March Volunteer Spotlight
March’s Volunteer Spotlight is on pro bono attorneys Jazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz, Esq., Maureen Sanders, Esq., and Norty Kalishman. All three gave their time and expertise to help our team in advocating the passage of Senate Bill 219 this legislative session. Upon implementation, SB 219 will eliminate statutory barriers to professional and occupational licenses in existence for undocumented immigrants living in New Mexico.
Maureen Sanders, a longtime NMILC pro bono attorney, helped our Economic Justice Supervising Attorney, Diana Torres, prepare for her role as the expert legal witness for the bill’s sponsor. Jazmin Irazoqui-Ruiz, who formerly held the position of Economic Justice Supervising Attorney at NMILC, continued supporting our advocacy efforts by attending committee hearings and helping Diana prepare as well. During the 2020 legislative session, Jazmin served as expert legal witness for SB 137, the precursor piece of legislation that led to SB 219. Another longtime NMILC pro bono volunteer, Norty Kalishman, lent his expertise in lobbying and advocating in the New Mexico State Legislature to help connect with and inform important legislators about the bill and its importance to our state.
All three of these amazing individuals have been an integral part of the fight to extend professional and occupational licenses to ALL New Mexicans, regardless of immigration status from the get go! We are honored to have them as part of our pro bono team and look forward to passing more legislation in the future.
Check out our economic justice page online to keep up with the implementation efforts of SB 219. If you or someone you know is affected by the passage of SB 219, please call us at 505-247-1023.
Visit our volunteer page to learn how to join our amazing pro bono and volunteer team!
Published April 14, 2021
Written by Flave Graciano, NMILC’s Communications Manager.