Phil Davies ’14

Changing Lives through Legal Advocacy and a Global Perspective

When Albuquerque native Phil Davies was choosing a college, he didn’t need much convincing to come to NMSU. His two older brothers both loved their Aggie experience, and a visit to our beautiful campus clinched the deal over his urban hometown university.

Phil threw himself into NMSU campus life, participating in student government and intramural sports — and he started to get to know some international students. “I fell into that crowd immediately. I found the international students to be fun, ambitious, and wanting to see all that New Mexico had to offer.” He became an Aggie Ambassador, and in that role often was “the first friend that an international student made.”

Soon, Phil himself became an international student, spending his sophomore year on a study abroad program in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he learned Spanish, became immersed in soccer culture, and enjoyed hiking in Patagonia. Somewhere along the way, his passport was stolen. At the U.S. consulate, Phil had to wrangle with the system and go through multiple levels of bureaucrats to get an emergency passport, and this experience opened his eyes to the systems and infrastructures associated with immigration issues, piquing his interest in border concerns.

INVOLVEMENT WITH BORDER ISSUES

Upon his return to NMSU, Phil started writing about border issues for his advanced journalism classes, and as part of his research he interviewed several immigration attorneys — that’s when his career path fell into place. “I always felt called to serve, and this seemed like the right fit for what I was good at, what I cared about, and what I could get paid for. I saw the need for competent, compassionate immigration attorneys, and it seemed like a perfect way to make my mark.”

Phil headed to law school at the University of New Mexico after receiving his journalism degree from NMSU: “Having a clear ambition helped me focus and enjoy the law school experience.” While in law school, he took an internship in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties investigating allegations of abuses in immigration detention centers and then an internship at the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section. His legal career officially began when he was hired into the Department of Justice (DOJ) Honors Program, the premier entry-level federal attorney recruitment program, and went to Texas to work for the San Antonio Immigration Court.

Although he knew he wanted to eventually go into the nonprofit sector, Phil says that working for the DOJ was like “getting a Ph.D. in immigration law. It was a good opportunity to gain exposure to the inner workings of the administrative body I’d be practicing in front of.” He spent two years at the DOJ, working primarily in detention centers in south Texas advising judges on complex immigration issues and changes to state and federal law.

ENTERING THE WORLD OF NONPROFIT LAW

When his DOJ contract was up, Phil decided to rest and recharge by taking six months off to travel the world. During his travels, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) invited him to apply for a position. “There I was, in a marathon interview session by Zoom, mostly in Spanish, sitting in a hostel on the Red Sea in Egypt with unreliable Wi-Fi.” He got the job, and although he had planned to return to the U.S. in March 2020, they asked him to start work in February — and he got home just in time.

With several offices across Texas, RAICES takes a holistic view of immigration and operates in several arenas: the courts, government administrative offices, social services, and advocacy. The job is always interesting, Phil says, because “geopolitical crises show up on America’s doorstep a few months later.”

Today, Phil provides pro bono representation for clients directly as part of the “removal and community integration services” team, helping clients navigate DHS regulations, assisting unaccompanied minors, and advocating for individuals from all over the world (including Eritrea, Somalia, Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan) in deportation, asylum, spousal petition, naturalization, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) cases. He also works to obtain visas for victims of crime or trafficking.

The bureaucracy surrounding immigration and travel can be complex and daunting, and at RAICES Phil founded a program to help homeless individuals recover their identification; that is, those who have lost their green card or immigration papers, which are necessary to obtain housing services. “These people are already lawful citizens, but for a variety of reasons have been unable to manage the paperwork to establish themselves. It’s rewarding to help people take the first step in finding housing and a more stable life after years on the streets because they don’t have the right piece of paper.”

Often, the work is emotional and stressful, and Phil has solid routines in place to keep himself physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy. But regardless of the emotional turmoil, he’s happiest when he can be of service to others. “I’d rather be on the front line doing what I can than knowing these folks aren’t getting any representation, counsel, or just advice.” Phil concludes, “I’m proud of what I do, accepting the responsibility to help with problems I’ve seen with my own eyes.”

NMSU WAS THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

Phil credits NMSU for much of his success in his chosen field. “You need to be nimble, and my experiences at NMSU set the foundation to teach me to adjust quickly to emerging circumstances and figure things out on the fly.”

His advice for current students? “Get involved! There’s lots to do at NMSU if you put yourself out there. I loved my classes, but the most important education I received was being part of ASNMSU, the study abroad program, KRUX, and being an Aggie Ambassador — interacting with the community!”

For recent alumni, Phil says the best education is leaving your country. “Study abroad changed my life and gave me the courage to travel the world. At 33, I’ve been to 40 countries on six continents — that’s been the real education in my life. NMSU gave me the opportunity to become bold and take my education and career in my own hands.”

To find out more about the work of RAICES, visit raicestexas.org