Staff

Erika is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico. She volunteered for Michigan United providing support to the undocumented community regarding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Citizenship. Also volunteered during the COVID pandemic to spread reliable information, in English and Spanish, about the virus and vaccines available, as well as providing information about programs and supports available for unlawful families in need. She is passionate about helping and supporting immigrant people, especially children, through Michigan Immigrant Right Center. She has a Law Degree in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish.

Garance is a Legal Assistant on the UC team at our Ypsilanti office. Before joining MIRC, Garance worked with various nonprofits, political campaigns, and charitable organizations to advocate for the causes that she is passionate about, such as environmental justice, progressive legislation, and immigrant rights. In 2021, she graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in Communications. She is a Native French speaker and is also proficient in Spanish. As an immigrant herself, Garance is committed to using her privilege to ensure that all immigrants are given the same opportunities she was when first arriving in the U.S. as a child.

Gladys is a legal assistant for the Unaccompanied Minors Team in Ypsilanti. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with an Honors degree in History. She specializes in early 20th-Century American history with a focus on the Constitution, the impact of nationalism, and social justice. She also enjoys art and music. Gladys was born in South Haven, MI to immigrant parents and has since developed a strong sense of justice and protectiveness toward the immigrant community. Her goal is to become an attorney and continue to assist the community through public policy, litigation, and overall human compassion. Gladys is fluent in Spanish.

Grace Erway is a Paralegal on the Afghan Arrivals Team in Kalamazoo. Originally from Kalamazoo, she recently graduated with her Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology/Sociology from Kalamazoo College and is a proud beneficiary of the Kalamazoo Promise scholarship. In her time at Kalamazoo College she was able to study abroad in Costa Rica and write a research based undergrad thesis, on the history of white supremacy and its presence in migrant related law. In her free time she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, singing and bartending.

Hannah is a staff attorney with Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, working on the unaccompanied children's team. Originally from Georgia, Hannah received her B.S. in History and Government from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, and went on to study law at Michigan State University. Prior to her employment with MIRC, Hannah worked as a Staff Attorney specializing in Family Law at Legal Services of South Central Michigan. Hannah is dedicated to advocacy for immigrant children in the state of Michigan, both in a professional capacity and in her free time as a volunteer.

Isabella is an Administrative Legal Assistant for the Unaccompanied Children's Program in Ypsilanti, MI. She graduated from Michigan State University in 2023 with a degree in Comparative Cultures and Politics and minors in both Spanish language and Latin American and Caribbean Studies. During her time at MSU Isabella participated in many extracurricular activities that focused on advocacy and an internship abroad in Barcelona, Spain for a public-health non-profit organization. She joined MIRC in the spring of 2024, and is passionate about advocating for immigrants’ rights and social justice.

Jaimie Lerner is an attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She works on the Detroit Front Door Team, handling a wide-range of cases before the Immigration Court, State Court, Federal Court, and federal agencies. Prior to joining MIRC in 2021, she served as an Attorney Advisor at the Detroit Immigration Court and as a Judicial Law Clerk for the New York Immigration Court, part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review. She received her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Michigan. During law school, Jaimie served as a legal intern with the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice in Washington D.C., as well as a student clinician with the Immigration Justice Clinic and Human Rights and Atrocity Prevention Clinic for Cardozo in New York. As a law student, she was an Assistant Coach and prior competitor for the Cardozo Moot Court Team at the University of Oxford Media Law Competition in Oxford, England, examining international law and freedom of expression concerns.

Jessie is a Legal Assistant for the Unaccompanied Children’s Team, based out of the Kalamazoo office. She started her experience at MIRC as an intern from Western Michigan University in the spring of 2023. She graduated from Western with a B.S. in Speech Pathology, a B.A. in Spanish, and a minor in American Sign Language. She is passionate about advocating for those in her community. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on walks with her dog, and exploring new hobbies.

Júlia joined MIRC in 2023 as a Legal Assistant with the Immigration Court Helpdesk program. Being an immigrant from Brasil with Japanese grandparents, she is committed to standing in solidarity with all immigrants, especially those sidelined by the legal system. Júlia graduated with a B.A. in International Affairs from Eastern Michigan University, where she focused her studies in Latin American politics, human rights, and community-led development. After graduation, she collaborated on research for the non-profit International Samaritan and worked as a nanny. In her free time, Júlia enjoys reading, cooking with her friends, and doing nail art.

Katerin “Kat” Solorzano was born and raised in Guatemala, and she and her family immigrated to the US in 2005. Kat is a DACA recipient which allowed her to earn her Paralegal Studies Certificate from MCC, and she has actively practiced alongside multiple Metro-Detroit Immigration Attorneys for the past 7 years, specifically within the family based-sector. She is fluent in Spanish and English, has two cats and is a documentary fanatic.

Lauren joined MIRC in January of 2022, and is a Supervising Program Coordinator for the Unaccompanied Children’s Team in Grand Rapids, MI. She recently graduated from Western Michigan University with a double major in Spanish and Political Science. She first worked at MIRC as an intern in 2018, before studying abroad for the following year in Cuba and New Zealand. Lauren is passionate about immigrant rights, and working to support immigrants in her community. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and skydiving. She is proficient in Spanish.