University of Wyoming Law Students Provide Pro Bono Assistance to Undocumented Immigrants Seeking Citizenship

Law Students Organize Free Clinic to Assist Undocumented Immigrants

Law students at the University of Wyoming organized a free clinic at the Laramie County Library to assist undocumented immigrants in obtaining citizenship. The clinic was led by the university's Civil Legal Services Clinic.

Director Danielle Cover Recognized for Progressivism in Education

Danielle Cover, the director of the university's Civil Legal Services Clinic, has been recognized for her progressivism in education. She has received two university teaching awards: the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award: Inspirational Faculty in 2017 and the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice Faculty Award in 2018.

Expansion of Pro Bono Work with Grants from Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation

Under Danielle Cover's tenure, the Civil Legal Services Clinic has expanded its pro bono work with the help of grants from the nonprofit organization, Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation (EJWF).

Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation and its Funding Sources

Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation (EJWF) is a part of Equal Justice Wyoming (EJW), which provides civil legal services to low-income clients. EJW was established by the Wyoming Supreme Court in 2011. EJWF is responsible for issuing grants and is funded through various sources, including court-filing fees, pro hac vice fees, Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds, and Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds.

Grant Funding for the Civil Legal Services Clinic

In 2019, the Civil Legal Services Clinic received a grant worth approximately $38,300 from Equal Justice Wyoming (EJW). However, between 2016 and 2021, the Civil Legal Services Clinic received over $155,000 in grants from Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation (EJWF) for legal services programming, as per tax filings. For the upcoming 2023-24 grant cycle, both EJWF and EJW have allocated up to $1.8 million in grants.

Participating Organizations in the Legal Event

The legal event involved various organizations, including the Civil Legal Services Clinic, UW College of Law Estate Planning Practicum, Traveling Immigration Attorney, and Hirst-Applegate Immigrant Hope. Traveling Immigration Attorney is a law firm run by Nimsy Garcia, an alumna of the UW College of Law. Hirst-Applegate is another law firm that started offering immigration law services during the border crisis.

Law Student Ana Rodriguez's Immigration Clinic

Law student Ana Rodriguez has created an immigration clinic to address the issues faced by marginalized groups and people of color in the justice system. Rodriguez believes that the current system is designed to oppress and marginalize these groups and highlights the lack of attorneys and resources in Wyoming as a significant problem.

Experience of Ana Rodriguez in Immigration Field

Ana Rodriguez has experience working in the field of immigration in Colorado. In 2021, they worked as an immigration paralegal and volunteered as a translator for the American Immigration Council, specifically assisting detained illegal immigrants. They also served as a staffer for Casa de Paz Colorado, a halfway house that supports illegal immigrants transitioning out of the Aurora, Colorado detention center.

American Immigration Council and Casa de Paz Colorado

The American Immigration Council is a nonprofit organization that supports granting automatic legal status to undocumented immigrants. They collaborate with the Southern Poverty Law Center and receive funding from organizations like George Soros' Foundation to Promote Open Society and the Ford Foundation. Casa de Paz Colorado is associated with Detention Watch Network, a leftist immigration group that advocates for the abolition of all immigration detention.

Foreign-Born Immigrant Population in Wyoming

The foreign-born immigrant population in Wyoming has doubled from 1.7% in 1990 to 3.4% in 2021, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute. However, Wyoming does not have its own immigration court, so immigration cases from the state are handled by the immigration court in Denver, Colorado. The remaining 28 states have a total of 70 immigration courts.

Upcoming Clinic for Undocumented Immigrants

The Community Legal Services Center (CLSC) is planning to organize a clinic for undocumented immigrants in late autumn near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center in Casper, Wyoming. The number of encounters with illegal immigrants last month was over 183,500, which is a decrease compared to July of last year and July 2021, but still more than four times the number recorded in July 2020.