LOS ANGELES — The Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic (LIJC) at LMU Loyola Law School has received a transformative gift from Alicia Miñana and Rob Lovelace to establish the Binational Migrant Advocacy Project (BMAP), bringing students in the United States and students in Mexico to work collaboratively in an international setting. This important project is the first binational clinic of its kind based at a law school in the U.S. and will serve as both a model and laboratory for more effective immigration advocacy and training.
“This gift will directly advance the work of the LIJC, creating a first-in-the-nation model to serve our clients, students, and broader community," says Fritz B. Burns Dean of LMU Loyola Law Brietta Clark, J.D. "It also demonstrates LLS’ role as a leader in training the next generation of lawyers and leaders advancing justice wherever they see inequity. This work is a clear example of our mission in action: transforming lives through real-world training.”
LIJC’s BMAP will extend LLS’ global impact, fostering cross-border partnerships that empower migrant communities, enhance legal education, and advance justice on an international scale. LIJC’s BMAP is a collaboration between LLS and ITESO, Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente), a Jesuit university in the Western Mexican state of Jalisco.
“At LMU Loyola Law School, we believe effective U.S. and Mexican immigrant rights lawyers must learn to work collaboratively beyond borders,” says Marissa Montes ’12, director and co-founder of LIJC. “Now with this gift, LIJC will be able to expand its mission to serve migrants on both sides of the border and give students the opportunity to provide legal representation to deportees and migrants in transit on a year-round basis.”
For the past 30 years, Alicia Miñana has worked as a Los Angeles attorney, dedicating her time and resources to supporting philanthropic efforts focused on human rights issues. The gift from Miñana and Lovelace of $300,000 to the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic extends their longtime impact on training emerging advocates and championing the needs of migrant communities.
Since its inception 12 years ago, more than 100 students have participated in the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic, representing hundreds of clients under the guidance of LIJC staff. This new funding will allow LIJC to continue expanding its cross-cultural, cross-linguistic advocacy, building bridges and resources for migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. For more information about the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic and its work, please visit its website.
-598x448.jpg)