Helping Asylum Seekers Gives 1L Juan Alejandro Montoya Key Insight into Client-Centered Advocacy 

While participating in a mock trial with The LGBT Asylum Project, 1L Juan Alejandro Montoya deepened his understanding of the asylum process and the barriers faced by LGBTQ+ asylum seekers.

1L Juan Alejandro Montoya learned about the complexities of the U.S. asylum system and how to best serve the needs of clients that have faced traumatic experiences doing pro bono legal work during Alternative Spring Break. 

• Helped asylum seekers fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status at The LGBT Asylum Project for Alternative Spring Break (ASB). 
• His positive ASB experience affirmed his interest in becoming a public defender after graduation. 
• Described the work as rewarding and life-changing for clients. 

1L Juan Alejandro Montoya: 

For Alternative Spring Break, I joined seven fellow students to work with The LGBT Asylum Project in San Francisco, which represents LGBTQI+ asylum seekers fleeing persecution due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status.  

A major highlight was getting to access and read the stories of asylum seekers, which were oftentimes horrific and traumatizing, but it gave me insight into what asylum seekers go through before they come to the U.S. I learned that asylum claims can be denied over something small like forgetting a detail in one’s story.  

The immigration attorney from The LGBT Asylum Project mentored us and guided us through a mock trial, giving us firsthand experience of what it’s like to testify as an asylum seeker. My fellow students and I took on different roles: representing the asylum seeker in direct examination, acting as Department of Homeland Security attorneys for cross-examination, and serving as the immigration judge, who posed critical questions. 

The mock trial was a valuable experience because of the practice it gave us, but it also made clear how vulnerable asylum seekers are when questioned throughout the legal process.  

The experience was important to me because my parents immigrated to the U.S and continue to face hostility from individuals who don’t want them here. At The LGBT Asylum Project, we helped clients establish themselves as permanent residents in the U.S. To me, it felt as though I was assisting my own parents to become permanent residents when they first arrived in the U.S, so I found the experience especially rewarding. 

Through this experience, I learned how to best assess the needs of clients and assist them in the court—critical skills and experience that support my future goal to work in public defense. It’s important to understand that clients are people with experiences we may not understand. We may not know who our clients are as people or how to satisfy their needs, but as attorneys, we must make the effort to learn, respect our differences, and provide them with the best representation possible. 

I would love for more people to give immigration and asylum law a shot and see what kind of pro bono opportunities are out there during the school year. The work is really rewarding because you are truly assisting those in need and could potentially change someone’s life for the better. 

The Evidence of Success series highlights UC Law SF students as they share how the college’s opportunities equip them with the experience, skills, and confidence to excel in the legal profession.