L. Patricia Ice

L. Patricia Ice is a seasoned immigration attorney and Director of the MIRA Legal Project. Her career exemplifies a steadfast commitment to advocacy and community service, with a focus on empowering underserved populations. She holds a B.A. in History from Spelman College, an M.A. in Linguistics from Ohio University, and an M.L.I.S. (Library Science), and a J.D. (Law) from Wayne State University. She is admitted to practice law in Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and before the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Ice’s professional journey began with international service as a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer, teaching English in Porto Novo, Benin, during the 1980s. Her teaching career extended to the Philippines, Haiti, Honduras, and the United States, where her interactions with immigrant communities inspired her interest in immigration law.

In 1998, Ice relocated to Mississippi, working initially as a reference librarian at the Mississippi College School of Law. The following year, she began practicing immigration law in collaboration with the Catholic Diocese of Jackson and the Mississippi United Methodist Hispanic Ministries in Scott County. Her dedication to serving immigrant communities deepened with the formation of the MIRA (Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance), where she volunteered as a board member before joining its staff in 2006.

As the creator of the MIRA Legal Project, Ms. Ice expanded access to legal services for immigrants, earning an Equal Justice Works Katrina Legal Fellowship to support this initiative. She remains a prominent advocate, combining her expertise in linguistics and law to address the complex needs of her clients.

A long-standing member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Ms. Ice also contributes regularly to immigration discourse through advice columns published in The Jackson Advocate and the Spanish-language newspaper La Noticia.

L. Patricia Ice’s career reflects her unwavering dedication to justice, education, and advocacy for immigrant communities, making her a highly respected figure in immigration law.

Law Office Affiliations

• Legal Project Director, Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance (MIRA)
• Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association
• Member, Mississippi State Bar

Licensed State

• Michigan
• Mississippi
• New Mexico

Education

• Wayne State University
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Ohio University
  MA in Linguistics and MLIS in Library Science
• Spelman College
  BA in History

Awards & Badges