Headshot of Christy Ramos

Christy Ramos

  • Hosted by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston - St. Francis Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance
  • Sponsored by Texas Access to Justice Foundation
  • Service location Houston, Texas
  • Law school University of Houston Law Center
  • Issue area Immigrant Populations
  • Fellowship class year 2023
  • Program Design-Your-Own Fellowship

The Project

Christy (she/her/hers) will work to protect Afghan, Ukrainian, and other immigrants newly arrived in the Greater Houston area from deportation through direct representation, community collaboration, and innovative pro se legal workshops.

Recent conflicts have driven Afghan nationals in droves to seek safety and refuge in the United States. Houston, as the fourth largest city in the U.S., has seen thousands of these refugees swell its diverse immigrant population and strain its legal community resources, with more than 6,000 Afghan nationals resettled in the Houston area. This project seeks to relieve the pressure by focusing on the unique legal immigration needs of those refugees and by providing committed and passionate legal assistance.

Since the crisis in Afghanistan, new conflicts and natural disasters have driven vulnerable populations out of Ukraine, Central America, and South Asia, many of whom seek safe haven in the U.S. As with the Afghan refugees, these refugees have found a home in Houston and will also benefit from diligent legal representation.

Christy’s heritage and community background are the driving forces behind her commitment to expanding access to legal representation for immigrants.

Fellowship Plans

Christy will directly represent Afghan, Ukrainian, and other immigrant clients before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Immigration Court and help them apply for the immigration relief for which they are eligible. She will also develop and provide pro se legal workshops for these immigrants, as well as build collaborative relationships with pro bono attorneys and service organizations to replicate the workshop model and expand pro bono capacity in Houston.

Media

Texas Access to Justice Foundation Sponsors Five Fellows

I’m the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and grew up in Houston, a sanctuary city. I’ve felt a powerful connection to the immigrant community from day one, and I’m honored to join Catholic Charities, whose mission brings legal aid and justice to immigrants.

Christy Ramos /
2023 Equal Justice Works Fellow

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