Alternative spring break: students opt for hands-on immigration law work.

When Wendi Adelson came up with the idea of an alternative spring break for her students to get hands-on experience in immigration law, she envisioned taking a carload of maybe five students from Tallahassee to Miami.

Instead, Adelson, the director of the Immigration Law Project at Florida State University's Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, was wowed by 50 students more interested in getting up at 6 a.m. to work with immigration clients for four days than going to the beach.

For many of her students, immigration law is very personal.

"A good number are bilingual, and a number of them have stories of immigration in their backgrounds, whether it's their parents or grandparents or themselves. They see the importance of immigration," Adelson said. "And for some of them, it was part of why they decided to go to law school, to advocate for immigration because of the situation their families are in."

In Tallahassee, there is more student interest in doing pro bono immigration work than there are opportunities, Adelson said.

She wound up interviewing 35 students and was able to find placements for 18 students: four going to the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center in Ft. Pierce, and 14 to offices in Miami: FIAC, Catholic Charities Legal Services, and the Human Rights Institute at St. Thomas University.

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"I have learned more working one week at the Human Rights Institute than I have in the past five months I have spent working at a small law firm that does some immigration," said law student Erika Garza. "At the Human Rights Institute, I was able to speak with clients and help them apply for residency and work permits. Listening to these individuals' life stories made me realize all the little things that I take for granted. The feeling of knowing that I have helped someone who is in desperate need is indescribable."

Witnessing the power of public interest law and the satisfaction of helping others left a big impression on law student Merron Gebremeskel, who said, "Attending the Krome Detention Center in Miami showed me that various immigrants are suffering undeserved scrutiny simply because they do not know their rights."

Law student Jasmine Rand found meaning in merely tabbing exhibits to be used at a client's hearing.

"I was thankful for any role I had in trying to save her life and the life of her unborn child," Rand said. "I never even met her, but she gave me something far more valuable than I gave her: more hope and determination that I can and will affect substantial change in people's lives sooner rather than later. A year and a half from now I won't just be tabbing exhibits. I will be advocating for people similarly situated. Moments like those give me the strength to continue turning down more financially lucrative opportunities to follow my calling."

Law student Caty Motolenich said she now realizes that immigration lawyers are part social workers and part psychologists, too.

"It is jarring to see the human element of the law and the stories behind the endless amount of forms and paperwork that need to be filled out. Perhaps the most memorable moment of the trip was when I sat down with a client to translate her affidavit. She was filling out a VAWA [Violence Against Women Act] application and in order to do so she had to retell and relive a very traumatic time in her life. Hearing her story was incredible.

When you put a face and a life into any legal process, you can quickly see what works, what doesn't, and what could be better," Motolenich said.

For law student Luciana Martinez, seeing the practice of immigration law firsthand showed her how gratifying pro bono work can be.

"The attorneys that worked at the office all seemed very happy with their jobs, despite the fact that their salaries aren't the same as those who work for private firms," Martinez said. "Money isn't everything to them, and that was a great lesson to take away from the experience. I definitely want to do pro bono work in my career and as a law student, and I feel that this was a great start."

The alternative spring break was so successful that the first- and second-year law students who went this year are forming a club, and Adelson will be the sponsor.

"They will be going again next year, and they have very lofty ideas about what they want to do. Even if it's Miami again, that would be great, but there is talk about New Orleans or possibly doing something international, possibly going to The Hague. They are very excited," said Adelson, whose position is funded by The Florida Bar Foundation.

While in Miami, Adelson used the week to work on a Foundation-sponsored strategic plan on human trafficking in the state of Florida, interviewing various legal and service providers who serve victims of trafficking located in Miami,

"I also slept on a friend's couch and had my student experience," Adelson said with a laugh.