Over the summer, I had the distinct pleasure and privilege of working with the Immigrant Defense Oregon (IDO) team, which is housed within Metropolitan Public Defender. Through this opportunity, I had the chance to continue refining my skills as an advocate for immigrants passing through our hectic and often unjust immigration system.
During the course of my placement with IDO, I had the opportunity to work directly with clients on a variety of issues such as Asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U-Visas, as well as to support these clients in their interactions with governmental agencies such as CBP, USCIS, and EOIR. Despite having prior immigration experience before starting in this role, I was excited to find opportunities to learn new skills within this vast practice area. In particular, I was most excited to be able to draft a Vulnerable Youth Guardianship petition which is one of the few immigration matters that intersect with the state court system. My supervising attorneys were quick to connect me with colleagues at other legal aid organizations who could answer any and every question I had about this niche area of immigration law. Not only did I learn a lot from this novel experience, but I was able to network with countless other attorneys from other organizations. I am confident that the relationships and connections that I built through this internship are ones that I will be able to rely on for many years to come. In addition to the boundless opportunities within immigration law at my internship, I also had the chance to familiarize myself with the other impactful legal work done by other departments within Metropolitan Public Defender. For example, I was able to assist a Spanish-speaking client with unraveling the mystery of why their wages were being garnished, which included advocacy with the Oregon Department of Revenue. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities which allowed me to be exposed to so many different areas of law, and even if I remain focused on the immigration field after graduation, I truly believe that I will be a more well-rounded and better advocate for my future clients because of the experiences I had with IDO. Above all, my supervisor and all of my other fellow colleagues were welcoming, supportive, and dedicated to both my personal and professional well-being,
Receiving the PILP award provided me the chance to continue my passion of public interest law work, and without this award, it is very likely that the experiences I had over the summer would not have been possible. The award made my dreams a reality, and allowed me a chance to make an impact in my community without having to worry about whether I could pay my rent or put food on my table. I am extremely grateful to both PILP and its generous donors who provided me with this amazing opportunity. My hope is that barriers to public interest legal work continue to be broken down, and that all law students who wish to make a difference in their communities can do so with minimal financial burden.
