Jessica A. Cornejo-Mercado, Esq. Email and Phone Number

Advocate for unaccompanied minors in removal proceedings before EOIR.Represent children in pursuit of immigration relief such as defensive and affirmative asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and other related applications.Lead intake interviews to determine young clients' eligibility for humanitarian immigration relief.Supervise paralegals and mentor pro bono attorneys from firms throughout New York City. Conduct interviews of candidates for paralegal positions within KIND.Peer mentor fellow Staff Attorneys who are new to Immigration Law practice. Present on advanced legal topics such as “Prosecutorial Discretion and Stipulations in Immigration Court.”

Conducted intakes with both adult and child clients, identified relief, and provided direct legal representation in complex affirmative and defensive applications for humanitarian relief.Advocated for clients who had survived significant trauma and successfully argued for stipulation to a grant of asylum without testimony, in two cases before EOIR.Participated in large-scale Community Legal Clinics and the Immigration Court Helpdesk to increase access to humanitarian relief and quality legal advice.Mentored interns and paralegals while working on complex immigration matters.

Conducted remote intake interviews to determine clients' eligibility for immigration relief.Assisted in preparing documents for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) applications, including COVID-19 related motions.Drafted responses to Requests for Evidence from USCIS, and a motion to terminate removal proceedings for a client with a grant of SIJS but subject to visa retrogression.

Represented LGBTI refugee client fleeing persecution in affirmative asylum case under faculty supervision.Prepared court documents, including guardianship petition forms, for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) case.Conducted client interviews, prepared affidavit, asylum application, legal brief, and country conditions index. Interviewed students from John Jay College, screened them for immigration relief, and advised faculty supervisor on potential forms of relief that they were eligible for.Assisted student in her DACA renewal, drafted a FOIA request, and prepared a Significant Public Benefit Parole request.

Represented a client under attorney supervision before the New York Executive Office of Immigration Review in her master calendar hearing.Assisted in preparing client for her individual hearing before the immigration court and in preparing exhibit packet, including extensive country condition research.Conducted secondary intake interview for potential U-Visa client and reported to supervisor about her eligibility for relief.

Informed supervising attorney of the forms of relief that clients might be eligible for through conducting client intakes and interviews. Experienced in interviewing victims of trauma with sensitivity.Assisted primarily with asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) cases, drafting affidavits, legal memorandums, briefs, and country condition research for submission to the immigration court.

Aided international students from various language backgrounds in improving English writing skills.Assisted student in raising his expository writing grade from an F to an A.

Peer advisor and mentor for residents of the Douglass French House where French was primarily spoken.Key contributions to this position were planning and hosting programs and events throughout the school year including the annual health symposium, Douglass Wellness 360, as well as mentoring a diverse group of women.