Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
Andrea Ortiz is a dedicated legal professional with extensive experience in immigration law. Currently serving as a Staff Attorney at Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project since November 2021, Ortiz previously held positions such as Family Defense Program Intern at Americans for Immigrant Justice and Legal Intern at the University of Miami School of Law Immigration Clinic. Key responsibilities included representing clients in immigration court, conducting legal research, and preparing legal documents. Additional experience comprises legal internships focused on client rights restoration and detention intake within immigration facilities. Ortiz earned a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Miami School of Law and a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language and Literature and Psychology from The University of the South.
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project, a program of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., is a non-profit law firm which provides community education and legal representation to Southern California’s most vulnerable immigrant communities. Esperanza provides legal representation to immigrants who are in detention and/or removal proceedings, and focuses on particularly complex immigration cases which may involve unaccompanied minors, adults with mental health issues, and cases with past criminal or gang history. Esperanza also provides community education programming and pro se assistance to immigrants in removal proceedings both in detained and non-detained settings. Esperanza has proudly provided legal services to immigrants and their families in Los Angeles for over 15 years.