Leland Baxter-Neal JD ’15

06/29/2018

Leland Baxter-Neal JD ’15 has taken a position with the ACLU of Oregon. Previously, Baxter-Neal worked at Immigrant Defense Oregon, a project at Metropolitan Public Defender. There, he represented people in deportation proceedings and worked with unaccompanied minors held in a secure detention facility. He also worked to improve access to immigration legal services and with Oregon Ready to help develop and advocate for a universal representation project at the Portland immigration court. In his first week with the ACLU, Baxter-Neal fought the federal government for access to the 123 immigrants and asylum seekers in ICE custody who had just been shipped to the federal prison in Sheridan. The following week, he helped secure a major victory in federal court when the judge found that the federal government was unconstitutionally preventing Baxter-Neal and other pro bono attorneys from entering the prison or communicating with the immigrants detained there. The judge ordered that the lawyers be allowed access.