The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Immigration Law Clinic recently secured a grant of asylum status for an opposition activist from a West African country.
Clinic students Simran Bhimani Dual ‘24 and Hannah Lynn ‘24 worked on the asylum case.
Lynn finalized preparations for the trial and conducted a direct examination of the applicant before the Chicago Immigration Court.
Lynn was the first chair in the immigration court hearing under the supervision of Prof. Alex Vernon, director of the Immigration Law Clinic.
“Working on this case helped me improve my overall client communication skills,” said Lynn. “I have learned how to interact with clients that have been tortured and detained. It has been a new experience for me to have to balance the needs of the client’s immigration case alongside the client’s mental well-being.”
Vernon called the case “the culmination of clinical student work over the past two years, starting when our client was detained upon arrival at O’Hare international airport.
“The clinic collaborated with the Racine Dominican sisters, Viatorian brothers and, other community partners to secure the applicant’s release on parole, shelter and other support.”
Lynn said she “learned that there is a lot more to each client’s story than initially can meet the eye.
“It is incredibly important to develop a strong relationship with your client based on trust and communication.”
Vernon said the case is ”typical of the collaborative working strategy that exposes clinic students to the widest possible range of resources to secure relief for our clients seeking protection from persecution, relief from serious criminal victimization, family reunification and other humanitarian benefits.”
Additional information on Detroit Mercy Law’s clinics can be obtained by visiting https://law.udmercy.edu/academics/experiential-education/clinics.
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