Immigration Attorney
Astrid Tello-Rodriguez

Ms. Tello-Rodriguez earned her undergraduate degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, graduated summa cum laude, was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society, and received the state’s Student Lincoln Laureate Award for her school. After graduating, Ms. Tello-Rodriguez went on to earn her master’s in social work (MSW) from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and earned the School of Social Work Suze Orman Award.

Before law school, Ms. Tello-Rodriguez had a variety of experiences with diverse populations. While completing her MSW, she worked with at-risk youth at a residential facility. Post-graduation, she worked with World Relief Moline as an employment specialist assisting newly resettled refugees and was later promoted to employment manager. Immediately prior to law school, Ms. Tello-Rodriguez was the Assistant to the Director of Multicultural Student Life at Augustana College and worked with students of color.

Ms. Tello-Rodriguez earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law. As a law student, she held a variety of public service positions. She volunteered in Iowa Law’s Citizen Lawyer Program where she researched strategic planning best practices for the Iowa Supreme Court’s Access to Justice Commission. She also worked as an immigration legal intern for the Tahirih Justice Center in Baltimore, MD. There, she assisted in preparing time-sensitive immigration case filings for clients fleeing gender-based violence. As an intern for FAMM’s Compassionate Release Clearinghouse, Ms. Tello-Rodriguez tracked federal cases and analyzed court orders and denials for sentence modifications.

However, it was Ms. Tello-Rodriguez’s work as a certified law student practitioner in Iowa Law’s Federal Criminal Defense Clinic that sparked her enthusiasm for criminal defense. In Clinic, Ms. Tello-Rodriguez represented clients with federal drug convictions seeking sentence reductions and federal clemency.

Ms. Tello-Rodriguez is a proud immigrant from Venezuela. As a young child, she immigrated with her mother to Illinois and grew up in Iowa. She is fluent in Spanish and has held positions as an interpreter and translator. Since 2019, she has served on the Board of Directors of Tapestry Farms, a non-profit serving refugees in Davenport, Iowa. Ms. Tello-Rodriguez recently moved to Maryland and enjoys exploring the state's parks and historical sites. She loves spending time outdoors with her family.

Ms. Tello-Rodriguez can be reached at astrid@Jezicfirm.com.