Immigrant Justice Corps welcomes its largest class of Justice Fellows

NEW YORK, April 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) is thrilled to announce our ninth class of Justice Fellows. Selected for their passion, talent, and commitment to immigrants' rights, the 2022 Fellows will bring their many skills to bear on the acute legal representation crisis in immigration.

The Class of 2022, thirty-one law school graduates, is IJC's largest class yet, demonstrating the growing need for quality counsel in immigration law. The Class of 2022 Justice Fellows come to IJC with already-impressive backgrounds, including education in the nation's most well-regarded immigration law programs and years of cumulative experience as client advocates. Many of these Fellows speak multiple languages and come from the communities that they will serve as advocates.

"This passionate incoming class of Justice Corps Fellows will make all the difference for the thousands of immigrants they will represent, providing much needed counsel of the highest quality," said William Zabel, the Chair of IJC's Board of Directors.

This year, IJC's Justice Fellowship program is expanding to several new geographies, including Chicago, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Diego, and is infusing many more Fellows into areas where the need for quality immigration counsel is greatest. The Class of 2022 Fellows will be placed in 26 host organizations across 11 states.

The Fellows will serve for two years as staff attorneys at strategically selected immigrant legal services providers and community-based organizations across the country, providing legal assistance to low-income immigrants in complex immigration matters including deportation defense and affirmative applications for those fleeing persecution.

"We are delighted to welcome these immensely talented Justice Fellows who are launching their legal careers at such a critical time for immigrants' rights," said Jojo Annobil, IJC's Executive Director. "There's a tremendous need for quality counsel for immigrants, and these highly accomplished, passionate Fellows will help ensure that every immigrant, regardless of status, is treated with dignity and has access to justice."

About IJC
Conceived by the late Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and incubated by the Robin Hood Foundation in 2014, Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC) identifies promising lawyers and advocates passionate about immigration, places them with organizations where they can make the greatest difference and supports them with training and expert insights as they directly assist immigrants in need.

To date, 230 IJC Fellows have supported more than 80,400 low-income immigrants and their families with a success rate of 90% on cases completed.

SOURCE Immigrant Justice Corps