12 Volunteers Sign Up to Help with Asylum Declarations

Last week, in partnership with BALIF, we hosted a hands-on Asylum Declaration Workshop at our office to enlist pro bono help in preparing asylum declarations for our clients. Twelve volunteers attended, and ALRP Immigration Attorney Rafael Benzecry presented on the basic elements of an asylum claim and the importance of an individual’s asylum declaration in supporting the claim. Attendees learned best practices for drafting declarations and then had the opportunity to apply those skills in real time through guided examples and discussion.

Immigration Attorney Rafael Benzecry presenting at last week’s Asylum Declaration Workshop

All 12 volunteers signed up to help and are now working to prepare declarations using an anonymized client interview, case file, and outline already completed by ALRP’s legal team. We are grateful to BALIF for their help organizing this event, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman for sponsoring dinner, and to the volunteers who are generously giving their time to help ensure our clients receive support in their time of need.