Attorneys Alma D. Puente, also an El Monte City Councilmember; Araceli G. Guerrero; Elizabeth P. Uribe; Gladdys J. Uribe and Jose Osorio were honored by the Mexican American Bar Association (MABA) for their participation in the recent documentary Status Pending.  

The free event took place on Wednesday, March 31 at 5:00 pm EST. where a screening of the 26-minute documentary was held along with a presentation and discussion with the attorneys who participated in the documentary.

MABA, the Mexican American Bar Association, is an organization and network of lawyers, judges and other legal professionals committed to the advancement of Latinos in the legal profession and the empowerment of the Latino community through service and advocacy. At the event, the organization recognized these attorneys for their ongoing work on behalf of migrants and their families. 

The documentary Status Pending depicts the lives and work of the five Mexican-American attorneys who created an informal support group for undocumented migrants in the United States.

They started together in the same high-intensity law firm in Los Angeles, and it is through the bond of friendship they form and constant communication that this group of lawyers support each other professionally and emotionally in the face of constant attacks on their clients and their profession.

Within the documentary, each attorney stated that their parents were the main inspiration for them to go into immigration law and to participate in the documentary. Elizabeth Uribe explained, "I chose this career so that I could continue to lend a hand to those who come after me." Gladdys J. Uribe expressed a similar sentiment, saying, "The person sitting in front of us could have been our parents many years ago." The strength of this group of Mexican-American lawyers is cleverly portrayed throughout the film.