Hello! My name is Jazmin Olivas and I am currently interning at The Immigration Project in Champaign as a New Arrivals Caseworker.
I found this internship through Handshake and was lucky enough to be selected for an internship. A typical day looks like meeting with newly arrived migrants from Central and South America, helping them figure out what their legal documents mean, when their court day is, and updating their information with USCIS. I also help our legal team file cases, translate documents, and interpret calls. My role has shifted slightly with the recent administration, so I now do "Know Your Rights" trainings for local organizations and our clients.
What I enjoy the most about working at TIP is getting to make a tangible difference in people's lives every day. Being able to provide a welcoming space, free of judgment and full of information for recently arrived migrants is essential in today's climate, and getting to do that myself is very fulfilling.