Week Eight: Déjà vu
Week eight ended on a familiar note. On Friday, as the workweek winded down, news swept across Georgia that those delayed ICE raids would kick off over the weekend. And, this time, they would include Atlanta.
I sat huddled over a desk with two attorneys on a video chat with local immigrations leaders. The conversation went quick. There wasn’t much that could be said that hadn’t been said and there wasn't much information. I left that evening thinking of any clients who might be affected. I thought of the immigrant community I knew in New York and the thousands of people I didn’t know who would be affected. I felt helpless and guilty as I headed off to start the weekend. Next week revealed that the raids had resulted in 35 arrests. Atlanta didn’t seem to be affected as originally reported but we continued to get calls from anxious clients.
The beginning of the week was less daunting. The internship has reached the point where I feel truly comfortable, no longer needing to ask questions and feeling more at ease calling clients, law enforcement officials and looking over immigration applications. It’s always sad to reach that point of experience and realize that means the internship is coming to an end soon.
This week also brought another consultation I was able to sit on. The client only spoke Spanish so I was able to act as translator and feel more of an impact in our conversation. The client is seeking political asylum after being tortured in Nicaragua for opposing the Sandinista government. He showed me a scar, notable on his wrist, from when he was burned by men in military outfits. He talked about it so casually, with no tears or even anger. As we said goodbye, he told me he hoped he would hear soon about his hearing. I thought to myself that usually a quick response is a negative one but I smiled and wished him good luck. I’m certain he’s one of many clients I’ll wonder about after I leave GAIN.