Kings County Times

San Joaquin College of Law recently issued the following announcement.

Meet Miriam Ochoa, our New American Legal Clinic Administrative Assistant who brings a personal touch to her job. As a former client, she’s able to relate to new clients who want to become citizens and help them through the lengthy process. Learn more about Miriam, why she’s so passionate about helping people, and how she’s inspiring the next generation to make an impact on the community. 

Tell us about you and how your path led you to the New American Legal Clinic. 

A coworker gave me Kenia Garcia’s business card, the Senior Client Services Coordinator at the New American Legal Clinic (NALC). She said they could help with my citizenship application because she knew I was interested. She helped me with the citizenship, and we connected in more than just a client/provider type of relationship, and it felt more like a friendship. We talked about what she does, and I felt like I had the patience also to help the community. At the time of my interview, Jessica Bobadilla was the NALC Director, and I told her I was interested in doing some immigration paperwork and possibly becoming a paralegal at some point. She said to let her know when I was ready and that I could intern at NALC. So I completed my citizenship requirements and started going to school for my paralegal program. Once you’re almost done with the paralegal program, one of the requirements is to complete 340 internship hours at any law firm under the direction of an attorney. I wasn’t sure where to start because I didn’t really have any experience, but I remembered the NALC clinic and asked if they were accepting interns. Linda Baretto was now the Director at NALC, so I reached out and let her know how many hours I needed to complete, and she had me send my resume and cover letter. After a few weeks, I started working as an intern, so I helped the receptionist with calls and making copies. Anayansi was the full-time receptionist and office administrator, so she taught me everything she knew. I never felt like I was different from the rest of the staff, and they treated me so well. I was happy to work there. Anayansi was in the military at the time and still had to do her hours of service, so once I completed my internship, Linda asked if I was available for another three weeks as a temporary employee. After those three weeks were done, Anayansi decided to continue her education to become a veterinarian. She couldn’t work full time. So, Linda asked if I wanted to stay at NALC part-time to split the hours with the main receptionist and see where it went. Then it turned into me working here as a full-time employee and NALC Administrator, so it all worked out.

Tell us about your experience that led you to NALC. What was your journey like to this country and the citizenship process?

My family and I are immigrants, and we moved here from Mexico when I was 17, so it was very different when I moved to the U.S. My stepdad was already a citizen, so I was able to get my permanent residency card. One of my struggles, in the beginning, was the language barrier, but the NALC clinic made the process so easy for me. Kenia helped me complete my form, and it never felt like a caseworker/client relationship, it felt like I had a good friend helping me achieve my goal, and I was so grateful for that. Now that I work for NALC, I try to give that same experience to everyone we work with, so our clients know they’re not alone and we’re here for them. It helps that I speak Spanish fluently, so I can connect with our clients from the beginning, and sometimes I’ll share my own story with them, which makes them feel more comfortable. 

What does your day-to-day routine look like and what does your job entail?

I’m primarily in charge of the calendar, phone calls, naturalization interviews, and I’m pretty much the last contact for the clients because I send letters to them once their services are complete. I’m also starting to work on more naturalization cases, VISA cases, and some adjustments of status cases as well. 

How does it make you feel knowing you’re helping others who were in your same position before?

It’s amazing, and I’m grateful that I can provide that same help to my community. I know how our clients feel when they call me to share their news and updates, so I’m thankful for our clients and the trust they put in us. They usually don’t know what to expect when we meet them, and the whole process can feel overwhelming, but once they feel that connection with us and know we’re here for them, it’s so different. I’m pleased to see their faces in the end because we’ve had people come in with no hope and believe they’re going to be deported, but we can help them. I had a client who was hours away from being deported and had two daughters. When they got their residency cards, the look on their faces was priceless, and that was an amazing feeling for me.

Is there a case or client that’s had a big impact on you so far?

