In September 2021, the Immigration Clinic published its resources on Immigration Court in Mandarin. Yvonne He, J.D. ’22, a student currently enrolled in the Clinic, translated the materials in addition to her ongoing case work. The resources were created to help immigrants who may not have an attorney access basic information about the Arlington Immigration Court, such as how to check the status of their case and where the court is located. Information in Mandarin on the process of applying for asylum is forthcoming.
This addition expands the Immigration Clinic’s pro se materials, which currently include information in English, Spanish, and Amharic. These pages are some of the only resources available focused on Virginia, and the new pages are some of the only resources specific to the Arlington Immigration Court published in Mandarin.
Mandarin is the third-most spoken language by immigrants in Hampton Roads. It is also the third-most spoken language by immigrants across all of Virginia, with more than 57,000 people speaking Mandarin as their first language across the Commonwealth.
“I am so glad that I can put my international background, the language I speak, and my legal knowledge all together to help my people,” said Yvonne. “I hope reading such information in their own language makes them feel not alone. Nobody should be alone in this journey.”
The immigration court resources in English, Spanish, Amharic, and Mandarin can all be found at this link.
William & Mary Law School Immigration Clinic Blog 