Elena joins IDP as a Senior Staff Attorney working as part of the Padilla Support Center where she advises defense attorneys on immigration consequences of criminal cases and develops resources on the overlap of criminal-immigration systems. Prior to joining IDP, Elena worked at the Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project (PAIR) in Boston, MA, for nine years, where she was the organization’s Legal Director and Detention Program Supervisor. At PAIR, Elena provided direct representation and mentored hundreds of pro bono attorneys providing legal representation to immigrants in ICE detention. As Legal Director, she led and managed PAIR’s participation in impact litigation and immigration related advocacy, particularly on detention and removal issues. She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law, where she participated in Boston University’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. Elena is originally from Cuba and a native Spanish speaker.
Staff
