UNLV Immigration clinic helping undocumented students impacted by deadly campus shooting
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Consultations continue to pour in at the UNLV Immigration Clinic where staff is helping undocumented students not just with legal services but with trauma following UNLV’s deadly shooting.
Deputy Managing Attorney Melissa Corral said the ultimate goal is to help students in their unique situation, whether they’ve experienced a crime or need therapy.
“The consultations serve us to learn about immigration history of the potential client, what they experienced on that day, what they went through,” Corral said.
While a possibility of legal residency may be a U-Visa where victims are helpful to law enforcement in prosecuting legal activity, Corral said it is not a guarantee.
“The U-Visa is not hey, you were a victim of a crime, you can get this. There are several requirements,” Corral explained. “One of them is you’re a victim of a specific crime. There are various crimes for example domestic violence is one, but robbery is not.”
You must also show you suffered mental or physical harm due to the crime, which Corral said is the hardest to prove.
“Generally how we prove that is with if they went to therapy, with recurring medical history, etc. and one of the most important is that they reported it,” Corral said. “They reported the crime and they are continuing to help with the investigation.”
Corral said undocumented students shouldn’t be afraid to come forward if they need help, but cautious of taking legal advice through social media.
“There’s nothing wrong with getting a consultation, do that and you don’t have to do it with us, right? Do it with other attorneys. Get several and you have to weigh what each of them is telling you,” Corral said.
Staff Attorney Aubrey Maples with University Legal Services said the clinic goes beyond providing legal affairs, they also give trauma-informed care including social and mental health services.
“We try to meet folks where they’re at, discuss their situations as they’ve experienced them, and steer them into resources both on and off campus,” Maples said.
Immigrants already face migration-related trauma. They distrust law enforcement and face health barriers due to fear of deportation.
“Confidentiality matters and a therapist is not going to break that confidentiality. They have the same obligations as attorneys and lawyers do. It’s super important especially when we’re talking about multiple aspects of trauma,” Maples added.
Clinic attorneys said they’ve been working closely with students in the university’s undocumented student program. There are upcoming events to help students move forward.
“My job is to help stabilize students and their families so they can concentrate on their education and graduate and contribute to a larger community,” Maples explained. “Immigration is not the end all be all, there’s more to it. Knowing that there’s resources in the Las Vegas community that may not be met on campus, but I can refer them to like food banks or even medical services and things like that for family members, that all helps stabilize the student and that’s the goal.”
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