Managing Legal Assistant
Vanessa Sarmiento joined the Detained Adult Program in 2016. She works primarily within the Legal Orientation Program, coordinating efforts and resources to provide legal services to noncitizen adults held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody throughout Virginia and Maryland. She facilitates the program's intake and case placement process by assessing the viability of a detained person's defense against deportation, as well as assisting pro se detained individuals in removal proceedings, oversees and support all staff members in preparing and conducting visits to all the adult detention facilities, and supervises legal assistants within the Legal Orientation Program. She also oversees the fellowship, volunteer and internship programs.
Prior to joining CAIR Coalition, Vanessa completed internships with the judiciary of Colombia and CAIR Coalition. Vanessa is a graduate of the Catholic University of Colombia and holds an ABA approved certificate in Paralegal Studies from Georgetown University.
