Melissa G. Shepard is the Director of Legal Services for ImmDef’s Cross-Border Initiative and Welcoming Project, where she provides removal defense representation and providing legal services and community education to asylum-seekers in the United States as well as at the southern border. ImmDef is one of the largest nonprofit organizations providing legal representation advocacy and deportation defense to marginalized immigrant communities in California. Melissa is the daughter of immigrants, which fuels her passion for immigration law and her dedication to her clients. Melissa has worked in the field of immigration law for over a decade. Melissa has represented individuals in removal proceedings throughout the United States. Prior to joining ImmDef, she represented clients in complex family-based immigration cases and naturalization.

She represents the Southern California Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) as a Liaison for several different committees and serves on AILA National committees. Through her work, she continues to advocate for immigrants’ rights and ensuring justice for her clients.

Melissa is fluent in Spanish and is based in Santa Ana, California. Melissa has been interviewed as an expert in immigration law for media outlets including the Los Angeles Times, the Associated Press, Univision, and Telemundo.