Immigrant Justice Corps Fellow Selected
Law student Jessica Olave ’23 is among the first class of students selected as an Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) Fellow with the Vera Institute of Justice, one of two new partnerships the IJC added this year.
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Law student Jessica Olave ’23 is among the first class of students selected as an Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) Fellow with the Vera Institute of Justice, one of two new partnerships the IJC added this year. She will blaze the trail for this program, providing representation to immigrant children in removal proceedings.
The Justice Fellowship identifies rising legal immigration advocates and matches them with organizations where they can make an impact in their field.
Olave will work on New Orleans-based Project Ishmael to provide legal representation for unaccompanied juveniles and children who were forcibly separated from their families in deportation proceedings. “Immigrants that are facing deportation do not have a right to counsel because removal proceedings are considered civil. That means you could be seven years old and in front of a judge, trying to explain why you’re seeking asylum,” says Olave.
“I want to know immigration law inside and out so I can be the best advocate possible, and that’s what I really like about this [fellowship].”
