Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
Joel Frost-Tift is a dedicated legal professional with extensive experience in immigration law and human rights. Currently serving as a Staff Attorney at the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project since September 2015, Joel has also worked in international legal affairs with UNESCO and gained experience as a teaching assistant in criminal and civil procedure at the University of Southern California. Previous roles include legal internships at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and Disability Advocates, Inc., where Joel provided support to clients with disabilities. Joel holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History from Cornell University.
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.