“I firmly believe that when something is meant for you, it cannot be taken away by anyone. So, I applied only for this summer job, fully confident that it was a perfect fit for me and that I would secure it. However, I was still surprised when I received the offer. Being chosen from over 100 applicants left me in disbelief.

This opportunity came at just the right moment. I was going through a tough time, feeling the toll that law school and winter had taken on my mental health. However, this job offer served as a catalyst, snapping me out of that mental state and reigniting my excitement for something I'm truly passionate about: working with undocumented immigrants.

While I've had work experience in various areas of immigration law, this was my first time dealing with removal defense. It's an immensely challenging aspect of immigration work, as the clients are in imminent danger of being sent out of the country. The stakes were high so the workload was extensive. I handled tasks like preparing declarations, researching country conditions, collaborating with expert witnesses, drafting closing briefs, and even going to trial. Though it was challenging at times, I was fortunate to have the best supervisor, who guided me throughout the process.

Our client is a Mexican national who has spent nearly two years in immigration detention after serving a five-year prison sentence. He has been deprived of his liberty for a such a long time for lack of adequate legal representation. On numerous occasions, both he and his family have told us that this is the first instance where someone has provided adequate legal representation. I am immensely proud to be part of his legal team and to have been able to offer him the best legal representation possible.

ILD came into his life at the right time. He mentioned that he had given up hope and had told his mom not to go into more debt for him. However, one of ILD's members came in, conducted an intake, and the organization decided to take on the case. Many ILD members contributed to his case, making it a truly remarkable team effort. As a result, our client was granted Deferral of Removal under the Convention Against Torture.

This fellowship proved to be a transformative experience for me. It allowed me to be more at ease with removal defense work. I acknowledge that I still have much to learn and practice, but I'm confident that with time and dedication, I'll become better.

I can honestly say that this fellowship exceeded all my expectations; it was truly one-of-a-kind. I want to express my immense gratitude to the generous donors and Valerie’s family and friends for their effort, which made this incredible experience possible. Valerie continues to have an impact on the immigrant community, and that is one of the best ways to honor her.”