Christy M. Swatzell, Asylum Initiative Director, is a graduate of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University in White Plains, NY. Before joining MIA, Christy was the Co-Legal Director at Latino Memphis where she represented detained immigrants in removal and custody proceedings.
Fresh out of law school, Christy became a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County New York where she represented indigent defendants charged with felony crimes. While at Legal Aid, Christy spent a lot of time working with a diverse group of clients. It was there that she found the intersection of criminal and immigration law fascinating and critical to providing holistic representation to immigrants. Presently, she leads our Asylum Initiative, which is dedicated to assisting immigrants and asylum seekers detained in our region obtain release and fight deportation.
Off the clock, Christy enjoys trips to the park with her partner, Jacque, and their two dogs, Maxwell Lamar and Frank Davis.