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    March 03, 2025 Immigration

    ABA leaders reflect on visit to border in Texas

    American Bar Association leaders recently visited the U.S.-Mexico border and the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project, known as ProBAR, in the Rio Grande Valley to assess the impact of the ABA’s work in helping vulnerable people navigate the complex U.S. immigration system amid recent changes in immigration law and policy.

    ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke joined association leaders visiting the U.S.-Mexico border and ProBAR in the Rio Grande Valley.

    ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke joined association leaders visiting the U.S.-Mexico border and ProBAR in the Rio Grande Valley.

    Photo by Andres Sanchez III of ProBAR

    Leaders said they were inspired by what they saw during their February visit and were impressed by the level of care and dedication of immigration lawyers and staff.

    “It was really interesting to me and very different than I think what I’d envisioned or what I had heard in the news,” said ABA President-elect Michelle Behnke.

    Jonathan Cole, chair of the House of Delegates, the ABA’s policymaking body, said it was illuminating to see firsthand what’s happening at the border and the difference immigration attorneys are making in people’s lives. He praised “the great work that's going on by ABA employees at the border, and also by pro bono attorneys.”

    Last year, ProBAR served more than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children in area shelters and after reunification with family or family friends. ProBAR empowers immigrants through high-quality legal education, representation and connections to services.

    Behnke and Cole recounted their visit during a Feb. 25 webinar. They were joined by Michelle Jacobson, chair of the ABA Commission on Immigration; Laura Flores, deputy director of legal programs and operations, ABA Commission on Immigration; and Stephanie Baez, director of pro bono, ABA Commission on Immigration, who moderated the discussion.

    Leaders said they appreciated the visit to the border because they were able to see immigration processes for themselves.

    The trip included visits to various locations in the border region including immigration court, a refugee shelter and the ProBar offices.

    The visit also included the leaders helping people who recently arrived in the U.S. with their employment authorization documents.

    Jacobson said she walked away with “a lot of hope” after having visited the refugee shelter. “Hope in a situation where you may not necessarily find hope,” she said.

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