Debbie Cruz-Cortez is a Rio Grande Valley native. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts from St. Edward’s University in Austin in 2010, graduating summa cum laude. She received her Juris Doctorate from SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas, TX in 2013. While in law school, Debbie participated in the SMU Criminal Defense Clinic where she represented indigent clients in misdemeanor criminal matters. As a student, she also interned at Catholic Charities where she consulted and prepared immigration forms for low-income clients.
Debbie brings over ten years of legal experience in the fields of criminal and immigration law. She served as a felony prosecutor in the Bexar County and Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Offices, where she successfully handled a variety of misdemeanor and felony jury trials. In addition, prior to joining DMCA, Debbie worked at a high-volume immigration law firm where she primarily focused on immigration removal defense.
