Avenatti to represent activist arrested for climbing Statue of Liberty to protest Trump immigration policy

High-profile attorney Michael Avenatti says he will represent the activist who was arrested this summer for climbing the State of Liberty to protest President Trump’s immigration policies.

Avenatti announced Thursday that he will join the legal team of Therese Patricia Okoumou, at her request, relating to the charges she faces from her July 4 protest.

{mosads}Okoumou, 44, was arrested for attempting to scale the 150-foot-tall Statue of Liberty to protest the Trump administration’s now-rescinded policy of separating migrant families who crossed the southern border illegally.

Okoumou, a New York resident and immigrant from the Republic of Congo, pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of trespassing, disorderly conduct and interfering with agency functions.

If convicted of the charges, she faces up to six months in prison on each charge, Fox News reported in July.

“Patricia and I are both passionate advocates of mothers, fathers and children separated at our southern border as a result of the draconian policies of Donald Trump and his cronies,” Avenatti said in a statement. “I look forward to assisting in her defense and cause.”

Below is an announcement concerning my representation of activist @POkoumou. The separation of families at our southern border and lack of unification remains a critically important issue for our nation and the world. pic.twitter.com/phObGvj7c5

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) December 6, 2018

Okoumou has taken frequent jabs at first lady Melania Trump, wearing a dress in the style of her “I really don’t care, do u” jacket, as well as mocking her “Be Best” campaign.

The dress was a jab at the controversial cargo jacket the first lady wore to visit migrant children separated from their parents at a Texas detention center in June.

@POkoumou I REALLY CARE WHY WON’T U? BE BEST #patriciaokoumou #bebest pic.twitter.com/9U5fwwjZp5

— Rise and Resist (@riseandresistny) August 3, 2018

Avenatti has been offering legal services to migrant parents who were separated from their children at the U.S.-Mexico border.

He currently represents adult-film star Stormy Daniels who has been locked in a legal battle with President Trump and his former attorney, Michael Cohen, over a $130,000 payment Cohen gave Daniels in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election. The payment was reportedly part of a nondisclosure agreement meant to silence Daniels about her alleged affair with Trump.