Colibrí Fellowship
There are 1,413 undocumented immigrants for every 1 nonprofit or charitable immigration legal service provider. Nationally, only 4.5% of lawyers are Black/African American and 5.8% Hispanic/Latino, despite making un nearly 32% of the US population. Immigrants and others from low to middle income households face additional systemic barriers to accessing law school, including soaring tuition rates, averaging $146,484, with debts averaging $149,573 for Hispanic students.
The need for high-quality, accessible immigration legal services far exceeds the capacity of nonprofit service providers. In response, The Resurrection Project (TRP) launched the Colibrí Fellowship in 2022, providing free legal training through cohort learning to prepare them for Department of Justice (DOJ) Accreditation. Over the past four years, this project has extended to four states: Illinois, Oregon, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin.
Centro leads this groundbreaking initiative in Wisconsin, creating an unprecedented opportunity to increase access to immigration legal representation for individuals across the state. By expanding the number of DOJ Accredited Representatives, the project strengthens the capacity of nonprofit legal service providers to meet the growing demand for high-quality immigration legal services. At the same time, the Colibrí Fellowship helps establish a meaningful career pathway for members of Wisconsin’s immigrant communities, deepening the project's impact while building a more inclusive and sustainable legal services workforce.
PROGRAM DESIGN
Fellows participate in virtual and in-person training components, including:
Enrollment in Villanova University’s “Villanova Interdisciplinary Immigration Studies training for Advocates” (VIISTA)
Weekly virtual classes, including 10 – 15 hours of weekly coursework
Monthly in-person trainings
Two in-person retreats
Group mentorship sessions
Opportunities to shadow various immigrant legal service providers and get hands-on experience at legal clinics and workshops
1:1 consultation to prepare and review DOJ accreditation application
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