Mrs. Chavarria joined Hurwitz Holt, APLC in 2013.  She has expertise in appeals, federal litigation to compel agency action, removal defense, asylum, humanitarian protections (special immigrant juvenile and victim-relief petitions), family petitions, DACA, and naturalization.  Mrs. Chavarria stepped away from the firm from 2018 until 2023 to design, direct, and oversee the immigration legal strategy, policy, and training at Jewish Family Services of San Diego (JFSSD), while maintaining an active caseload before state and federal courts, and before the Department of Homeland Security.  Under her leadership, Mrs. Chavarria helped JFSSD grow and train a team of 7 to become a team of over 40 legal services professionals and attorneys, managing 4 state and privately-funded programs annually valued at over a million dollars.  In July 2023, Mrs. Chavarria resigned from directing to give more attention to her family, and in so doing returned to Hurwitz Holt, APLC. Since her return to the firm, Mrs. Chavarria has specialized in litigating to compel the government to make decisions on cases unnecessarily delayed, complex removal defense strategy, humanitarian relief, and asylum.

As a reflection of her commitment to a competent immigration practice and to protect the rights of foreign nationals, Mrs. Chavarria has dedicated many years of volunteer service to the community to educate, mentor, and train new attorneys and advocate with government counterparts.  She also volunteers in the community by providing volunteer consultations and pro bono services.  For the last 3 years, she has volunteered for the America Immigration Lawyers Association’s ICE Committee and National Advocacy Committee to travel to Washington DC to advocate for the rights of foreign nationals. She has presented nationally and locally at many conferences and law schools on waivers, state laws, various types of immigration relief, appeals, and border issues.

In her free time, Mrs. Chavarria spends time with her husband and daughter and their rescue dogs and land snails.  As a native Coloradan, she loves to hike and camp with her family. On occasion, you might find her on a snowboard, but only if the lodge is out of hot chocolate.

Membership:

State Bar of California, admitted 2014, Bar No. 297506

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Education:

J.D., California Western School of Law, 2014

B.A., Rockhurst University, 2011 (magna cum laude)

Associations/Affiliations:

Borderlands Get Free Fund Committee, Co-Chair (2022 – 2024)

American Immigration Lawyers Association:

National level – ICE Committee, member (2022 – 2024)

National level – Federal Court Litigation Steering Committee, member (2021 – 2023)

National level – ICE/EOIR Committee, member (2021 – 2022)

Local level – San Diego Chapter’s National Advocacy Committee, Co-Chair (2023 – 2024)

Local level – San Diego Chapter’s State and Local Advocacy Committee, Co-Chair (2022 – 2023)

Local level – San Diego Chapter’s Chair (2020 – 2021)

San Diego Rapid Response Network, Legal Services Subcommittee, Chair (2018 – 2021)

San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, Advisory Board Legal Representative (2017)

In the Media:

“The Justice Department Overturns Policy that Limited Asylum for Survivors of Violence”, KPBS Radio (June 17, 2021)

“Strangers in a strange land: ‘Metering’ makes asylum rights meaningless, immigrant advocates say”, ABA Journal (July 24, 2019)

“‘Remain in Mexico’ policy for migrants creating ambiguity, fear”, Roll Call (April 5, 2019)

“Immigration lawyers struggle to navigate return-to-Mexico policy”, CNN (March 31, 2019)

“Pregnant Mother Fights for Release From Immigration Detention Facility in Otay Mesa”, KPBS (August 25, 2017)

Languages:

English

Spanish (conversational)