As a child, Sasha Mendoza remembers translating documents from English to Spanish for her mother. Whether at school or during appointments, Mendoza said she always stepped into that role.
Now, as an intern with the Immigration Clinic at UT School of Law, Spanish interpretation is a core element of Mendoza’s work serving vulnerable low-income immigrants seeking legal representation.
“Spanish is my native language,” said Mendoza, a government, Spanish and English senior. “I can tell just by looking at (clients’) faces that they instantly feel listened to and heard and understood, which is really the most important thing that we want to foster and cultivate amongst our clients.”
Mendoza helps manage a caseload of 12 clients, but recently, the clinic has received an increase in calls requesting legal representation, she said. She said the office now receives 20 to 30 calls a day asking for a legal representative but prioritizes current clients. She said the government is freezing funding directed to support nonprofit programs that work with underserved communities, like those needing immigration services.
“It’s been really difficult for American society to really understand the extent of how difficult it is to attain citizenship in this country,” Mendoza said. “That’s primarily been (because) of the fact that there’s not been enough coverage or advocacy or even awareness on how exactly our immigration system is set up, so being a part of this pro bono clinic has definitely shed some light in that area for me.”
Mendoza is one of four interns assisting a cohort of law students who assume primary responsibility for representing clients before immigration court, federal court and the Department of Homeland Security. The Immigration Clinic accepts cases through individual requests for assistance and referrals from legal aid organizations, according to the Texas Law website.
She also helps prepare applications for immigration benefits, including naturalization, employment authorization and legal research. Since joining the clinic two years ago, Mendoza said her relationship with clients has strengthened over time, helping increase rapport and trust.
“Once I get to the clinic, I always try to call each client that I’m currently working on or currently assigned just to check in (and) see if they have any lingering questions or concerns, especially as we’ve been seeing in this current immigration landscape,” Mendoza said. “It is ever-changing, and new news keeps on popping up every week.”
Emily Anaya, a second-year law student, was a student attorney in the Immigration Clinic in fall 2024 and helped represent two juvenile clients. Along with her partner, Anaya said they got one of their clients out of facing deportation.
“Your goal as the student attorney is to do the least amount of harm while helping them as much as you can,” Anaya said. “Priorities shift, and that can also give the client a sense of agency, and that makes them trust you a lot more when they feel like they have the reins.”
In addition to the Immigration Clinic, law students can participate in pro bono opportunities through the Mithoff Pro Bono Program, said program director Andrea Marsh. The projects frequently change due to student interest, Marsh said.
“UT has a very strong immigration clinic,” Marsh said. “A lot of students who come to UT know that we have deep immigration expertise in the clinic, and also just because of where we are, a lot of people are interested in immigration law because of how it impacts Texas.”
