Boyd Student Katlyn Brady Wins Waldo De Castroverde Immigration Essay Scholarship
The scholarship – named in honor of the late Waldo De Castroverde, a former criminal defense and immigration attorney in Las Vegas – is given to a first- or second-year Boyd student based on an essay about an assigned immigration issue. This year’s assignment was to discuss the recent reforms in Cuban policy announced by the Obama administration and the potential impact of the reforms on immigration law and policy.
The $1,000 scholarship is sponsored by Dr. Neel Khurana, a friend of Waldo De Castroverde.
“This semester I was extremely fortunate to work in the Immigration Clinic with Professor Marouf and take Immigration Law with Professor Kagan. These professors really ignited my passion for immigration law,” said Brady. “I applied for this scholarship because it gave me the opportunity to learn more about Cuba and the recent executive action. This semester I was exposed to how convoluted and unfair immigration laws are, and how important immigration reform is. I'm very excited that immigration reform has become a national discussion and I hope it results in comprehensive immigration reform.
“I look forward to doing more work in the Immigration Clinic in the fall. I am grateful for the opportunities that this scholarship will provide me,” she said.
Brady’s winning essay, titled “Implications of Presidential Reform on the Cuban Adjustment Act,” reads, “Currently the [Cuban Adjustment Act’s] future is secure. Given the political atmosphere in Washington D.C. there will not be Congressional action on immigration or specifically Cuba. … However following the presidential elections it is entirely possible that the CAA will be included in immigration reforms because it has been abused by criminals. Additionally given the desire to deport over 30,000 convicted criminals, Congress of the next President may see altering or eliminating the CAA as a fair trade.
“Eliminating the CAA will not make it impossible for Cubans to enter and remain in the United States. Instead they will be required to apply for asylum like immigrants from other nations. … The main justifications for the CAA, hatred of communism, encouraging democratic reform, and humanitarian aid are no longer as compelling. … Ultimately there will be no dramatic change or even subtle change in Cuban immigration policy until the election cycle has ended and Congress finally tackles immigration reform.”
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Waldo De Castroverde (1941-2014) was born and raised in Cuba. After finishing high school, he attended college in Cuba for a few months before moving to the United States in 1960. In the U.S., Waldo enrolled in the military, and was one of 1,400 Cuban exiles selected for the U.S. government's planned invasion at the Bay of Pigs, with the goal of overthrowing Fidel Castro and establishing a non-communist government friendly to the United States.
Waldo served as a paratrooper and was captured during the Bay of Pigs invasion. On two occasions, he was part of a group of captured soldiers selected by Fidel Castro to go to the U.S. with the goal of negotiating a ransom agreement with the Kennedy administration that would free all of the captured soldiers. Negotiations failed, and Waldo was sentenced to a 30-year prison term in Cuba. Waldo spent a total of 20 months in prison before being released on Dec. 24, 1962, after successful negotiations between Castro and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
Following his release, Waldo returned to the U.S. and moved to Los Angeles, where he got married. He attended L.A. City College before graduating from Mount Saint Mary's College in Los Angeles in 1970. Following his graduation, Waldo moved his family to Miami, where he worked as a teacher and sold insurance for seven years. In 1977, he moved to Reno, NV, where he worked in casinos while attending law school at night.
Waldo eventually graduated from law school at Nevada School of Law, Old College, in Reno in 1985, and took the bar exam in 1986. He worked as a deputy attorney general in Carson City until 1991, when he founded the Law Office of Waldo De Castroverde. In 1993, Waldo moved to Las Vegas, where he established a second office. His sons, Alex and Orlando, helped out in his office, and were inspired by Waldo to become lawyers.
After graduating from law school, Orlando joined Waldo's practice. Eventually, in January 2005, Alex and Orlando founded De Castroverde Law Group and Waldo joined the firm in an "of counsel" capacity. Waldo practiced in the areas of criminal defense and immigration.
Waldo was fluent in Spanish and represented Spanish-speaking clients. He wrote two Spanish-language books, "Que La Patria Se Sienta Orgullosa: Memorias De Una Lucha sin Fin," and "El Circulo De La Muerte." He was active in the Southern Nevada community as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and in Miami as a member of the Association of Bay of Pigs Veterans.