Asylum Access Mexico

Website: https://asylumaccess.org/program/mexico/
 

Address: Carolina 113, colonia Noche Buena, delegación Benito Juárez. C.P. 03720, Ciudad de México, D.F., Mexico

Sector of Work: Refugee services, legal empowerment, policy reform, systems change

Region/Country: Mexico City, Palenque, Acayucan, Tenosique and Villahermosa, Tijuana, Monterrey, Mexico
 
Mission: Asylum Access empowers refugees to become their own champions. By giving refugees the tools to advocate for themselves, and by encouraging host governments to expand refugees’ rights and opportunities, Asylum Access works toward a world where all refugees, everywhere, can rebuild their lives.

Description: Asylum Access is a leading refugee human rights organization headquartered in Oakland, CA  with substantial operations and partnerships in countries across the world. Asylum Access is  the only global organization working to make human rights a reality for refugees in first  countries of refuge. Our unique combination of five integrated strategies provides grassroots  assistance and changes the legal landscape for refugees and their host communities. By helping refugees assert their rights, we are putting power back into their hands. Our work  transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution  that gives refugees the tools to provide for themselves and make choices about their own lives. 

Asylum Access Mexico (AAMX) forms part of the global Asylum Access family and falls under the mandate of Asylum Access Latin America, which also coordinates programs in Ecuador.  AAMX was founded in July 2015 to improve due process and access to justice for refugees seeking asylum in Mexico. Through the use of legal services, community legal empowerment, and policy advocacy, AAMX empowers refugees and asylum seekers to demand their own rights. AAMX works to improve refugee integration through the Hospitality Route initiative, creating communities across the country where refugees can access safety and rights instead of facing arrest, detention, and deportation. Near the Guatemalan border, AAMX offers free legal services,  representing clients from Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Ghana, among other nationalities. The AAMX team supports them to navigate the refugee status determination process and to access their rights. In Mexico City, the AAMX team manages policy advocacy initiatives at the local and national levels to ensure due process and the protection of refugees’ rights to employment, education, safety, and freedom of movement. Though Mexico is often perceived as a transit country rather than a destination, it hosts approximately 2,158 registered refugees and thousands more asylum seekers and individuals in need of international protection.

PRACTICUM DETAILS

Language Requirement: Spanish proficiency is required

Preferred Knowledge and Background:  Refugee services; Assessment, monitoring and evaluation, policy and advocacy, client services and case management

Cost:  Students are responsible for the costs of lodging, transportation, meals, and required visas or immunizations. Students are required to purchase WUSTL travel insurance for the duration of their practicum for $40/month. 

Travel Immunizations or preventative medication is recommended and may be required for your program participation. Students are responsible for covering all associated costs. Please refer to the CDC for more information. 

Brown School Contact: Global Programs Office or Dr. Lindsay Stark
 
To apply and rank Asylum Access Mexico as one of your Brown School practicum choices, click here.