The advocates in South Texas College of Law Houston’s Immigration Initiatives, comprising the Asylum/Human Trafficking Clinic and Immigration Clinic, represent clients in challenging, often life or death situations, and most of the clients do not have the funds or networks to seek help elsewhere.
In 2021, the Immigration Clinic — one of more than 20 pro bono STCL Houston Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics — closed 67 cases. Among those, 27 clients received advice and counsel on any relevant laws and a suggested course of action; 33 were closed with a final decision or resolution; and seven received extensive services but a final decision or resolution was not reached.
One case involved a particularly meaningful win. Although the details of the case cannot be shared, the clinic obtained relief for a client who had been a victim of sexual assault and trafficking.
Other immigration cases in 2021 ranged from obtaining relief from deportation and adjustments to legal status to obtaining or replacing green cards. There was also one case that involved securing a declaration for a minor as abused, neglected or abandoned.
The seriousness of these cases affects clinic advocates both professionally and emotionally, as they look beyond the facts of each case and into the life of those who need legal assistance and information.
“It’s intense and emotionally draining work,” said Vinh Ho, director and adjunct professor of the Immigration Initiatives. “We often spend over 100 hours on a single case.”
The Immigration Initiatives involve STCL Houston students supervised by licensed attorneys, and the team works on a variety of legal issues, including helping clients gain lawful permanent residency as a pathway to citizenship; representing and advocating for immigrants facing deportation; and assisting victims seeking humanitarian-based visa cases.
Some cases take years to close
The lengthy process of an immigration case often involves building strategies for multiple stages that include civil, criminal and immigration courts. The legal representation is fraught with processing delays, backlogged court and agency decisions, and the misapplication of laws and policies.
Language and cultural barriers can complicate the attorney-client relationship as clinic staff attempt to accurately record the details of a client’s story and build a compelling case.
Clinic advocates sometimes assist clients who may still be unsafe despite seeking legal counsel.
“In asylum and trafficking cases, clients often remain in danger after their escape or rescue, and they have endured terrible and stressful situations,” Ho said. “To avoid retraumatizing the individual during the information-gathering process, the staff provides trauma-informed services.”
Important Work Is Ongoing
Ho said there is much work to be done in the coming year. The Immigration Clinic currently has 170 open cases with more clients coming in every day.
“Our clinic is located in the most diverse city in America, and we serve a very diverse population,” Ho said. “Greater Houston has a great need for immigration legal services, and we are doing our best to serve as many people as we can.”
To get involved to learn more about the clinics, click this link.
