Over the 2023 Spring Break, a group of Six Catholic Law students — Joseph Lopes (1L), Rachel Moorin (4E), Sarah Rahmjoo (2E), Cynthia Turcios (1E), Lawrence Wilson (3L), and Robert Winship (1E) — and Jocelyn Dyer, Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, traveled to volunteer at the Stewart Immigration Detention Center. Based in rural Lumpkin, Georgia, Stewart is one of the largest immigration detention centers in the nation (civil detention, not criminal) and houses up to 1900 people, many of whom are asylum seekers. The group from Catholic Law worked with the Southeastern Immigrant Freedom Initiative to assist with their heavy caseload. This was the Columbus Community Legal Services' (CCLS) Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Clinic spring break service trip.

While in Lumpkin, the group worked on bond motions; appellate briefings; client intake interviews; country conditions research for asylum cases; a medical complaint; and work permits for released detainees. The case types ranged from a Russian Mongolian couple fleeing war; a French sex trafficking victim; asylum seekers from El Salvador, Togo, Haiti, Mexico, Guatemala, and more. The students were also able to observe more than a dozen hearings and see firsthand the value of legal representation, which was rare in Stewart. The trip had a significant impact on participants and was a powerful learning experience.

Two students shared:

“This trip endears me towards the practice of law, and encourages me to dig deeper and learn more. I was reminded of the vocation’s gravity….The lessons learned in class have a bearing in the real world and can matter to someone.”

“This trip solidified that the legal field is my passion. It showed me that there are so many ways to make a difference.”