Announcement
The Immigration and Legal Services team at the IRC in Richmond is proud to share that we have begun a new partnership with the University of Richmond Law School! Several law students are volunteering their time and skills to help our clients file Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These requests are an important avenue through which IRC obtains legal documents that allows our team to better understand and represent our clients' cases. One of our staff shared what stood out to him most about the UR volunteers was "the law students' ability to help our clients feel comfortable: offering warm greetings, walking them through each step of the process with patience, and making sure no client ever felt confused or lost."
Marta, a student at the University of Richmond Law School and volunteer for the FOIA project, reflects on her role in the project, noting that the law students “were basically an extra set of hands for the IRC to try to ensure form issues don't complicate the already difficult FOIA process for as many clients as possible”. When asked about her notable experiences working on the FOIA project, Marta describes how she enjoyed working with clients of different English-speaking abilities and collaborating with interpreters to navigate the FOIA process. She remarks that “folks seeking safety, who often go through the refugee or asylum process after overcoming immense challenges, have to jump through these extra hoops while worrying that their status could be suddenly yanked away. I hope that with the help of the work of advocates like those at the IRC, we're able to make the current moment a short one.”
We are very grateful for this partnership with the University of Richmond Law School and for the law students taking time out of their busy schedules to create a sense of welcome within the IRC community!
For anyone looking to get involved as a volunteer with the IRC in Richmond, view current opportunities here: https://www.rescue.org/volunteer-opportunities/richmond-va
Photo: Nisha Datt
