The week of Nov. 16-22, I will be in Dilley, TX providing free legal services for women and children who entered the United States seeking asylum, and are now being detained at the South Texas Migrant Detention Center. I am asking for your help paying for travel (car rental in San Antonio, gas, renter's insurance), lodging (two basic rooms at the luxurious Dilley Days Inn ) and daily expenses (food, water, sundries) for myself and my Spanish interpreter while we are there.
Because Dilley is remote, and legal services have to be provided on site, The Dilley Pro Bono Project has been coordinating teams of volunteer lawyers, advocates, mental health workers, and interpreters, to travel to Dilley for a week at a time -- every week -- for more than 5 years.
I had the honor of volunteering in Dilley for a week in 2015. I met with approximately 20 women and their children, heard and recorded their stories about the conditions they were fleeing and the way they had been treated by the US authorities, and gave them advice about how to navigate the asylum application process. For most of them, I was the only lawyer with whom they would meet before a key interview that determined whether they would be turned away without any further processing. I expect that we will be doing similar work this time, but -- consistent with the ethos of the project -- I will simply do whatever is needed most on the ground when I'm there.
Volunteers are responsible for all of their costs. I am receiving assistance with my airfare from Lawyers for Good Government's Project Corazon, but the rest of the costs will come out of pocket -- or from you!
Note that it is currently my plan to return to Dilley at least once a year for as long as this project exists. Any extra funds will be reserved to fund future trips (so feel free to give well beyond the target).
Love and solidarity to all of you!