Headshot of Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers

  • Hosted by Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.
  • Sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Texas Access to Justice Foundation
  • Service location El Paso, Texas
  • Law school The University of Michigan Law School
  • Issue area Immigrant Populations, Veterans' Rights
  • Fellowship class year 2023
  • Program Design-Your-Own Fellowship

The Project

Chris (he/him) addresses the deportation and marginalization of noncitizen US military veterans in southwest Texas through outreach, education, and direct representation aimed at veterans with unmet legal needs related to naturalization, VA benefits, and public assistance.

Many immigrants join the military hoping to give back to the nation that they have chosen as their home and to make better lives for themselves and their families. By law, US military service is supposed to provide a streamlined path to citizenship. However, after joining, many immigrants encounter obstacles to naturalization, including administrative hurdles, and others are mistakenly led to believe that merely enlisting in the military made them a citizen without need for additional action. As a result, approximately 100,000 veterans alive today are immigrants who completed military service but never became US citizens.

Fellowship Highlights to Date

In the first year of the Fellowship, Chris has:

  • Provided full representation to more than 20 clients
  • Helped two veterans overcome administrative hurdles and file applications for naturalization
  • Helped a deported veteran who returned to the US seeking asylum not only get released from immigration detention, but also apply for US citizenship based on his wartime military service
  • Helped a veteran who was homeless and unemployed due to disability and lack of proof of immigration status obtain proof of status and finally have a path to employment, disability compensation, and permanent housing after four years of homelessness
  • Participated in 12 community education and outreach events, reaching almost 500 attendees
  • Delivered five presentations to almost 200 attorney and non-attorney allies and other service providers

Next Steps

In the next year, Chris plans to:

  • Continue to work with government and nongovernmental organizations to perform outreach to immigrants still serving on active duty in the US military
  • Expand capacity within Texas RioGrande Legal Aid to help noncitizen veterans become US citizens by developing guides and other training materials for attorneys
  • Develop training for pro bono partners interested in expanding their practices to include helping veterans become US citizens

Media

Rogers, ’23, and Williams, ’23, Are Newest Michigan Law Equal Justice Works Fellows

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Sponsors Five Fellows

Greenberg Traurig Sponsors Record 201st Equal Justice Works Fellow

As an American, I think the U.S. should welcome all immigrants. As a veteran, I am appalled that someone who has served, as I did, could ever face deportation.

Chris Rogers /
2023 Equal Justice Works Fellow

Meet Other Fellows Like Chris

View All

Headshot of Danicole Ramos

Danicole Ramos

Host: William S. Richardson School of Law Refugee & Immigration Law Clinic

Sponsor: Wellspring Philanthropic Fund

Current Fellow

Photo of Tim Sanders Szabo

Timothy Sanders

Host: Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Sponsor: 3M Company, Faegre Baker Daniels

Photo of Kristen Cappelli

Kristen Cappelli

Host: Veterans Legal Services

Sponsor: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Photo of Pete Weiss

Peter Weiss

Host: Pangea Legal Services

Sponsor: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, The City of San Jose