当时她才上法学院的第三年, 埃里卡·帕蒂·穆尼奥斯 ’21 has already changed the lives of many clients in the Sacramento area. 通过 正规博彩十大网站's 麦克乔治法学院 Immigration Clinic, she has helped numerous undocumented immigrants with legal proceedings to reunite them with their families and also help them stay in America legally.

"At the Immigration Clinic we are able to do community-based work and help change people's lives every day,穆尼奥斯说. "It is rewarding to be able to give people hope and help them one day not live their lives in fear of being taken from their homes."

对穆尼奥斯来说，移民法是她最关心的. She has seen first-hand the challenges and fears that undocumented immigrants struggle with as family and friends have encountered immigration issues.

"Working in immigration law is a personal choice for me and it is part of the reason I came to McGeorge,穆尼奥斯解释道.

位于加州的中心, McGeorge's Immigration 法律 Clinic is in a unique position to serve the state's large community of undocumented immigrants. Faculty and law students provide in-depth legal assistance on immigration matters to clients including naturalizations, 为犯罪签证受害者提供支持, 寻求庇护者, 特殊移民少年请愿书, as well as providing representation before the Immigration Court in removal proceedings.

然而, recently the clinic has also supported undocumented individuals and families seeking legal assistance to apply for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). 这是拜登总统上任的第一天, he signed an executive order to support of DACA and to take all necessary and appropriate actions to preserve and fortify it after the Trump administration stopped allowing initial DACA applications in 2017.

目前, DACA does not provide a pathway to permanent resident status, but it does provide approved applicants with work permits and protection against removal proceedings in two-year increments. Applicants must establish that they came to the United States before age 16, are currently in school or graduated from high school or honorably served in the military, have resided in the United States since 2007 and have passed a rigorous background check.

"DACA has been a successful program for the recipients and the U.S.," explained Blake Nordahl, McGeorge professor and Immigration Clinic supervising attorney. "研究 has shown DACA recipients have lower teen birth rates, 提高高中毕业率, and an increase in college enrollment rates compared to other undocumented youth. 在加州，DACA受助人来美国的平均人数是2000万.S. 七岁时. 大多数人只知道美国是他们的家."

目前, 大约有650个,000 individuals who have DACA status in the United States and the 移民政策研究所 reports that there are almost that same number of individuals who qualify for DACA, 但他们没有DACA身份. Many of the people being helped at McGeorge's Immigration Clinic fall into this category.

“这就是为什么我们的工作如此重要, we get to make a real impact in these are people's lives,穆尼奥斯说. “我们的许多客户只想留在美国.S.这是他们生活了大半生的地方."

Munoz and her fellow students support clients on all phases of cases from the initial consultation to preparing the closing letters. 诊所的学生会见和咨询客户, 以及准备声明, legal briefs and supporting exhibits in their representation of clients before the U.S. 公民及移民服务局. Students also represent clients in adversarial hearings before the Immigration Court.

"Our goal is to transform our students into skilled practitioners ready for successful careers,Kishwer Vikaas说, 移民诊所的专职律师. "We are able to prepare them for a professional setting and show them how to develop client rapport. Many of our students have found the clinic experience to be helpful and many of the immigration lawyers in the Sacramento area are alums of McGeorge."

Munoz credits her work at the Immigration Clinic for giving her the confidence to be an attorney,

"I initially felt like I didn't belong when I started law school,穆尼奥斯解释道. "But, when I started working at the Immigration Clinic, I felt empowered. You are responsible for your cases with guidance from professors, but it is ultimately your case. I've learned a lot by managing cases and feel like I've been given the blueprint for the process."

毕业后, Munoz plans to devote her legal career to immigration law and hopes to provide support undocumented immigrants.

"I want to support people and help change their lives for the better,穆尼奥斯说.