Immigration Clinic Wins two Asylum Cases for Clients

Immigration Clinic students successfully defended two clients before the Immigration Court in San Francisco. Students Andrea Anapolsky, Melyssa Minamoto and Katie Ruhl represented a Brazilian man who had been persecuted in his community and by family members because of his sexual orientation. Students prepared the pre-hearing brief and worked with experts and their client in preparation for the hearing. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attorney decided not to oppose the grant of asylum. At the conclusion of the hearing, Immigration Judge DiCostanzo noted that the UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic has the reputation of doing exceptional work and these students once again demonstrated the high caliber of work that comes from UC Davis. Asylum was granted on November 23.

In another case, the Immigration Clinic was representing a young Mexican man with schizophrenia, who was placed in removal proceeding after being advised by his public defender to plead guilty to first degree burglary, even though he did not have the mental capacity to form the intent to burglarize. Students Genevieve Kramer, Jonathan Elson, Katie Dwight, Katie Ruhl, Caryn Crosthwait and Sarah Farnsworth worked on different aspects of this case under the direction of Professor James F. Smith. After great advocacy efforts, the Immigration Judge accepted the clinic's arguments and their client was granted bond on November 22 and released on December 1 after being detained for one year.