Staff

Maribel is a legal assistant on the UC team in our Grand Rapid office. Her family immigrated from Durango, Mexico and decided to call Grand Rapids home which is where she was born and raised. She learned about racism and dicrimination from an early age and always wanted to do something about it. She worked for years in a children's camp that focused on racial reconciliation and other non profits with the same goal. Maribel loves to be able to help and advocate for those that don't know how to speak up for themselves or are afraid. Maribel is also fluent in English and Spanish and is new to the immigration field. In her free time Maribel enjoys cooking, karaoke, and camping.

Megan Kraus is a staff attorney for MIRC’s unaccompanied children program. Megan first became interested in Immigration Law through her experience as an exchange student to Slovakia in high school and as a mentor to incoming exchange students in the following years. In May 2022, Megan received her J.D. From Michigan State University College of Law. During law school, Megan served as a student clinician for the Michigan State University Immigration Law Clinic, where she represented clients in various immigration matters.

Meredith is a staff attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center’s Washtenaw office and focuses primarily on immigration relief available to victims of violence. They received their J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, and their undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. Meredith has worked in immigration law since 2013, including as a paralegal with a focus on family and humanitarian-based relief in Michigan, as a law student attorney and volunteer with low-income and detained migrants around Texas and at the US-Mexico border, and as a postgraduate legal fellow in detention centers in Louisiana.

Molli is one of the Intake Coordinators for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. She has 20 years of experience as a bi-lingual advocate in Washtenaw County; working in the fields of domestic violence, sexual assault intervention/prevention and public health. Molli graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a B.A. in Social Science and Fine Art. She speaks fluent Spanish, loves to dance, take walks in nature, spend time with her family & friends, volunteer, and fight for social justice in our society.

Paula Barberi Muss is a Data Coordinator on MIRC's Unaccompanied Children's team out of the Grand Rapids office.

Rebeca Ontiveros-Chavez
I am a Managing Attorney at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center’s (MIRC) Washtenaw County office. I serve unaccompanied children who entered the United States and are detained in federal custody in facilities contracted by the Office of Refugee Resettlement or who have been released to sponsors in Michigan. I have also represented individuals in the metro Detroit area on various immigration matters. In 2019, I was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to the Foreign Language Board of Review as the Limited English Proficiency Populations Advocate. I am the co-founder of the Immigrant Justice Lab, an interdisciplinary lab that brings students together from different disciplines at the University of Michigan and MIRC attorneys to work on various projects that advance client needs and improve legal services. I also advocate for equity as a member of the Michigan Advocacy Program’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. I am committed to ensuring that all youth have access to higher education regardless of immigration status and help lead the Michigan Coalition for Undocumented Student Success.

As a law student, I was the Executive Articles Editor of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law and Co-President of the Latino Law Students Association. I was also a Student-Attorney for the Child Welfare Appellate Clinic and the Civil-Criminal Litigation Clinic. Prior to law school, I worked for United States Senator Michael Bennet and was the Communications Director for the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association in Washington, D.C. I am a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Sadia Ghazi is a staff attorney at Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, specifically working on the Unaccompanied Children’s Program. Sadia has experience working with children of all ages. Her experiences include teaching a semester at Hamtramck High School and East English Village High School, working with children with autism as a behavioral technician, and volunteering at a youth summer camp in Southwest Detroit. Sadia received her bachelor’s degree and her J.D. from Wayne State University. During law school, Sadia was a student attorney at the Asylum and Immigration Law Clinic, and Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project. After graduating law school, Sadia worked as a judicial advisory assistant in 7th Circuit Court of Genesee County.

Sestina Real joined MIRC’s Unaccompanied Children’s Program as a Staff Attorney in March of 2022. Ses is a first generation college student and law student who is determined to dismantle existing structural inequities by any means necessary. Prior to receiving her JD from Michigan State University College of Law, Ses obtained a dual degree in Womxn Studies and African American Studies from the University of Georgia. Ses has committed her life to fighting for social justice through public interest, movement lawyering, community organizing, and various other means. She has been a grassroots organizer and activist for the last 10 years. She aims to be an effective part of building lasting and impactful mutual aid networks and coalitions within Black Liberation, Immigrant Rights, Queer Rights, Civil Rights/Liberties, and other social justice organizations and movements on a nationwide scale. Ses has interned with MIRC, and used her time at MSU’s College of Law to actively promote diversity and inclusion by taking on positions on the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, and the Multicultural Executive Council. After graduating, Ses established the “Empowerment Scholarship” award at MSU College of Law, dedicated to helping 3L’s from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds cover the expenses related to the bar exam.

Silvia is a legal assistant with our Unaccompanied Children's Program and is based out of the Ypsilanti office. She volunteered with Michigan United's legal services team where she discerned a call to assist immigrants with navigating the complexities of the US immigration system. She also volunteers with Episcopal Migration Ministries advocating for just immigration policy. She has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and International Relations from the College of William and Mary and a degree in Paralegal studies from Madonna University.

Stephanie Solis is working as a legal assistant serving children on the unaccompanied team in Kalamazoo, MI. She recently obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a minor in Human Rights from Grand Valley State University. Stephanie was born and raised in Southwest Michigan with parents that immigrated from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Prior to joining MIRC, Stephanie worked as a legal intern at the Diocese of Grand Rapids- Immigration Legal Services. Her responsibilities included assisting individuals in the process of filing for citizenship, work permits, asylum, and much more. In addition, she served as a Victim Advocate for the YWCA of Kalamazoo by providing support and resources to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Stephanie has a passion for issues of social justice and enjoys working with families in need. She is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Tammi Cervantes is a legal assistant for the unaccompanied minors program out of the Ypsilanti office. She recently graduated from Michigan State University with her Bachelors in Political Science and minors in Chicano/ Latino studies and Women and Gender Studies. Tammi is a Detroit native but spent some time in Lansing where she worked as an intern at the governor's office prior to starting this role. Tammi is fluent in spanish.