Today’s refugees, asylum-seekers and other immigrants need more than an advisor, counselor or arbiter — they need a champion.
They require a skilled professional who has mastered the technical aspects of immigration, but also a humanitarian who understands the drive, dreams and often the desperation of migrating persons and families.
This type of compassionate defender has a relatively new title: adjudicator. One notable example of an adjudicator working hard for refugees and other immigrants is Toronto’s Deborah Morrish.
The role of adjudicator puts Morrish at the front lines in the fight against human trafficking, persecution and abuse of vulnerable populations worldwide. Her work takes her around the globe, and deep into a range of international issues, including cross-border migration, asylum policy, social and governmental support systems for refugees, and immigrant rights.
“An adjudicator defends refugees against both institutional and social prejudice, helping them succeed amid hostility and bureaucratic indifference,” Morrish explains. “Alone in new lands, refugees are desperate for someone to give them a voice — and a fighting chance.”
Deborah Morrish’s responsibilities require her to act as an advocate and negotiator, and to interact efficiently with government agencies, officials, NGOs, charitable groups, media organizations and advocacy coalitions to improve the lives of refugees in Canada and many other countries.
Her journey into the field of refugee advocacy began more than 35 years ago with her selection as Vice Chair of the Ontario Social Assistance Review Board. Later, she served as Assistant Deputy Chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board, and worked as a consultant for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in South Africa.
Morrish’s educational background includes HBA, BEd and BSc degrees, as well as two master’s degrees, a certificate from the Canada School of Public Service, and a Diploma in Studies in French at La Sorbonne, Paris. Her relevant adjudication credentials include an Alternative Dispute Resolution Certification Parts 1 & 2 in Toronto, Ontario.
Although the plight of refugees is an issue affecting millions, Morrish never loses sight of the individuals and families who need her help. She understands what motivates migrants, and the dangers and obstacles they face along the way.
These are desperate people, whose lives can be changed in an instant by a single government official, one lost document, one misplaced form — or the absence of a skilled advocate when it was needed most. Each case has the potential to end with new opportunities for the refugee, or a new chapter of despair if asylum is denied. These are literally life and death issues.
“There’s lots of detail involved,” she says. “Finding the right agency for a particular case, submitting the proper paperwork on time, communicating effectively with anxious families and the officials who will make life-changing decisions about them. You must be an advocate, but not strident. You must negotiate, build relationships and earn respect.”
Because the task of helping individual refugees is so detail-oriented, Morrish relies on a network of colleagues, professionals and organizations to ensure refugees are able to successfully navigate the vast bureaucratic labyrinth that frustrates the dreams of so many migrants.
On the macro level, Morrish advocates for reform of asylum policy and immigration law. And in the communities where refugees settle, Morrish works to ensure new arrivals are comfortable, safe and welcome, with realistic access to ladders of opportunity.
