“As I transition to a Denver Immigrant Legal Service Fund (DILSF) Fellow, I hope to continue to do this work, continue to learn and be inspired, and continue to be a part of my client’s journey as they reclaim their strength and their voice” – Immigration Attorney, Mckenna Newsum Schoenberg
“I went to law school because I wanted to work with and on behalf of people who feel their voice has been silenced. I wanted to help people work to restore their own powerful voices. As an Immigration Attorney, it has been my goal to work to help provide my clients with stability, new opportunities, and growth. To inspire someone means to ‘fill them with the urge to do or feel something.’ To strengthen means to ‘become more powerful.’ Living in constant fear of deportation weighs extremely heavily on our clients and their families.
It is incredible how a piece of paper, a receipt notice showing that you have applied for a humanitarian visa or to become a permanent resident, can truly change someone’s life. With these applications filed and, ideally, approved, our clients are able to seek non-exploitative employment, earn money to move their families into safe homes, drive a car with a valid driver’s license, and travel back to see loved ones they haven’t seen in decades. They can continue to dream and take steps towards achieving those dreams. It is my great honor and privilege to listen to my clients, work with them on their applications, and watch them and their families take off with hope for a better tomorrow and the ability to achieve those dreams. It is my honor to be a part of my client’s inspiring journeys, to continue to encourage their dreams, and to watch them reclaim their power. As a DILSF Fellow, I hope to continue to do this work, continue to learn and be inspired, and continue to be a part of my client’s journey as they reclaim their strength and their voice.
My experience at JAMLAC has been nothing short of incredible. As a Colorado Civil Justice Corps fellow, I have been able to consult with clients and help them apply for DACA status, U Visas, VAWA petitions, SIJS, SIV applications, LPR status, and Naturalizations. My youngest client is five years old, and my oldest client is seventy-five. I have worked with people from all over the world, and I am so thankful for this work and for the people I get to work with. It is amazing to get to see a case through every stage of the application process. Watching a client tear up as they are handed their permanent resident card or sitting in on an interview where a client works to become a naturalized United States citizen, or finishing a victim impact statement and watching as the client reclaims a bit of their strength and dignity after having to detail abuse that they survived are all extremely humbling experiences. I am so thankful for this job, for this opportunity, and for the people I work with.
As I transition to a Denver Immigrant Legal Service Fund (DILSF) Fellow, I hope to continue to do this work, continue to learn and be inspired, and continue to be a part of my client’s journey as they reclaim their strength and their voice.
JAMLAC is an amazing legal aid organization because of the people who work here. Each person has a heart of gold and a passion for the work we do. We each feel that we have the unique honor of working with our clients and are excited to do the work. The energy and compassion in this office are contagious, and I hope we can continue to be advocates for change for years to come.” – Immigration Attorney, Mckenna Newsum Schoenberg