Asylum Law Project
the University of Minnesota
“The case I worked on will always stay with me. I will remember it as the first time that my legal skills were making a real difference.”
“The primary skill I learned was client counseling. I was incredibly fortunate to be with an organization that allowed us the opportunity to meet with clients and represent them in court. On a more human level I learned how strong the human spirit can be. Meeting with individuals fleeing horrific situations, only to encounter the slow, confusing, and potentially incredibly disappointing, US immigration system, yet are able to maintain strong and hopeful outlooks was incredibly moving.”
“I believe our work impacted asylum seekers significantly. For example, our sessions with asylum seekers focused on practicing and preparing them for their credible fear interviews. These sessions were very meaningful to the asylum seekers because they were able to share their stories free from any judgement. These sessions also gave them a better idea of what to expect during their credible fear interviews.”
“I learned a lot of the nitty gritty that goes into practicing immigration law. This includes filling out forms and all the research that goes into the work. I had an idea of this, but I also saw first hand how incredibly overwhelmed places that do immigration law are. The sheer number of cases the organization had was staggering, and they had to turn people away often. However, the attorneys we worked with were all very passionate about their work and they were great to learn from. We also had the opportunity to go to immigration court in Chicago and see how those courts are run. Our client just had a quick scheduling hearing, but afterwards we went around to different courtrooms and had the opportunity to observe different kinds of proceedings in immigration court.”
“Observing detainees and their interactions with the Judge at Immigration Court had a significant impact on me. Oftentimes the human element of legal advocacy can be lost or temporarily forgotten while in law school, and having the opportunity to connect academic experiences with individual faces and stories reinforced the values that brought me to law school in the first place.”