How Crimmigration Law is Changing America (and Why It Matters) featuring Sabrina Thompson

Sabrina Thompson didn’t enjoy her immigration law class and was happy to discover crimmigration law (criminal defense + immigration representation) to advocate for immigrants. Find out how traffic law intersects with crimmigration law in Episode 72 of You Are A Lawyer.

LISTEN TO LEARN

The definition of crimmigration law (criminal defense + immigration representation)
How traffic infractions can become felony charges
Why Sabrina opened a crimmigration law firm

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WE ALSO DISCUSS

Challenges of lawyering as parents
Different events that trigger ICE involvement
How to love being a lawyer (and enjoy it every day!)
The power of clinics/clinical education for law students

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How Crimmigration Law is Changing America (and Why It Matters) featuring Sabrina Thompson

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About This Episode

Sabrina Thompson's Background

Sabrina Thompson is a citizen of the world. Born in California, lived in the Caribbean for a few years, grew up in Philadelphia and New Jersey, college in Maryland, she was raised in Washington D.C. before moving to California and then moving back to Washington D.C. and finally making a home in Maryland.

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As the daughter of a Kittitian (person from St. Kitts) father and Haitian mother, Sabrina entered law school focused on practicing immigration law. And Sabrina Thompson held true to that intention.

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Sabrina is unlike most podcast guests because she went to law school to practice immigration law and she does practice immigration law. However, law school, more specifically, a legal internship, further exposed Sabrina to additional practice areas.

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Why Law School

Sabrina attended law school because everyone deserves competent representation. Familiar with the challenges of immigrant communities, Sabrina wanted to use her law degree to advocate for immigrants. But after being bored in her immigration law class, Sabrina looked toward criminal prosecution.

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Two legal internships exposed Sabrina to additional practice areas as well as the inequalities of the justice system. During her internships, Sabrina realized that she would rather fight on the other side of the table. Back at Howard Law, Sabrina participated in a criminal defense law clinic and that changed her life.

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Sabrina followed her instincts and worked in the public defender’s office for five years. It was in the public defender’s office that Sabrina gained experience in court and noticed the intersection of traffic law, criminal defense work, and immigration representation. Although she didn’t discover the title of this new practice area, Sabrina was being exposed to crimmigration law and it had a profound effect on her. It even inspired Sabrina to attend law school.

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It is a common myth that public defenders are not lawyers. I had a client tell me that I should attend law school.

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Although Sabrina laughed off the experience, read this closely: public defenders are lawyers.

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What Can You Do With a Law Degree

After working in the public defender's office for five years, Sabrina Thompson opened her own law firm. Thompson Legal Group specializes in traffic law, criminal defense law, and immigration law. Sabrina is celebrating ten years of owning her law firm.

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Sabrina explains that she loves lawyering and looks forward to zealously advocating for her clients every day. In this episode, Sabrina Thompson explains how traffic violations can become felony matters and why criminal law offenses (even misdemeanors) are harmful to immigrants.

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Criminal offenses are often triggers for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to threaten denial or citizenship or deportation. Once Sabrina saw the relationship between criminal defense and immigration law, Sabrina insisted that she prepare her clients for future issues that may arise from either issue.

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