Human Rights Awards
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What is CLARO
The Colectivo Legal Accesible Razonable y Organizado (CLARO) is a democratically-run and operated collective focusing on removal defense, the life or death remedy for persecuted immigrants from around the world. CLARO provides critical immigration services to Santa Clara County residents. CLARO has a perfect win rate for immigrants persecuted on account of political opinion, gender violence, or membership in a particular social group at political asylum hearings in the San Francisco Immigration Court for the past four years. Due to the severe lack of service providers for asylum, CLARO has also filed over 120 asylum applications pro se to sustain their cases and seek employment authorization. In November 2024 Human Agenda received recognition from the U.S. Department of Justice and paralegal accreditation, allowing non-attorneys to represent immigrants before the USCIS.
Immigration Services Offered by CLARO:
CONSULTATIONS
To be added to our list to receive a free consultation, call, WhatsApp (preferred) and provide us with this information:
Full Name
Phone Number
Best Language
City of residence
The last entry date for the United States
A# if you have one
Immigration Court hearing date, if you have one
Children or spouses who are here with you in the U.S. and would need immigration legal services as well
Call or WhatsApp (Preferred) Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. PT: (+1)-408-759-9571
REPRESENTATION
Free or low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrant community members with remedies such as:
Removal Defense
Asylum
Withholding of Removal
Protection under the Convention Against Torture
Non-LPR Cancellation of Removal
Removal Defense
Affirmative Asylum
U Visas
T Visas
VAWA
Adjustment of Status on the basis of any of the above
Asylee or Refugee Family Petitions
Employment Authorization Document applications
Meet our CLARO Team Members:
Liliya Paraketsova has led the CLARO program of Human Agenda since March 2020. She has litigated dozens of asylum cases in immigration court and secured affirmative immigration benefits, including work permits, for hundreds of immigrants. At the core of her practice is her own experience as an immigrant in this country under vulnerable circumstances and this has fueled her dedication to creating systemic change that supports a future where there is equal access for all human rights. Liliya is a native Russian speaker in addition to being fluent in Spanish and English. She worked with refugees in Ecuador and South Africa, as well as with human trafficking victims in Michigan prior to practicing immigration law in California. Liliya got her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in May 2018, and she has been a member of the New York bar since July 2019. She has seven years of management experience she gained prior to law school and a B.B.A. in international business and management from the University of Hawaii.
Felipe Romero joined the CLARO team as a staff attorney in October 2023. With a focus on humanitarian cases, he has represented clients at the San Francisco Immigration Court in their asylum proceedings. As a first-generation Latinx attorney born to immigrant parents from rural Mexico, Felipe's dedication to defending human rights and supporting immigrants stems from the stories his parents shared during their undocumented journey in the United States. He has witnessed firsthand the one-sidedness of the immigration system, which motivated him to seek change and assist those striving to immigrate to the United States for safety and a better life. He is a native Spanish speaker. Felipe earned his JD from Santa Clara University School of Law, where he also received a certificate in Public International Law. He also holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Law and Society from California State University, Los Angeles.
Emily Moncada, DOJ accredited representative, has been at Human Agenda’s CLARO program since June 2023. Since joining the CLARO Team, she has helped provide removal defense and affirmative immigration legal services to CLARO clients, many of them GBV survivors. Born in San Jose and raised by her immigrant parents, Emily grew up seeing her community struggle to access health, immigration, legal, and educational resources. Acknowledging the social, economic, and class disparities that exist for immigrants and people of color in the United States, she continued to work on expanding social justice work in legal services to combat the inequalities she grew up seeing in San Jose. Emily received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law with a certificate in Public Interest and Social Justice Law. She has a B. A. from University of California Davis in Political Science with emphasis in U.S. Politics and International Relations and minors in Human Rights and Social/Cultural Anthropology
Crystal Mendoza, legal assistant at Human Agenda, started her career as an intern while pursuing her undergraduate degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Business at San Jose State University. Her parents, both undocumented immigrants, had the privilege of obtaining lawful status in the United States. Her passion for working in the legal field stems from her personal background and experiences.
Hugo Servin, a dedicated legal assistant at Human Agenda Claro, joined the team in September 2025. With nine years of experience in immigration law, he possesses a wealth of knowledge and a personal commitment to advancing equity and social justice. This commitment stems from his own journey as an immigrant, which was further fueled by his B.A. in Sociology from San Jose State University.
Robin Bernstein is Senior Attorney at Human Agenda having worked in immigration law for over 10 years. She is a staunch advocate for individuals who have faced tremendous hardship in their home country, who now seek a better life in the United States and passionate about helping migrants navigate through our nation’s confusing immigration system.
Robin is a graduate of Rutgers School of Law (2006), and is admitted to both the New York and New Jersey bars. She received a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from University of Southern California, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting and Finance from Syracuse University. Her experience in anthropology informs her immigration work in terms of understanding different cultures.
Robin works remotely and lives in Sacramento, CA with her wife, two dogs, and two cats.
Ana Perez, a committed legal assistant at Human Agenda, CLARO, works everyday to pursue her passion towards helping immigrant communities. Her interests grew based on the beginning of her career as an intern while she studied at San Jose State University with a major in Justice Studies concentration in Criminology, recently graduating in 2025. Currently, she is focused on her journey to become a DOJ-accredited representative to help clients face court cases. Being the eldest of an immigrant family, she grew up seeing the struggles of immigrant families and the disadvantages they face in their daily lives, rooting for her to approach this legal field to bring families together.
