By Gabriel Molina-Kong, 2026 CLA Intern
On June 30, 2026, Senator Adam Schiff held a press conference in Downtown LA to introduce legislation that would target California’s record-high gas prices. And the podium he stood behind? I built that in the office the day before. Furniture assembly is just one of my many duties around the office.
What was surprising to me was the exponential rate at which my responsibilities increased each time I went back into the office. On my first day, I did a lot of housekeeping: I watched email scam identification training, logged on to everything I’d need using my Senate email, read over an intern welcome packet, and completed other tasks of that nature. On my second day, I was introduced to one of the biggest messes that the office had to offer: the unorganized supply closet (which I organized). It was during the afternoon, during my phone training, that I started thinking that I wouldn’t have much to do this summer.
On my third day, I was introduced to casework, and I got to not only see, but also be a part of, how congressional offices individually help constituents navigate and assert themselves within our complex federal bureaucracy. The majority of my caseload concerns constituents whose visas have been languishing in a purgatory known as “administrative processing” that has no definite end. I am responsible for communicating with consulates around the world about the significant and often devastating effects that delays in their visas are having on California residents and using congressional interest to weigh in on their behalf regarding their status. Given the current immigration environment, there are a lot of constituents with this same problem, and the hundreds of cases I’m working on are just the tip of the iceberg.
Everyone around the office understands how important casework is and works tirelessly to serve our constituents. I remember hearing my coworker in the cubicle next to me exclaim, “I GOT HER THE PASSPORT!” after spending nearly half an hour on the phone with a consulate. While my share of frustrating phone calls is still largely relegated to when constituents call in with concerns, my caseload keeps me busier than I could have imagined on those first few days. Add on top of that the hours I should be spending on phones, mail sorting, or working on my intern projects for the week, and I find myself wishing I had more hours before 5 PM so I could finish my work.
I’ve never wished there were more hours of work for me in my life, but hearing constituents’ heartbreaking stories and knowing that what I do helps them motivates me beyond the ticking clock.