Rex Chen

Immigrant rights litigator at a civil rights legal nonprofit, including identifying and developing new immigrant rights litigation. Being LatinoJustice PRLDEF's lead immigrant rights spokesperson. Helping the team with legislative, policy, and campaign work. Brainstorm litigation ideas and projects with community members, immigration litigators, civil rights groups, and pro bono lawyers. Challenge laws to create a more just society. Transform harmful systems, empower communities, fight for racial justice, and grow the next generation of lideres!

Led LSNYC's immigration practice, which included around 45 attorneys, paralegals, and social workers in offices through NYC. In 2024, won the AILA award for advancing the practice of immigration law. In 2023, chaired AILA's Litigation Institute. In 2020, helped sue the immigration court system about deadlines for non-detained cases in NYC Immigration Courts and issued a practice advisory on seeking continuances due to Covid health concerns.

Was one of Safe Passage Project's Managing Attorneys. Provided free legal services to unaccompanied minors in NYC Immigration Court, including related family court proceedings where appropriate. Working with volunteer attorneys and providing direct representation. Issues included asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile status for abused, abandoned, or neglected children; and termination motions to challenge government mistreatment. Supervised a team focused on Long Island children from 2017-2019.

Adjunct teacher of the Child Advocacy Clinic, which handles family court and immigration court for abused, abandoned, or neglected immigrant children who qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile status along with family court cases involving alleged abuse or neglect. It is an in-house, one-semester litigation and policy reform clinic. Co-taught with Professor Jennifer Baum.

Supervised the Youth Project, including its work to provide legal assistance to unaccompanied minors on the priority docket in NYC Immigration Court.

Supervised staff that serve the legal needs of immigrants in all areas including filing petitions, avoiding deportation, obtaining bond, fingerprint adults to qualify as custodians of detained children, and offer free orientations of custodians of unaccompanied children. Also handled immigration cases with specific expertise in seeking late-TPS for children and suppression motions in immigration court after illegal searches and raids.

graduated with honors, active in the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association at NYU Law and in the NYC region.