FLIPPABLE: Maureen Porras for FL-HD105
Maureen was born in Nicaragua and immigrated to Miami at the age of seven. Her own immigration experience and her love for South Florida's cultural diversity led her to pursue a career as an immigration attorney and advocate. Since 2008, Maureen has been providing access to legal services to the most vulnerable and underserved immigrant populations, including refugees, asylees, victims of abuse, and victims of trafficking and crimes.
Maureen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University where she graduated cum laude in 2010. While attending FIU, she interned with former U.S. Congressional Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, where she assisted immigrants through various projects. Maureen earned her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2014, where she graduated with pro bono honors for her work with the Human and Immigrant Rights Clinic and as President of the Immigration Law Society (VISA). As a student clinician for her law school's Human and Immigrant Rights Clinic, Maureen successfully represented immigrants at USCIS and before the Immigration Court. Maureen became a member of the Florida Bar in September of 2014.
Maureen currently serves as Director of Immigration Legal Services at Church World Service (CWS). CWS is a global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable economic and social development in communities worldwide, and to assisting vulnerable immigrant populations through legal services and refugee resettlement. Maureen is highly active in the immigration field and often serves on panels and as a speaker at events and forums on immigration.
She is married to her husband, Caleb Johnston, who is also a dedicated public servant employed as an attorney for the State of Florida in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Maureen and Caleb are proud to call Doral and District 105 their home.
https://maureenporras.vote