Reilly Volunteers at Immigration Processing Center on U.S. Border
Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP's Jonna McGinley Reilly recently spent a week volunteering with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, Texas.Reilly visited the El Paso Processing Center (EPPC) and Otero County Processing Center in New Mexico. EPPC holds over 1,500 men and women, whereas Otero houses 1,000 male migrant detainees. Non-citizens captured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) crossing the border or found to be living in the United States without proper documentation can end up in these centers, where they face deportation.
With the help of translators, Reilly interviewed detainees, assessing their claims for asylum or alternative immigration relief in hopes of collecting enough facts for Las Americas to take on detainees' cases pro bono.
Founded in 1987, Las Americas is a non-profit dedicated to serving the legal needs of low-income immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, victims of crime, and families seeking reunification. For more information on Las Americas, please visit their website.
