Chelsea Eddy

The Project

Chelsea (she/her) advocates for the rights of immigrants facing deportation within the jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit under the Convention Against Torture.

Fifty thousand asylum cases are pending in the First Circuit, most of which include claims for relief under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). It is thus imperative that well developed immigration law in the First Circuit protects those who would otherwise suffer persecution, torture, or death if deported. There remain significant gaps in First Circuit immigration jurisprudence that jeopardize a person’s right to a fair hearing and ability to obtain relief from deportation, and immigration lawyers are not always familiar with CAT claims. This presents an important opportunity for growth, especially because asylum is extremely challenging for many immigrants to obtain, and CAT relief may be their only option to remain safely in the United States.

Chelsea’s experience working with refugees and immigrants in Salt Lake City and witnessing the deep need for affordable legal services motivated her to go to law school and pursue immigration law. Her subsequent work with immigrant clients only further illustrated the many challenges that immigrants face when navigating the complex immigration system and the importance of due process protections and quality representation in immigration proceedings.

Fellowship Plans

Prioritizing cases with the potential to shape immigration law, Chelsea will advance immigration jurisprudence in the First Circuit by representing immigrants who are appealing the denial of their cases and by strategically filing amicus briefs in the areas of asylum, CAT, procedural due process, and standard of review. Chelsea will also educate immigration attorneys on how to successfully represent CAT claims in immigration court using new, positive caselaw that benefits immigrants seeking CAT relief.

Media