Post by: Nathanial Fosnough
My name is Nathan Fosnough and I had the amazing opportunity through Regent University’s Center for Global Justice to have my summer legal internship with Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso. I worked within the detained defense team and helped immigrants who came through the Otero County Processing Center. This summer I have had the incredible opportunity to reconnect a child with her mother, a husband and wife, and even family members who thought they would never see each other again.
I had the privilege to hear each of their stories and how each came to the United States, the land of hopeful dreams and safer shelters. Whether it was escaping abusive governments, extreme racism, or brutal violence, each one of the immigrants stood strong with unwavering defiance towards the hardships they had endured. They strove to make a better life not only for themselves, but for those they loved. They may have been oppressed, but they were not helpless.
I learned that these people were strong enough to face the new challenges that come with arriving into the United States. It was my job to advocate and help guide them through the complicated and turbulent process. As an intern, I am nowhere near a level of competency and complete understanding of the immigration intricacies, but I enjoyed the process of learning and gaining more valuable experience in the realm of human rights advocacy.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Intern. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.