Immigration Law Clinic Director Lauren DesRosiers Joins Rep. Tonko at State of the Union
Lauren DesRosiers, Assistant Professor and the Director of Albany Law School’s Immigration Law Clinic within the Edward P. Swyer Justice Center attended the State of the Union in Washington D.C. as a guest of Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20).
Tonko held a virtual press conference focusing on immigration enforcement ahead of the president’s address to Congress on Tuesday, February 24. Rep. Tonko and DesRosiers discussed the impact of the current administration’s immigration enforcement in the Capital Region and surrounding communities and took questions from attending media.
Through her work at the Swyer Justice Center, Albany law’s in-house public interest firm, DesRosiers guides law students through representing clients navigating the immigration process, as well as forging external partnerships with local agencies aiding similar populations.
She has also lent her expertise to media outlets covering immigration, including Gothamist, the Times Union, WAMC, and . She has also joined Rep. Tonko for panel discussions such as “How Can You Defend Our Democracy?” and a Know Your Rights webinar.
Before coming to Albany, DesRosiers spent several years with the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) representing queer and trans survivors of violence in immigration matters and related civil proceedings, first as an Equal Justice Works Fellow and later as a Senior Staff Attorney. She began her legal career as a litigation associate at a large law firm in New York City, where she represented clients in civil matters in state and federal courts while maintaining an active immigration pro bono docket.
