Our Partner Medya Ansari and her entire family immigrated to the United States from Iran in 2004. 

Ansari’s grandparents petitioned for her family to come to the United States. But her father had to go back to Iran. 

At that same time, former-president Donald Trump issued a travel ban on several countries, including Iran. With the travel ban in place, her father could not immigrate back to the U.S. and her family became a victim of family separation.

Already pursuing a law degree in immigration, Ansari’s motivation for helping immigrants became stronger.  

During her undergraduate years at the University of California, Merced, Ansari helped initiate the university’s first ever law clinic. She became the director of the law clinic and helped connect students and community members to local attorneys. Under the clinic, Ansari also hosted “Know Your Rights” events on campus.

At UC Merced, Ansari also worked for the Merced County Public Defender’s Office, helping underrepresented communities and public defenders to prepare cases for criminal trials. In her schooling years, Ansari went on to get more experience in criminal law at the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPSC) ,which helped her understand the intersection of criminal law and immigration. Currently, she has successfully helped many immigrants with criminal records who have faced deportation.

During her time at the New England Law school in Boston, Ansari joined the CARA Pro Bono Project in Boston, helping detained women and children with asylum cases. She also volunteered at Boston Logan International Airport helping attorneys that were assisting immigrants and green card holders from countries affected by the travel ban.

Ansari graduated from the New England Law school in 2017 on the Dean’s list and with the President Anna E. Hirsch Award in deep appreciation of her dedicated service to fellow law students, the law school, and the legal profession. 

After law school, Ansari joined the American Immigration Lawyers Association Santa Clara Chapter in 2018 and she now serves as the Asylum Liaison since 2020. 

After waiting for so long, finally, in 2021, President Biden removed the travel ban and Ansari’s father can now join her to live in the United States. 

With all Ansari’s experience in all types of immigration cases and her history of helping hundreds of immigrants become united with their families, she now hopes to help you solve your case and get you through the complex process with ease!

Current Employment Positions

• Getachew & Ansari Immigration Attorneys, P.C., Partner

Current Involvements

• American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA) Santa Clara Chapter, Asylum Liaison

• American Immigration Lawyer Association (AILA) Santa Clara Chapter, Member

• Iranian-American Bar Association (IABA, Participant)

Past Positions

• CARA Pro Bono Project, Legal Intern
• Committee for Public Counsel Services, Student Attorney SJC Rule 3:03 Certified
• Coughlin Law Group PC, Legal Intern
• City of Boston Retirement Board, Legal Intern
• Shah Peerally Law Group PC, Law Clerk
• Demissie & Church, Legal Intern
• Rosie’s Place, Legal Intern
• Law Office of Ruben Munoz, Law Clerk
• Merced Public Defender’s Office, Intern

Bar Admissions

• State of Massachusetts

Education

• New England Law, Boston, Massachusetts
  • J.D., Doctor of Law in Immigration and Criminal Defense 
    • Recipient, President Anna E. Hirsch Award
    • President of Immigration Law Association (ILA)
    • Evening Liaison of Asain Pacific American Law Association (APALSA)
• University of California Merced
  • B.A., Bachelor of Arts in International Political Science
    • Honors in Law Clinic

• University of California Merced
  • B.S., Bachelor of Science in Business Management
    • Internal Vice President
    • Merced Pre-Law Society