One client was in his 60s or 70s and was never married and didn’t have kids. He was referred by a friend and came to us not knowing what to do or where to start, so I explained the whole process to him. Another attorney previously advised him that he had to pay the filing fee and fees for services at a different organization. I explained that our office doesn’t charge for our services and that we could waive the filing fee, and he was so thankful. When he became a citizen, he called to tell me, and he was so happy and said he would share our organization with all his friends. Since he didn’t have a wife or kids or close family here, it really felt like we were his family.

Why do you think programs and clinics like NALC are so important to offer?

People need to have resources so they can be informed. It’s usually not because the clients don’t want to become citizens; they’re just not informed. If they go to a private organization before coming to us, it’s definitely a different experience they receive from us. When clients hear about us and how connected we are to the people we work with, they trust us, so I think organizations and clinics like ours are very important. We also inform our clients about their rights, so I know we greatly impact the families we meet in our community.

What would you tell someone who’s hesitant about reaching out to the NALC clinic regarding their citizenship in today’s political climate?

We tell people to call our office because we’re here to answer any questions and inform them about the entire citizenship process. Even the smallest questions clients have asked us help us grow and do better for future clients, so we’re always learning and improving. When clients become a citizen, the first thing I tell them to do is register to vote, because their vote counts.

What’s the process like for someone that wants to become a citizen?

Right now, because of the pandemic, we’re only making appointments over the phone, so people can call our office to answer a few questions to see if they qualify for our services. If they do, I’ll schedule an appointment with one of the caseworkers so she can book an appointment with them. They’ll need to have some information ready that’s required to complete the forms. Once that’s done, it is submitted to Linda to review and sign. When it’s all prepared, we’ll mail off the application and paperwork, and processing time right now is about 12 to 15 months. We always hope immigration will approve their cases sooner for a shorter processing time, but it depends on the number of applications at the time. 

How does it make you feel knowing the work you’re doing is making such a big impact in a diverse community like the Central Valley?

It’s interesting because when I first started working here, I didn’t think about it, but once, my family and friends started saying they were going to refer people to me because I work at an immigration clinic. Now I’ll answer questions because I can’t give legal advice, but I can at least steer them in the right direction and see if they’re eligible for the clinic services. So, I know the impact in the community, and it continues because most of the clients we have are referred from previous clients.

As an immigrant, what were some of the hardships you experienced, and what would you want people to understand about the experience?

The shock of the culture here was interesting because I was used to a different type of culture in Mexico. For example, the school was completely different because I used to wear uniforms, but there was a much less strict dress code when I came here. Classes were challenging too because I came here with my mom and brother, so I didn’t have any other relatives close by, and it felt very lonely at first. So, when clients tell me they just moved here and feel lost or alone, I can help them because I know how they feel and relate to them.

My journey to the U.S. wasn’t too bad because I came here legally, but some clients came here illegally, and it’s harder for them, so I can relate because I was an immigrant too. When I’m able to hear their stories and translate their conversations, it makes me want to share my story with them so they can know they’re not alone and that we’re here for them.

How does it make you feel seeing a client get their citizenship?

I always tell my clients to call me now when they pass, and I love hearing them on the phone sounding so happy because they passed. Then some clients aren’t sure if they’re going to pass, and I encourage them and tell them they need to study and prepare for it. Most clients call us the same day they pass, and just last week, I had a client tell me to congratulate her because she became a citizen, and I was so happy because it’s been a stressful year of waiting for her. 

How does it feel knowing you’re the voice for so many people here, especially within this diverse community?

I feel so grateful to know I’m not alone. I know Linda is always here for any questions I might have. We can always text or email her for guidance, and I truly appreciate that. We have a great leader in our office and a very dedicated team, so I never feel alone in this process. I always do my best to transfer those feelings to our clients as well. 

Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be a lawyer, but I changed my mind and decided to do business for some reason. It’s ironic because my daughter was never really interested in law, but since the pandemic started, she’s been in the building with me while I work. She hears me work with my clients. I used to think she didn’t pay attention to my work, but I was wrong because the other day, she said she wanted to become an immigration lawyer and help the community as you do. Hearing that made me feel so good because I’m making an impact on my daughter, and she can continue to help the community too, so I’m very proud of that. 

Original source can be found here.