Imagine a world in which you would flee your homeland, risking life and limb, possible deportation and/or prison to build a better life for you and your family. Against all odds, the perils of the journey, scant possessions carried across your back, knowing anything would be better than the sheer poverty, persecution and/or violence and abuse you face at home.

Roxana Cortés-Mills can. She’s heard their stories. But she’s also lived them. An immigrant herself, she is all too familiar with their plight, which is why she chose from a young age to serve as their advocate. At 11, she moved from Mexico to reconnect with her father, an immigrant, who had found work at a frozen-food packing plant.

Today, the married mother of one is legal director of the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement (CIRA), a nonprofit law firm whose mission is to empower immigrants and refugees to live confidently through high-quality legal representation, resettlement, and social work and to create welcoming communities through education and advocacy.

Citing strength in numbers, the firm decided to expand its outreach just a few years ago.

“In 2022, CIRA (formerly Immigrant Legal Center) solidified its impact by merging with the Refugee Empowerment Center (REC), creating a powerful force for empowering immigrants and refugees in our community,” the agency said.

Roxana is among a series of lawyers being profiled in The Daily Record, as a tribute to their work in the legal profession, and more specifically, in her case, helping people know their rights, regardless of their immigration status, who dwell within our borders.

In addition to legal representation, refugee services and social services, providing holistic support, CIRA also revised its Rights and Planning Guide, first created in 2017, in December 2024, which is posted on its website, as available resources.

“It is intended to help individuals and families who are facing potential immigration detention or removal/deportation or those who have been subjected to discrimination based on their national origin,” the agency said.

However, the guide is intended to be used as a collective community resource and is not intended as a source of legal or other advice. Nor does it create an attorney-client relationship, they noted.

“While there is much uncertainty regarding current and future immigration enforcement policies, the guide provides information and resources for noncitizens to assert their constitutional rights and protect themselves and their loved ones right now,” information on their website states.

As Associate Legal Director at Immigrant Legal Center, Cortés-Mills managed a team of attorneys, DOJ-accredited representatives, and paralegals across ILC’s offices statewide.

During that time, she specialized in cases involving immigrant children and their families. She also appeared before Nebraska State Courts and the Omaha Immigration Court, most notably winning two appeals before the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Cortés-Mills graduated magna cum laude from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with majors in Psychology, Latino/Latin American Studies and Spanish. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law, Class of 2016.

During her third year at Nebraska Law, she served as a Senior Certified Law Student in the law school’s immigration clinic. Her representation of immigrants through that clinic led her to receive the Pat Gies Memorial Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions in the field of education and community service.

Fluent in Spanish, she also taught immigration law courses as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Metropolitan Community College, according to her bio.

Here are some insights into her choice of careers.

• Why Did You Choose To Be A Lawyer:

I am an immigrant and the daughter of immigrants. Growing up, the list of acceptable career paths was short: doctor or lawyer and I chose the latter. But in truth, the choice felt natural. From an early age, I had to learn how to advocate for my parents, navigating systems on their behalf. Becoming a lawyer was simply a way to continue that work and extend it beyond my family to others in need.

• What Type Of Law Did You Specialize In:

Immigration.

• If Nonprofit Or Pro Bono, Why Did You Pick That Field:

I initially chose to work in the nonprofit sector to gain broad experience across a wide variety of cases as quickly as possible, and because I wanted to help as many people as I could without needing to charge for my services. I quickly came to understand the profound impact that our skills, law license, and advocacy can have in communities with high needs and limited resources, and I’ve never looked back.

• The Importance Of Lawyers To Society:

Our legal framework, Constitution, and the system of checks and balances established by our Founding Fathers can only endure if lawyers actively work to uphold the law and safeguard our institutions.

• What Are The Rewards Of The Job:

The impacts our work has on the daily lives of our clients.

