Like Superman springing from the asphalt to save a weary metropolis, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) reminds us that the students, staff, and faculty at any of California's 116 community colleges can get free immigration legal services through #Find Your Ally, as part of the Higher Ed Legal Services Project.
This knowledge is crucial, especially at a time when L.A. TACO receives dozens of desperate questions each week about immigration law and obtaining help.
"Currently, the most frequent question from students seeking legal advice is what steps to take if they or a loved one gets detained, and who can provide legal representation in such situations," Anna Raygoza, a staff attorney with Central American Resource Center (CARECEN) Legal Service, which participates in this program, tells L.A. TACO.
ILRC evolved from an organization founded by an immigrant rights attorneys in the 1970's focused on advancing the rights of immigrants, improving, and bolstering just immigration laws and services, and providing assistance to those who are trying to navigate our country's challenging societal and legal climates while working with on-the-ground organizations dedicated to helping immigrants.
As part of its work, the ILRC has launched an awareness campaign in support of the Higher Education Legal Services Project, which brings legal service providers together who can help qualified community college students, faculty, and staff with case support, DACA renewals, citizenship applications, permanent resident renewals, advance parole, and more complicated needs such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) protections.
These legal professionals are trusted experts in their fields, happy to help those in need, and up-to-date with all the twists and turns of immigration law.
"Although we are living through very frightening and uncertain times, this administration thrives on fear as its primary tool to discourage our communities from accessing the resources designed to help navigate immigration laws and our immigration system effectively," says Raygoza. "The best way to counter this is, yes, to proceed with caution, but more importantly, to stay well-informed, have a plan in place, understand and know the available resources, and consult a trusted service provider at least annually, or more often to understand once options and risk. We cannot lose hope or faith that pathways may become available."
#FindYourAlly's consultations are available completely for free and without income requirements or course unit minimums. All attorney services are also confidential and are also offered for students in adult ed, non-credit courses, and dual enrollment.
"Information is power, both in our individual lives and collectively in communities," says Julie Mitchell, legal director at CARECEN. "I encourage students to get an immigration legal consultation the way they would get a regular check-up with a doctor. When we all share a common understanding of our constitutional rights, it becomes easier to stand up for ourselves and for each other in difficult situations."
That's a sentiment Erica Ascencio, managing attorney with CARECEN, agrees with, telling L.A. TACO, "I like to remind students to prioritize their mental health. We are living through an incredibly challenging and overwhelming time. I encourage students to seek out healthy ways to manage stress and fear as they navigate their legal cases."
The attorneys provided by #FindYourAlly can meet you on campus or online, depending on what works best for you. Either way, you don't have to face your search for answers alone. The program even covers fees for DACA and Advance Parole and Naturalization applications.
So, the question remains: How does it all work?
It's easy!
Simply visit FindYourAlly.com. Choose your status, be it student, faculty, or staff member, and you can even view the page in different languages. Enter your zip code, too. Next, you'll see a list of campuses near you where the services are offered, as well as which ones offer online consultations.
Click on the campus you'd like and you'll see a list of subjects you can book an appoint for, from "Advance Parole and Citizenship/Naturalization
and Greencard renewals, to family-based petition consultations and follow-up consultations. Choose one and you'll be on your way to booking an appointment with a legal professional.
And that's it. It's free. It's confidential. It's trusted.
ILRC and participating legal service organizations under #FindYourAlly are heroes for our times.
