Safe Passage Project
Anjelica Mantikas is a seasoned legal professional currently serving as a Senior Staff Attorney at Safe Passage Project since March 2023. Prior experience includes working as a Staff Attorney at Make the Road New Jersey from September 2018 to March 2023, and participating as a Clinic Student at St. John's Bread and Life Immigration Clinic in 2017-2018. Anjelica's legal career also features roles as a Law Clerk at Pardalis & Nohavicka, LLP, and as a Clinic Student at the Child Advocacy Clinic. Earlier internships include positions at the Federal Public Defender, Brennan Center for Justice, New York County District Attorney’s Office, New York City Council, and Hillel. Anjelica holds a Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Baruch College.
Safe Passage Project
Safe Passage Project provides free lawyers to 800 child refugees who are being deported. Many children embark alone on the long and dangerous journey to the United States seeking protection. They are fleeing trauma such as gang violence and recruitment, abuse, and sexual assault. In 2017, the federal government reported apprehending over 40,000 immigrant children seeking entry to the United States. Closer to home, the New York Immigration Court has more than 15,000 cases involving children on its docket. Immigrant children are not afforded free legal representation by the government, regardless of their age. As a result, more than half of immigrant children must go through immigration proceedings without the aid of a lawyer. Unable to effectively argue their claim for the legal protections they may qualify for, more than 80% of these children are issued deportation orders. To many, this means returning to the danger from which they fled. This is where Safe Passage Project steps in, providing free legal assistance to these refugee and immigrant children in New York City and Long Island who are facing removal despite their strong legal claim to stay in the United States.