This spring 2025, students enrolled in the Immigration and Deportation Defense Clinic represented clients in various immigration matters and projects, gaining practical experience in complex areas of law. Students defended their clients before immigration courts throughout southern California, including detained clients facing immediate deportation. This semester, the impact of this administration’s mass deportation enforcement actions has devastated the lives of many immigrant families across the country, including those of the clinic’s clients.
Students worked in teams, navigating constant and drastic changes in immigration law and practice. Students engaged in client interviewing, fact investigation, legal research, brief writing, courtroom advocacy, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. They also worked closely with community-based organizations to provide legal assistance to community members defending their cases without legal representation.
Below are a few highlights of the student teams this semester:
Casework Highlights
- Detained Representation: Advocated for detained clients before the Adelanto Immigration Court on various matters, including applications for protection under the Convention Against Torture.
- Immigration Court Advocacy: Appeared in Immigration Court and prepared to present clients cases. Their work included drafting opening and closing statements, preparing direct examinations, conducting country conditions research and developing both written and oral motions.
- Witness Interviewing: Interviewed lay and expert witnesses to build the evidentiary record for clients cases. Students developed questions, conducted interviews and collaboratively worked with them on drafted declarations, and preparation to provide in-court testimony.
- Legal Writing and Motion Practice: Drafted and filed a motion to terminate on behalf of a detained client in Immigration Court.
- Administrative Filings: Filed a naturalization application on behalf of a client seeking to become a U.S. citizen.
Advocacy Projects
- Consultations Project. Provided over 25 consultations to community members seeking legal information on how to navigate their cases and present their cases in court. Many consultations were provided in collaboration with the Long Beach Justice Fund community connection service providers: Orale, United Cambodian Community and the Filipino Migrant Center.
- Pro Se Asylum Clinic. Partnered with community organizations to host a pro se asylum clinic for Orange County residents seeking refuge in the United States under the asylum-protection laws. The clinic partnered with the LGBTQ Center OC, Orange County Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, WSCL SBA and Outlaw.
- Post-Conviction Relief. Partnered with community members navigating the intersection of criminal and immigration law while seeking legal information to mitigate the immigration consequences of past criminal convictions to obtain lawful immigration status in the United States. Their work included conducting complex fact investigations, legal analysis, and drafting written assessments of their cases.
Spring 2025 Students
Olivia Glaiser, Nicholas Hernandez, Olivia Mikhael, Ana Morel, Madison Leonhardt, Fabiola “Astrid” Cardona, Anya Lind, Joyce Kim and, Giselle Preciado.
Clinic Faculty and Supervisors
Clinic Director and Professor, Sabrina Rivera, and Professor Demis Camacho (’19).
For any questions about the clinic program, email Prof. Rivera at srivera@wsulaw.edu.