In the Fall 2024 semester, two students from the Chacón Center for Immigration Justice clinic, Maryam Tori ’26 and Sydney Prado Berry ’26, had the opportunity to work on a defensive asylum case. Their client was a man who had suffered severe past persecution due to his tribal affiliation in his home country, which, in recent years, had descended into a violent civil war.
From the start, the students knew the communication barrier would be one of the biggest challenges. Fortunately, they found an incredible interpreter who was a man from the same country that spoke the same dialect and understood the cultural and political context the client had endured. Over the next two months, the student spent hours in interviews and meetings, gathering details to build the client’s case, preparing him for court, and ensuring he understood every step of the legal process.
These long, in-depth conversations built more than just a case. They built trust. As the students worked through the details of the client’s life and experiences during the long interviews, his confidence in Maryam and Sydney grew. He communicated that, at times, he felt they cared more about his case than he did. He didn’t see the behind-the-scenes effort such as the late nights spent drafting and revising legal filings, the hours of strategizing, or the last-minute court submissions. The client sometimes didn’t understand why Maryam and Sydney focused on the details of legally significant facts that, to him, were unimportant and inconsequential. However, through the interpreter, the students made sure every word was heard, every concern was addressed, and every question was answered. Most importantly, the students gave the client the space to share his experiences and made sure that his voice, not just his case, was heard and respected in the courtroom.
In court Sydney and Maryam didn’t know what to expect. However, they prepared themselves and their client for any outcome. What was initially supposed to be a two-hour trial stretched into two full days in court. They also had an antagonistic opposing attorney, which provided the opportunity to make objections. As soon as the interpreter relayed that the client had been granted asylum, there wasn’t a dry eye in the courtroom.
Sydney stated that working on, and winning, this case only cemented the feeling that the immigration field is where she plans to spend her career. “I can honestly say that getting to be a part of this process and getting the result we wanted, and he needed, was one of the proudest moments of my life. Even when the odds seem stacked against us, we can still find ways to win.” Sydney pointed out that in the immigration field today, that lesson is especially important. “It also made me truly appreciate how important access to legal aid is, as there were multiple instances where it was clear that had our client not had legal aid, he likely could not have achieved the same results. “
“This experience reshaped the way I view my role in the legal profession,” said Maryam. “I constantly think about our client in the context of the broader legal system he was thrown into. He entered the U.S. legal system without knowing what to expect, completely reliant on us to guide him.” Maryam emphasized that the responsibility was daunting, but it also reaffirmed her conviction in the path she has chosen. “Even as a law student, I was still learning the complexities of the system, yet we had the ability to make a real impact and assisted in changing the course of our client’s life for the better.” This case was a reminder to both students that countless immigrants and U.S. citizens struggle to navigate the legal system.
The immigration clinic gave Sydney and Maryam more than just legal experience. It gave them the opportunity to fight for someone’s future, and that is something neither of them will ever forget.