Mr. Erick Barragán, Accredited Representative with Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s (CSS) Immigration Legal Services office, was recently selected by AL DÍA as a 2021 “40 Under Forty” honoree. Erick was selected from a field of nearly 180 young professionals from throughout the Philadelphia area.

The AL DÍA “40 Under Forty” initiative serves to highlight and showcase some of the most diverse and impactful young professionals in the metropolitan region.

The honorees were selected by a panel of 10 judges based on the following criteria: under the age of 40, involvement in their community, career achievements, academic credentials, and meaningful contributions to their industry.

Erick was nominated by his colleagues at The Welcoming Center, which is based in Philadelphia. He is part of the organization’s Advisory Council and has volunteered there for an extended period of time. The Welcoming Center aims to promote inclusive economic growth through immigrant integration.

In his current role with CSS, Erick serves as a Department of Justice (DOJ) Accredited Representative in the Immigration Legal Services Office. CSS’s goal to provide comprehensive, high quality, affordable Immigration Legal Services serving families and individuals throughout the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia and within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Philadelphia District Office and the Philadelphia Immigration Court.

In speaking about the distinction, Erick said, “I feel happy and grateful for this award. It has been a long journey since I moved to the United States to further develop myself. I have achieved this through the empowerment from different organizations and individuals who have been kind enough to give a hand to a stranger and make him feel at home and capable to do the same for others.”

Originally from Mexico, Erick graduated from La Barra Nacional de Abogados in Mexico City with a law degree. He then went on to earn a Masters in Law, specializing in Mexican constitutional law and human rights.

Erick served as the Secretary of the Interior at Cenegas, Mexico’s National Gas Control Center, where he was directly in charge of the application of contractual conditions maintaining a cordial and constructive relationship between the employer and the employees.

After moving to the United States in 2017, Erick worked as a legal coordinator at Esperanza.

Erick is also a committee member for the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) Philadelphia Chapter.

In his daily work, Erick draws on his previous experience with Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission to serve people in a vulnerable situation in a manner that is as friendly as possible.

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Editor’s Note: Attached is a picture of Erick Barragán for publication purposes with credit to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.