AILA Krome Mental Incompetency Project Recognized with Award

Since 2011, the Pro Bono Committee of the South Florida Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has operated a mental incompetency project at the Krome Detention Center in Miami. The project's goal was to provide legal representation for mentally ill detainees at Krome's Immigration Court, and to bring attention to treatment of the mentally ill in detention and Immigration Court. As a result of the project, the Krome Immigration Court set up a designated mental incompetency master calendar every two weeks.

The AKMIP (AILA Krome Mental Incompetency Project) and its volunteers have assisted individuals in dozens of case. On February 7, 2014, during the 35^th Annual AILA South Florida Immigration Law Update (CLE) in Miami, AILA South Florida presented AKMIP volunteers with an award recognizing their efforts. Randy McGrorty, Director of Catholic Charities Legal Services in Miami, accepted the award on behalf of AKMIP. In his remarks upon acceptance of the award, he called the AKMIP volunteer attorneys our "Atticus Finches" and congratulated them for their hard work in protecting those most vulnerable.

Andrea Montavon-McKillip is proud to be a part of the South Florida AILA Pro Bono Committee and to have assisted in the project.