Immigrant Legal Services is run by a small team of individuals that seek to help our fellow man rather than work for the almighty dollar. This work is difficult, financially and emotionally. We cannot pay big firm salaries or offer cushy office settings and perks. And we are the collectors of the stories of trauma suffered by our clients. Sharing their harrowing stories of how or why they have come to the United States is usually done for the very first time in our office with one of our attorneys. That means our attorneys carry that emotional baggage with them at the end of the day, knowing that these people could very well be sent back to their country to face certain death.

All of our employees could be working for significantly more money, but truly feel the work we do and the people we help outweigh the benefits of a larger salary. Our clients largely come from horrific circumstances and have endured some of the most deplorable experiences one can imagine. No individual should ever have to experience the kind of traumas we hear about on a day to day basis. For those reasons, our staff gets very involved and often coordinates with social services, therapists, and medical staff to help our clients as best we can. 

As executive director, I seek to change the way immigrants are viewed in our state. Utah was discovered by a group of immigrants seeking refuge from political and religious persecution. So Utahns should understand what it means for these individuals to come to this country with only what they can carry in an effort to seek a better life for themselves and their children. In the end, our ancestors crossed rivers and mountains carrying their children and many of the immigrants do the same today. It is upon us to ensure they feel welcome to the United States. After all, we are a melting pot and that makes this country so special.