As part of its medical legal partnership with the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, the Health Rights Clinic continued its relentless fight for its clients in 2022. Under the direction of Acting Director Melissa Swain, students in the clinic scored numerous wins and grew their lawyering skills. All law students in the clinic work under direct supervision from Swain and JoNel Newman.
In one case in the spring of 2022, clinic students came together to help a client not only obtain health benefits, but also become a U.S. citizen. On June 30, 2022, rising 2L Nimra Salehjee won her client’s naturalization case. This was a huge victory for the 85-year-old client who suffered from an advanced cancer diagnosis. After the win, the client was finally eligible to receive disability benefits that help cover his living costs and medical expenses.
Reflecting on the experience, Salehee said, “I am very grateful for the time and experience I've gained from the Health Rights Clinic. I am so appreciative to have had the opportunity to help our client become a U.S. Citizen and obtain disability benefits. I could not have done this without the help of my professor, Melissa Swain, interpreter, Indra Cantillo, paralegal, Jessica Vocaturo, and all the previous students who have put their time and effort into this case.”
The client took the Oath of Allegiance to be a U.S. citizen in July of 2022.
More 2022 Health Rights Highlights:
On October 19, 2022, 2L Gladys Planes won her client's naturalization case. The client, a cervical cancer survivor with a neurocognitive impairment and severe major depressive disorder, was finally eligible to receive disability benefits and Medicaid to help cover her living costs and medical expenses.
2L Sharmila Singh won both her client’s naturalization as well as disability cases. This was a huge victory for her client, who has been battling brain cancer since 2009 and will now be able to keep his monthly benefits of $841.
On September 29, 2022, 3L Indra Cantillo Mejuto won her immunocompromised, neurocognitively impaired, Haitian client’s I-130, Petition for Alien Relative with Relief for Surviving Relatives case. This was an important victory because, although his wife tragically died while her petition was pending, he would, after 16 years of living in the US, finally be able to pursue legal permanent resident status.
On September 29, 2022, 2L Erick Wilson won a Temporary Protected Status case for an elderly immunocompromised Haitian client. The client could then find comfort in knowing he had temporary legal protection in this country and was able to maintain social security disability insurance and Medicare benefits while the Clinic works to make him a legal permanent resident.
On September 7, 2022, 3L Cam Glasser won his twenty-year-old client's DACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals - case.
On July 15, 2022, 2L Indra Cantillo Mejuto won her client’s naturalization case. This represented a major win for this HIV patient, who suffered from Toxoplasmosis, seizures, depression, and anxiety. The client was also a domestic violence survivor. Before receiving legal services at the Health Rights Clinic, the client assumed her dream of becoming a U.S. citizen was impossible. Indra represented the client during the interview, her third and final chance to get her naturalization application approved. Her application was approved, and she took the Oath of Allegiance on August 11, 2022!
On June 29, 2022, USCIS granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to one of the Health Rights Clinic's longest standing and oldest Haitian clients. This 70-year-old client suffered from HIV as well as severe cognitive impairments. The Health Rights Clinic had been fighting to obtain TPS status for this client since 2010. As a result of the dedication and hard work of many students over the past 12 years, this client finally secured immigration relief.
On May 1, 2022, 2L Jennifer Harper won her client’s disability case. This was a huge victory for the client who had to stop working due to her hospitalization and advanced cancer diagnosis. The client could then receive disability benefits to help cover living costs.
On April 7, 2022, 2L Alessandra Perez won her disabled client’s naturalization case. This represented a major win for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center patient who was forced to stop working due to his disability but who dreamed of becoming a U.S. citizen since fleeing his birthplace. Perez convinced USCIS to expedite the client’s naturalization application to avoid the termination of his disability benefits and “won” her naturalization case within 5 months. Since then he passed his civics test and on April 15, 2022 took the Oath of Allegiance and officially became a U.S. citizen.
On March 8, 2022, 2L Jennifer Harper won her disabled client’s naturalization case. This was also a huge victory for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center patient who had to stop working in 2018 due to her disabilities and hospitalizations. Harper convinced USCIS to expedite the client’s naturalization application in a remarkable 5 days, and “won” her naturalization case in 3 months. The client was finally eligible to automatically receive disability benefits.
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