This year marks Santa Clara Law’s third annual Spring Break Border Service Trip to the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project in Arizona. Although this year’s trip was virtual, it was no less of an inspiring journey for the five students and two faculty involved.
I was so excited to learn that SCU would offer the “Border Project” this year! Albeit the experience would be held virtually, no worries about plane tickets, hotels or breaking Lenten promises, nevertheless I would be given the amazing opportunity to see and learn first-hand how immigration legal providers were combatting ever changing border policy during a pandemic and under change of our national administration.
Our SCU “project crew” could not be under the umbrella of better hosts. The Florence Immigration and Refugee Rights Project is a local non-profit that combines legal expertise with wrap around social services to provide legal support and resources to undocumented immigrants in the center of the crossfire of our US Immigration system. Here you see how our national politics impact the daily lives of immigrants who are running from violence, famine, despair trying to seek safety, security and opportunity for themselves and their children while border agents manage a pandemic. Every day brings a new challenge, a new internal memo or ICE officer on a particular shift could mean life or death for a hopeful immigrant simply seeking the same thing any of us would…a better life.
I can imagine, for the students who participated in this project the previous two years, the impact of walking into a detention center or alongside the Nogales, AZ border, the overwhelming nature of practicing immigration law at the border today permeated through my laptop screen. The Florence Project team on Day 1 laid out their day-to-day reality uncensored, conveying energy of frustration, anger, tenacity and confidence in themselves and their team.
I am excited to be on this journey with Jacquelyn, Vanessa, David, Kaitlyn, Professor Parker and Professor Abriel, I look forward to seeing what day 2 brings.
Ruby H. Ramirez
JD Candidate 2021
