Ansari Fellow Rooha Hagharmehdiabadi Reflects on Internship with American Gateways
PAAIA’s 2024 Ansari Fellow, Rooha Hagharmehdiabadi, is a law student at the University of Texas School of Law, where she previously earned a B.A. in International Relations and Global Studies. Below, she reflects on her internship with American Gateways, one of the largest immigration legal services providers in Texas.
“This summer, I interned with American Gateways, a non-profit organization that offers pro-bono and low-cost immigration legal services to the Central and South Texas community. I had the privilege of working with the Austin team on various intriguing assignments, including researching legal topics, interviewing clients, completing immigration applications, translating documents, and assisting with detention center orientations
The majority of my work focused on defensive asylum cases, which involved filing I-589 applications with the immigration court, conducting country conditions research, submitting supplemental materials to support the applications, and preparing clients for their final merits hearings. This summer, I had the opportunity to draft and file several I-589 applications for pro se clients. I used my basic knowledge of Spanish to complete biographical information and translate affidavits that clients had prepared in advance.
Additionally, I drafted a pre-hearing brief for a Honduran mother and her son, collaborating closely with an attorney to develop strategies and arguments to present the strongest case in court. In my research for the pre-hearing brief, I reviewed expert testimony on gang violence in Honduras and studied the “State of Emergency” under the Castro regime. I also worked directly with the client to draft an affidavit detailing her story.
The most eye-opening case I worked on involved asylum for an Afghan client whose merits hearing was scheduled for early July. I assisted in preparing the client by interpreting during trial preparation meetings and translating documents from Dari to English for submission to the court. After several weeks of preparation, I traveled with the team to San Antonio to attend the hearing. Although the outcome of the case is still uncertain, I gained significant insights from attending my first merits hearing.
Overall, I had an incredible summer with American Gateways, and I am excited to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer. As an Iranian American and former refugee, I firmly believe that diversity and the contributions of immigrants strengthen our country. I am deeply grateful to PAAIA for their support throughout the summer and for advancing the noble causes of public service and civic engagement within our Iranian American community. The knowledge and experience I gained this summer will empower me to become a passionate advocate for immigrants worldwide.”
August 29, 2024
