Local evangelical coalition to help open church-based centers to provide legal services to immigrants.
PREVIEW MEETING JUNE 5
If immigration reform passes, we see an opportunity for churches to serve more than 85,000 immigrants in Minnesota who will be needing accurate, low-cost legal services to comply with the new provisions.
On Wednesday, June 5 (9-11am), we invite church leaders and immigrant advocates to a preview meeting to learn about specific ways that congregations can provide low-cost legal services and information to these thousands of immigrants in Minnesota.
The preview meeting is being hosted by the Immigrant Hope Coalition, which is a collaborative effort of leaders and pastors from Transform Minnesota, Immigrant Hope Network, World Relief Minnesota, CCDA, Assemblies of God, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Evangelical Free Church of America, Great Commission Churches and the Minnesota Iowa Baptist Conference.
IMMIGRANT HOPE COALITION PREVIEW MEETING
Wednesday, June 5, 9 – 11 am
Christ’s Church International
13th & Lake Street (3015 – 13th Ave So) See Map Here
Minneapolis, MN 55407
About Immigrant Legal Service Centers (ILSC)
Across the country, churches and faith-based organizations, have set up accredited, low-cost legal service centers to provide basic services and vital information to help immigrants understand processes and to file their applications with the US Customs & Immigration Services.
Immigrants in your community need these services.
When navigating immigration laws and forms, oftentimes immigrants are taken advantage of, or do not have the money to pay attorney’s fees. These ILSC do not replace the role of attorneys, rather they help give immigrants correct information and assistance to file certain types of applications, from someone who has been accredited to do so.
It is very feasible for a church – or ideally a coalition of churches – to get trained, become accredited and set up an immigrant legal service center. The US Department of Justice has created a process whereby individuals can complete 40 hours of training, gain experience at an existing service center, and then apply to become accredited to provide basic immigration legal services under the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), the US DOJ branch responsible for overseeing immigration law.
What to Expect June 5
The preview meeting on June 5 will explain the steps in this process, including information about formal training being offered in the Twin Cities in November 2013, information about operating an ILSC with proper accreditation and technical support, and a description of the kinds of services typically provided to immigrants by an ILSC.
The meeting is free, and no registration is required – but we would appreciate to know in advance who is coming. If you plan to attend click here to fill in this simple “sign up” list so that we can plan accordingly: Sign up here.
QUESTIONS?
Contact either:
Alex Mandes – Immigrant Hope | Alex.Mandes@efca.org
Carl Nelson – Transform Minnesota | Carl@transformmn.org | 612-243-2941
Learn more about Immigrant Hope, a national organization providing legal, technical and organizational support for local church-based immigrant legal service centers.