UNLV’s Immigration Clinic at William S. Boyd School of Law will add a half-million dollars to its coffers to defend immigrants facing deportation, particularly unaccompanied children and those who are detained and awaiting removal, the school announced.
The funds were approved by the Clark County Commission Tuesday, matching another half-million dollars appropriated by the Nevada Legislature, according to a news release. The $1 million will be spread out over two years to help expand the clinic’s efforts.
The program is a tentacle of the law school’s Thomas & Mack Legal Clinic, which was founded in 2003 with a “core mission to train law students to practice immigration law while representing clients who otherwise would likely not have representation,” the release said.
The money will help the clinic open an off-campus “advocacy office,” the release said.
“The UNLV Immigration Clinic has become an invaluable resource to residents of Southern Nevada facing deportation proceedings,” said Sara Gordon, interim dean of UNLV’s law school, in the statement. “This additional funding will allow us to expand our delivery of free legal services in a location that is accessible to all members of our community, and will give student lawyers in the clinic the opportunity to practice law closer to the people they are serving.”
Unlike standard criminal cases in the U.S., immigration law doesn’t provide public defenders to immigrants facing deportation, according to the release, noting that about one in four immigrants detained in removal cases in the valley have been able to afford a lawyer.
“This is a big moment for immigrant legal defense in Nevada, and it will open more opportunities for our students over time as well,” said Michael Kagan, Immigration Clinic director and Joyce Mack professor of law, in the release. “This is the result of many people and many organizations in the community working together. It's not a solution to every problem in our immigration system, but it is a big step forward. Our goal is to build something that people can turn to and that protects many of our neighbors here for many years into the future.”