By Nora Kushner ’26
I spent my summer in Albuquerque working at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC). My team worked with asylum-seekers in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The most impactful part of my internship was going into ICE detention centers twice a week to help provide direct services to people in custody. This included giving people information on topics such as asylum processing, credible fear interviews, bond and parole, rights and protections while in the custody of ICE, and more.
Along with providing educational services, I conducted interview intakes with people in custody to provide legal services. Based on these interviews, I wrote multiple Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) complaints and sworn declarations on behalf of people in ICE custody who faced religious, language, and other legal violations. I also drafted requests for release from custody and a request for a stay of removal sent to ICE.
This internship opened my eyes to an interest in policy. With immigration policy constantly changing, I saw the tangible effects that policy has on people. Two examples stuck with me from this summer. The first was the asylum ban that former President Joe Biden issued at the start of my internship. This made the process of seeking asylum much more difficult for migrants. Second, was President Biden’s marriage policy, which allows undocumented immigrants who are married to a U.S. citizen and who meet other requirements to have a chance at citizenship. This policy was released the day after I talked with someone getting deported but met these requirements, giving this individual a chance to stay.
Seeing the tangible effects of law and policy has influenced my interest in exploring policy-making further. The knowledge I gained from listening to the stories and experiences of people in detention was invaluable in informing my understanding of immigration, ICE, and private prisons. Along with exploring a potential career path and developing new interests and skills, I learned lessons that will stick with me forever and that I could not have acquired in a classroom setting or reading. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. I would like to thank the Career Center and the John ’55 and Bonnie Raines Endowed Internship Fund for funding this opportunity.