Pacific West Injury Law Awards $2,500 Scholarship to Maryland Native Emily Eason

    LAS VEGAS, NV, October 23, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- University of Maryland, College Park student Emily Eason was awarded the Pacific West Injury Law Changing the Law Scholarship. The college junior won the $2,500 award with her essay addressing an Alabama immigration law that prohibits undocumented students living in that state from applying to college.

Every year new laws are passed in our country. Unfortunately, the old ones that remain on the books are often outdated and need refinement or abolishment to reflect current culture. According to Eason, an example of a law needing to be abolished is the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act.

The Alabama legislation was signed into law in 2011 upon the state's findings that "illegal immigration is causing economic hardship and lawlessness" in the state. Eason's essay contends that states without this prohibition bolster the U.S. socially and economically.

They do this through entrepreneurial endeavors, reducing prison costs for taxpayers, and funding American welfare programs.

She stated in her essay that higher education helps undocumented immigrants earn more money and contribute more to the Social Security Trust Fund. Additionally, the challenges many undocumented immigrants face in establishing themselves in America help qualify them to build companies and careers that benefit society.

Eason's interest in U.S. immigration policy began in her middle school Spanish class. That's where she learned the reasons many families take on the challenges of journeying to America in pursuit of a better life.

Eason said her teacher had her class research various cities within Spanish-speaking countries before learning the Spanish alphabet. "I learned the ability to acknowledge different cultural phenomena was just as valuable, if not more valuable than the capability of speaking Spanish fluently," she said.

Eason has her sights set on specializing in global immigration law, working as a corporate counsel. She also plans to expand Latina Pathways, the campus club she founded, into a national nonprofit providing undocumented, low-income Latinas with healthcare, free legal services, and career preparedness workshops.

Pacific West Injury Law is a personal injury law firm founded by Kristopher M. Helmick and serves Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas. Pacific West has helped clients who suffered from dog bites, car accidents, slip and falls, and more.

The Changing the Law Scholarship is part of the firm's drive to improve our laws by empowering and rewarding the country's next generation of lawyers. For more information about our scholarship program, call or contact us through our website.

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