DeMayo is not a stranger to making change either, as her resume includes extensive experience in serving immigrant and refugee communities as well as family-based adjustments and U visas. 

She was inspired to go into immigration law after seeing the impact her grandmother—an immigrant from Colombia—had on her community as a long-time preschool teacher. She has since retired, but DeMayo still sees the widespread love for her grandmother and how much positive impact immigrants can bring to their communities. 

“I think about all the people who could be doing so much good here, but just don’t have the opportunity,” DeMayo said. “And how much richer and better everyone’s lives would be if those people were able to do that.” 

Hernandez-Corado added her mother has always served as her loudest cheerleader. She is the first in her family for many achievements, including attending and graduating from university. That means, she said, she is not afraid of new experiences. Although she has worked in immigration law before, she has not yet worked directly with clients. 

“Client service or meeting clients is a whole different ballpark than just working in theory,” she said. 

DeMayo agreed and looks forward to working with clients in person. 

Reiman, who was born and raised in Hastings, Nebraska, actually discovered the externship program through her connection with current CIRA law clerk, Heaven Rush. She is particularly interested in the intersection of employment law and immigration law. 

“It’s important to me to help people,” Reiman said. 

A challenging time to be an immigration attorney 

Hernandez-Corado acknowledged it is a challenging time to go into immigration law, as policies seem to change almost on a daily basis. But she has found plenty of support in her family, friends, and her 17-year-old chihuahua Odie. 

“The world has to be healthy for me and I have to make sure that I actually keep up with things that will keep me working, because at the end of the day, I have a duty of competency, diligence, and responsibility to our clients. So, if I’m not the best I can be, I am not only affecting myself, but I’m ultimately affecting their cases,” she said. 

Reiman said her inspiration to help immigrant communities stems from an upbringing focused on serving neighbors. Her mother is an English language specialist teacher and her father works for a Veterans Affairs clinic. She hopes this experience as an extern will help her become an even better advocate. 

As a mother of two, DeMayo said she hopes she can be a role model for her children, and that they will “respect the hustle.”  

Although it’s an intimidating time to enter the immigration law field, DeMayo said she’s overall hopeful. 

“I’m very hopeful for the future of immigration law. I think it will be a very rewarding and challenging field,” she said with a smile and nod of her head.