Women in Immigration Detention Assistance Project with Texas Law Immigration Clinic

Students will interview women asylum seekers detained at the T. Don Hutto Detention Center in Taylor, Texas and help them prepare for their initial credible fear interviews (CFIs), the first step in the asylum process. Immigrant women detained at the Hutto facility are forced through a rapid CFI procedure, which involves disclosing to a government officer the reasons they are seeking protection in the United States, often without advice or assistance from counsel and without a full understanding of the U.S. asylum process. If their CFI results in a negative finding, they can be deported very quickly to face dangerous conditions in their home countries. If it results in a favorable finding, the women are entitled to remain in the U.S. pending full asylum proceedings. Experience has shown that people who are able to meet with legal service providers before their CFIs are better able to convey the reasons they fear return to their home countries.

Organization

Texas Law Immigration Clinic

The Immigration Clinic represents vulnerable low-income immigrants from all over the world before the immigration and federal courts and the Department of Homeland Security. The Women in Immigration Detention Assistance Project is being conducted in partnership with American Gateways and the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program.

Project Details

Project Start Date

February 2020

Approximate hours of work requested
5.5 hours, plus 2 hours training; students must be available from 12:30pm - 6pm on at least one of the following dates: Friday, February 14; Saturday, February 29; Saturday, March 7; Friday, March 27; Saturday, April 4; and Friday, April 10
Training
Tuesday, February 4, 6pm-8pm (TNH 2.123)
Skills used
Client interviewing/intake; community education/outreach
Project location
T. Don Hutto Immigration Detention Center, Taylor, TX; Mithoff Program will arrange carpools from the law school
Number of student volunteers requested
40
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
Required skills
Languages: Spanish and/or other foreign language skills helpful but not necessary
To Apply
Submit an email stating the following: (1) Spanish language ability (fluent = able to interview without an interpreter/able to interpret; moderate = some ability but would need interpreter/unable to serve as interpreter; none), (2) all project dates you are available, and (3) the number of dates you are willing to travel to Sarah Sedgwick at ssedgwick@law.utexas.edu. Applicants who speak Spanish will receive priority consideration for some volunteer openings.