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Resources US Immigration Agencies ICE Raids and Arrests Preparing for ICE Encounters Encountering ICE Detention Posting Bond Immigration Court Parole for Cubans, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans, Haitians
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The Advocates

 
 

Gabriela Barraza

Case Manager

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Luis Adolfo Bermudez

Legal Representative

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Casey Bryant

Executive Director

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Hi! I'm the Executive Director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights (AIR). I'm also an attorney. I went to law school in New York, at the City University of New York (CUNY), which is a law school dedicated to public service. I attended CUNY because I knew that ultimately, I wanted to help people. I graduated in 2010 and since then have represented hundreds of people from around the world.

I am licensed to practice law in Tennessee, Arkansas, and New York and specialize in immigration law.

I believe that it is very important to explain things clearly to clients and let them decide what and how they would like to proceed with their case. I believe that the work I do for one person can affect the lives of many and that it is very important to work together to make a bigger difference in world. ​

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Jessica Calix

Client Relations Coordinator

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Magaly Cruz

Unaccompanied Children Program Manager

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Andrea Fonseca

Law Clerk

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Cesar Iturrino

Staff Attorney

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Julia Jones

Staff Attorney

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Lindsy Mendoza-Ortiz

Client Advocate

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Christopher Miller

Staff Attorney

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Atefa Panahi

Case Manager

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Stephany Perez Espinoza

case Manager

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My name is Stephany Perez Espinoza and I am a legal secretary at AIR. My family immigrated to the United States when I was seven years old. I began my education in the United States while living in Florida and later moved to Horn Lake, MS where I graduated from High School in 2015.

I discovered a passion for helping others while working at a private immigration law office. My goal is to be compassionate towards others and provide assistance to those who have a larger role in representing immigrants throughout their journeys.

In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and working on art projects.

Plabanee Roy

Senior Staff Attorney

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Anita Sadat

Administrative assistant

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Spencer Smith

Law Clerk

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April Steele - Board Chair

Kathryn maceri - Vice chair

Felicia Hartsfield

Michelle Pao levine

Charles Pazar

 Board of Directors

 Partnerships & Coalitions

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To meet the needs of immigrants in the Regional South, three non-profit immigration legal service providers formed a coalition called Welcome South (WS) - Advocates for Immigrant Rights, Community Legal Center (CLC) and the Mid-South Immigrant Advocates (MIA). It was designed to encourage agencies across the Deep South to communicate, coordinate and collaborate in a holistic approach to the representation of a person throughout their immigration life cycle. Welcome South is working to provide a network of support and continuity of representation, pulling together disparate resources to increase our capacity for legal service throughout the region.  Through the WS coalition, we are developing an online platform through Innovation Law Lab to facilitate cross-network referrals from social service agencies to our legal programs, between our programs, to pro bono counsel and to other legal programs across the country. This online portal will help solve the problems created by distance and service gaps. With this technology, the case travels with the client during their unpredictable movements among remote detention facilities, and also increases the efficiency--and thus capacity--of our organizations to serve clients.

We envision Welcome South integrating additional partnerships to grow a strong and healthy ecosystem of legal and social services for immigrants throughout our region with the core group of three organizations propelling legal strategy for economy of scale representation.

 
 
 
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Other Partners

Arkansas Immigrant Defense // Springdale, AR

CasaLuz // Memphis, TN

Catholic Charities of Arkansas // Little Rock, AR

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee // Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City, TN

Catholic Charities of West Tennessee  // Memphis, TN

El Zocalo // Little Rock, AR

Latino Memphis // Memphis, TN

Mariposas Collective // Memphis, TN

Southeast Immigrant Rights Network

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

Vecinarios901 // Memphis, TN

World Relief // Memphis, TN