Catholic Law’s Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Clinic marked a significant milestone last month as it celebrated the reunification of a client with her three children, following nearly ten years of legal efforts. The achievement was the result of work passed down through multiple semesters of law students who supported an African woman seeking asylum in the United States.
The case highlights the long and complex process many immigrants face when seeking safety in the U.S., especially for those unable to afford legal representation. The client fled torture and persecution, leaving her young children behind with hopes of quickly securing asylum and reuniting her family. However, her application joined an estimated backlog of 170,000 cases at the Arlington Asylum Office.
Law students began working on her case in January 2024, focusing on preparing documentation and legal arguments to help secure an interview amid heavy delays. Their efforts led to a successful asylum grant that allowed their client to remain safely in the country. Over time, new groups of students continued advocating for approval for her children—now young adults—to join their mother in America.
Lara McLeod said, “Working on this case was one of the most meaningful experiences of my law school career…. This experience made me cherish the privilege of standing beside, and advocating for, clients navigating the complex immigration legal framework, and I’m excited to seek out roles in the future where I can continue doing that work.”
The clinic’s director Jocelyn Dyer remarked: “This is the heart of clinical work. Our students not only learn the substantive law, but also have the opportunity to impact the lives of real clients. In my clinic, they learn that persistence is a legal strategy. Seeing this family together with my current and former students after years of separation was a really special moment.”
McLeod added that celebrating alongside past student attorneys who contributed over several years provided “an unforgettable moment and a fantastic close” to her law school experience.
