Victor Hernandez has joined the ACLU of Wyoming as the legal assistant for the immigrants’ rights project.
As legal assistant, Hernandez supports the work of the immigration staff attorney. He conducts research, manages legal intake, documents case activity, communicates with clients in both English and Spanish, and more.
Prior to joining the ACLU, Hernandez was a social work student intern for the Family and Child Legal Advocacy Clinic at the University of Wyoming College of Law in Laramie. There he worked closely with the clinic director and student attorneys to provide free legal representation to individuals with family law matters. He also assisted the clinic in translating legal documents and interpreting to clients whose primary language was Spanish. Hernandez also has experience as the family support specialist for Teton Behavior Therapy in Jackson and as a site coordinator for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Wyoming’s afterschool program.
Originally from Tlaxacla, Mexico, Hernandez immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in Jackson. He is a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program recipient. Hernandez graduated from the University of Wyoming where he majored in psychology and Spanish linguistics.
“When the government has the power to deny legal rights and due process to one vulnerable group, everyone’s rights are at risk,” Hernandez said. “As an immigrant myself, I know how important the work that the ACLU is doing is for the people in our state. I’m thrilled to be a part of this incredible team.”
The ACLU immigrants’ rights project is dedicated to expanding and enforcing the civil liberties and civil rights of immigrants and to combating public and private discrimination against them. Immigrants needing legal assistance can contact the ACLU of Wyoming at 307-699-2875 or at ImmigrationHelp@aclu.org. The ACLU of Wyoming also has Spanish resources available on its website at www.aclu-wy.org/paginas.
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
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