Dayan Castañeda Muñoz

Program Manager

Make an appointment with Dayan

Dayan, born in Panama City, Panama and raised by a single mother from Peru, holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Utah. As the Program Manager at USS, Dayan oversees daily operations and leads the team with passion and dedication. Her personal journey, having been undocumented in the past, fuels her deep commitment to supporting undocumented students in achieving higher education. Dayan believes in providing every student with the resources and encouragement they need to succeed. Outside of work, she enjoys the beach with friends, exploring new foods, and soaking up the San Diego sun!

Pricila Rodriguez

Program Coordinator

Make an appointment with Pricila

Pricila is a first-generation daughter of parents who migrated to Tucson, Arizona, from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. At the age of fourteen, her father was detained, imprisoned for three years, and subsequently deported. Due to ever-increasing immigration control policies, her family has been separated since. Immigration, incarceration, and education have profoundly influenced her life and research interests, shaping her career development.

As the Program Coordinator for the Undocumented Student Services, Pricila oversees the professional development programming and services offered to students, specifically the Personal and Career Experience (PACE) Fellowship program and the Equity Grant program. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with her to discuss these programs. They can also schedule an individual consultation to discuss academic and professional goals, financial aid questions, and graduate school preparation.

Pricila is currently completing her Doctorate in the field of Ethnic Studies. Her research highlights the legacies of slavery and settler colonialism as foundational to the development of schooling in the US, arguing that schooling is a race-making project. To better address the racial disparities that continue to plague the education system, these legacies must first be contended with to make the promise of education and its opportunities available to all.

Andres Lemons

Immigration Attorney

Make an appointment with Andres

Andrés Lemons is a Staff Attorney with the UC Immigrant Legal Services Center and serves the UC San Diego students, staff, and their immediate family. Andrés obtained both his B.A. in Philosophy and his law degree, with a focus on immigration law, at the University of Arizona. He worked for nine years in New York City at CUNY Citizenship Now!, where he provided free immigration legal services including naturalization assistance, family-based adjustment of status, and consular processing. More recently, Andrés had a private immigration-law practice focusing on family-based immigration law as well as artist visas. He is admitted to practice law in California, New York, and Arizona, and is fluent in Spanish. Andrés enjoys playing flamenco guitar and traveling.  

Angelica Escobar

Paralegal

Make an appointment with Angelica

Angelica is a first-generation college student who graduated from UC Riverside with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Administrative Studies, with an emphasis in Business Marketing. Her interest in the law field and passion for social justice led her to pursue a Paralegal Certificate from Cerritos College. As a Mexican-American woman of color, she realized her calling was to serve the undocumented community, especially those who feel powerless and defeated by the justice system.

As a paralegal at Undocumented Student Services (USS), Angelica has the privilege of working alongside Immigration Attorney Andres Lemons to assist UC San Diego students and their loved ones with their immigration cases. Apart from assisting with legal matters, she also supports Program Manager Dayan Castaneda and Program Coordinator Pricila Rodriguez with educational workshops, presentations, and on-campus events.

Angelica firmly believes that all human beings should be treated with equal respect and dignity, regardless of their legal, social, or economic status. She is proud to be a part of the USS team, as the team not only aims for students to succeed in higher education but also strives to ensure they have a positive college experience. Angelica admires the resilience of undocumented college students and, through her role at USS, is dedicated to providing a safe space for students by empowering them to advocate for themselves and find strength in their voices.

Rei Perez Munoz

(they/them)

USS Program Assistant

Born in Havana, Cuba, Rei immigrated to the U.S. in the early 2000s and has lived in CA for most of their life. They completed their B.A. in Anthropology with a Bio Conc. from UC San Diego and are now pursuing an M.S. in Child & Family Development at SDSU. Their research focuses on the effects of structural racism on the physical and mental health of Latinx communities.

As the USS Program Assistant, Rei works directly with UC San Diego students to support their professional and educational growth. Rei is available for appointments to discuss the Personal and Career Experience (PACE) Fellowship Program and other USS services. If you are interested in graduate school or need help navigating the campus and everything it offers, please reach out to them—they are happy to chat! 

Jade Chambers

Multimedia and Marketing Intern

Jade is a 4th-year at UCSD, double majoring in both Japanese Studies and Visual Arts: Studio. She's passionate about video games and Creative, and she hopes to intersect the two into a career someday. She was the previous UCSD Esports President, and she has interned for companies like Japan Airlines and ZOWIE. This year, Jade is looking forward to supporting the undocumented community and finish her final year here at UC San Diego strong!

Mehak Sahota

Multimedia and Marketing Intern

Mehak is 4th-year at UCSD, majoring in Communication and minoring in Marketing. Her role consists of creating marketing materials, managing the USS website and social media, as well as writing monthly newsletters. As a first generation student, working for USS allows her to support the community in navigating the hardships that come along with pursuing higher education.

Laura Maya

 Administrative Assistant Intern

Laura has been the Admin Assistant Intern at USS since 2024. Her position allows her to help connect students with the professional staff alongside helping oversee the Yes Food Program. She is a first-generational Pre-Law student graduating from UCSD in June 2025.

Lynicia Moody

Legal Intern

Lynicia is currently a 4th-year Business Economics major with a minor in Human Rights & Migration. She assists the attorney and paralegal with administrative tasks such as filling out immigration forms and filing background checks. She previously worked as a Professional Development intern managing the PACE program since 2023. Lynicia has lived in San Diego her whole life but will never reveal which part lol. Her goal is to become an immigration attorney one day. She loves R&B music and getting to know everyone who comes into the space!

Jazlyn Contreras

Legal Intern

Jazlyn is a legal intern at USS and originally from Los Angeles. She started working here in 2023 and she assists the attorney with administrative tasks such as filling out immigration forms or filing background checks! Jazlyn really enjoys working at USS, as she hopes to be an immigration attorney in the future, and she is passionate about immigration law and policy.

Yohana Silva Gonzalez

Professional Development Intern

Yohana is a first-generation college student pursuing a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science with a specialization in Design and Interaction. She previously served as the Early Outreach Intern, supporting community events for undocumented students. This 2024-25 academic year, she will be working as the Professional Development Intern, where she will be supporting the PACE Fellowship Program. Yohana is passionate about working with Undocumented Student Services (USS) because she understands the challenges that undocumented students face. She hopes that through her role, she can support students with navigating the complexities of higher education.

Xiomara Aguilar

Professional Development Intern

Xiomara is one of the Professional Development Interns at USS. Her job involves assisting the professional staff with managing programs such as the PACE Fellowship Program and interacting with students to support their higher education needs. She is a 3rd-year Political Science student, double majoring in Latin American Studies and minoring in Chicanx and Latinx Studies. Xiomara plans to pursue a career in which she can help educate and learn more about her Latino/x community.

Irving Zafra Mariano

Administrative Assistant Intern

Irving is a 3rd-year majoring in Public Health with a concentration in Medicine Sciences. He is originally from Vista, CA, and is a first-generation college student. In the future he hopes to become a Physician Assistant or a Nurse Practitioner. His role at USS is an Admin Assistant supporting USS programs geared toward aiding Undocumented Students to participate in opportunities for professional development.