From Lenni Benson:

Our last day at the immigration court happened to fall on Valentine”s Day.

Our special valentines were so many wonderful students and pro bono attorneys volunteering at the juvenile docket.

Each month Safe Passage attorneys and students meet between ten and twenty-five immigrant children who are appearing in immigration court.

Volunteer Marie Kimmel joined us and helped some of the children make Valentines while they waited to meet attorneys or for their court appearance.

Thank you as always to Adjunct Professors Bethany Ow, Martin Rothstein and Abbey Center Fellow Guillermo Stampur.  Tremendous support was provided by Virginia Vazquez, Alissa Kane, and Katie Smelas.

Safe Passage Law Students appeared for children and obtaining continuances while we seek pro bono counsel.  Thank you Ilana Snyder, Vivian Carballo, Michael Bonsignore, Aleida Sainz; Yissel Cabrera, Aaron Julka, Adena Altman, and Robin Axelrod.

Several more students volunteered as runners, translators, or note takers:

NYLS Students: Vanessa Caicedo, Christian Alvarez, and Jose Ortiz.

Columbia Students: Jean Choi, Carolina Escalera, and Mae Ackerman.

Attorneys who volunteered at court: Sandra Nichols, Paul Irlando, Catherine Doscher, and Lyndsey Yoshino.

Pro Bono Attorneys who took on cases and appeared today:

Nicole Feit

David Breden

Matthew Harris

Jonathan Grant

Christine Ryu

Stephanie Tennant

Want to join in?  Our next days at court are Thursday, March 14 and Thursday, April 11 from 8:30 A.M. to noon each day.  Please contact us if you can volunteer.