Barbara Camacho Joins Justice Center on New Two-Year Fellowship

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, the world’s leading provider of immigration services, has announced the appointment of Barbara Camacho as the firm’s latest “Fragomen Fellow” effective August 29, 2011. The Fragomen Fellowship is a two-year rotating position to enhance the pro bono immigration services provided by the City Bar Justice Center, the pro bono affiliate of the New York City Bar Association.

Ms. Camacho will focus on advocacy to enhance the access to and quality of counsel for detained immigrants in New York. To this end, she will be responsible for training and mentoring pro bono lawyers. Further, she will continue the critical community education and outreach activities.

Carmita Alonso, partner with Fragomen and member of the Board of the City Bar Fund, which oversees the City Bar Justice Center said, “We hope to serve as a model in pro bono immigration defense and ensure there is a regular pool of qualified lawyers able to help in this emerging detention defense practice.”

Ms. Camacho has over four years experience in a combination of practice areas including criminal and immigration law. She joins Fragomen from the American Friends Service Committee Immigration Rights Program in Newark, where she served for the past two and one-half years as KIND Fellow representing detained minors in Immigration Court.

“Barbara’s experience in handling a detained docket and interest in litigation made her an outstanding choice for our organization and clients,” said Lynn Kelly, Executive Director of the City Bar Justice Center. “Barbara is extremely enthusiastic about the work, and she is the perfect match for this very important service provided by the City Bar Justice Center.”

Ms. Camacho continues the Fragomen commitment to the Fellowship in this new two-year position promoting the vitally needed immigration services. She replaces former Fragomen Fellow Michael Almonte, who served since August 2010.

Austin Fragomen, Chairman of Fragomen and former Chairman of the Board of the City Bar Fund, said, “We are very proud of the fact that for the past four years our firm has sponsored a full-time Fellow at the City Bar Justice Center to support pro bono immigration work. Our partnership with the City Bar is very important to the Firm. We feel that it makes a real difference to those in need.”