UW-Madison Students Enhance Legal Aid Accessibility for Immigrants Through Community Partnership
Students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison are significantly contributing to the accessibility of legal aid for immigrants through a community-based learning course in partnership with the Community Immigration Law Center (CILC) in Madison. The initiative began in 2024 when Sara McKinnon, a volunteer with CILC and a UW-Madison professor, identified a need for consistent Spanish-speaking volunteers. This led to the creation of LACIS 440: Applying Spanish Language Skills at an Immigration Law Clinic, a course designed to provide CILC with reliable, Spanish-speaking volunteers while exposing students to immigration law. Students volunteer approximately 30 hours per semester at CILC, primarily providing interpretation services, facilitating Spanish-language intakes, and translating legal documents. They also adapt to other community needs identified by CILC staff. This program helps CILC's professional legal staff focus on representing as many clients as possible, especially given the high demand for af...