistance
Location: Texas (Harlingen Immigration Court)
Country of Origin: Cuba
Language: Spanish
Next Hearing: Pending
Ms. YB is a woman in her mid 30's from Cuba who most recently entered the United States in 2020. She fled Cuba after a neighborhood watchman, a "boss", stole all her money and merchandise after working for years as a saleswoman. She felt intimidated since these people are appointed by the government and could persecute her. Ms. YB was part of the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP). While in Mexico, she was hit by a car and felt very unsafe due to abuse that many women suffered, so she crossed the border without inspection. Ms. YB now lives in Texas with her newborn daughter; her case is currently venued in Harlingen, but she needs a Change of Venue (COV) to El Paso. Ms. YB seeks limited scope pro bono assistance with her asylum case and change of venue.
These summaries are not for any private use or publication.
To apply, please email probonocoordinator@immcouncil.org.
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