• What Are The Biggest Challenges:

One of the biggest challenges in my work is navigating the constantly changing policies that shape immigration law and directly affect the lives of those we serve. Equally difficult is the shortage of qualified immigration attorneys across our state, which makes it even harder for many people to access the legal help they urgently need.

• What Is Your Proudest Moment And/Or Accomplishment:

As an attorney, one of the proudest moments in my career was having the opportunity to argue before the Nebraska Supreme Court and, through that advocacy, help expand access to our family courts for unaccompanied children in Nebraska. On a human level, my proudest moment came when a client shared that the work permit I helped him obtain allowed him to get a driver’s license and, with it, take his family on their first vacation to the beach in over 20 years. What took only a small amount of my time had an impact far greater than I could have imagined.

• Honors, Awards Or Publications:

Nebraska Supreme Court victories*:

· Sabino v. Ozuna, 305 Neb. 176, 939 N.W. 2d 757 (2020)

· Alberto v. State (In re Luis J.), 300 Neb. 659, 915 N.W. 2d 589 (2018)

(*Clarified that Nebraska State Courts have the authority to issue findings of fact in support of a Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petition, provided the record contains sufficient evidence.)

• Best Advice To New Lawyers:

The best advice I can give to new lawyers is to be clear about your “why”: why you chose to go to law school, and why you chose this field or industry. On the hard days (and there will be many), return to that purpose. Let your “why” be your North Star and strive each day to live up to the values and vision that led you here.

• After A Hard Day In Court/With A Client, How Do You Unwind:

I like to go to the studio to practice hot yoga and spend quality time with my daughter and husband, in-house general counsel for Union Pacific.

• If You Could Change One Thing About Your Profession:

I would make it a requirement, rather than a suggestion, that all attorneys provide a specific number of hours of pro bono representation each year. I believe that, far from feeling like a chore, most attorneys would quickly discover how rewarding and impactful it is to use their skills to serve those who truly need legal representation but cannot afford it.

• What People Don’t Know About You:

I have a deep love for both teaching and practicing law. Inspired by those passions, one of my long-term goals is to become a clinical professor at an immigration law clinic. Outside of work, I enjoy tending to my vegetable garden, traveling the world, and learning about different cultures, foods, and traditions. I also have a cat named Russell Abogato. It is a play between two Spanish words, abogado (attorney in Spanish) and gato (cat). We adopted him from the Nebraska Humane Society during the pandemic when I was working from home, and he quickly became an honorary attorney, given that he joined all my legal meetings, as well as my research and writing days.

• Should A President Be Above The Law In Terms Of Immunity:

The president should not be above the law. As the individual who holds the highest position in our government, the president sets the tone for the values and standards we model as a society. Upholding the rule of law, without exception, is essential to maintaining the integrity of our democracy.

• What More Is Needed To Make Sure We Have A Fair And Just Government:

Accountability at all levels of our government, especially the federal government.

• What Is Needed To Solve The Immigration/Refugee Problem:

We need an updated immigration system that thoughtfully addresses the push and pull factors driving migration to the U.S., with a strong commitment to human rights and humanitarian principles. It should account for our evolving labor needs and the demographic challenges of declining populations, particularly in rural areas. Just as importantly, it must include a meaningful pathway to legal status for long-time immigrants who have contributed to our economy and the fabric of our society for years yet continue to live in the shadows.

• What Do You Want The Immigration/Refugee Community To Know:

That we support them, we welcome them, and we are here to help them.

• Why Do People Stake Everything To Live In The United States:

Because whatever challenges they may face in the U.S. are minor compared to the persecution, violence, poverty, or abuse they endured in their home countries.

• Who Or What Inspires You:

My parents, my clients, and the idea that I am setting an example for my daughter of how to live a life and a profession with purpose.

• What’s Your Secret Sauce, So To Speak:

Remembering my why and always looking for opportunities to grow in the professional setting.

• How Did You Celebrate Law Day:

Representing the most vulnerable people living in Nebraska.