02/11/2026
This past Saturday, four members of our International Refugee Assistance Project (“IRAP”) team attended IRAP’s annual Student Summit in New York. The Summit brought together law students and immigration advocates from across the country to discuss urgent immigration issues, strategic litigation, individual client advocacy and much more. Throughout the day, our students had the chance to learn from a variety of IRAP leaders: Becca Heller, IRAP’s Co-Founder, shared what steps she is taking now to protect the future of immigration law; Ghita Schwarz, IRAP’s Director of U.S. Litigation, provided insight into the kinds of cases that IRAP is currently bringing against the Trump administration, including a recent case in Minnesota; and Carmen Maria Rey Caldas, former IRAP leader and Immigration Judge, spoke candidly about her experience on the bench and her attempts to change the system from within.