Gcsv2011 federal tax status revoked- kristen gronbjerg
A Kingdom Response to the Immigration Challenge
1. A Kingdom Response to the
Immigration Challenge
Providing Affordable, Authorized Immigration Legal Services
2. Introductions
• Our Presenters
• Dr. Alejandro Mandes
• Lance Conklin
• Matthew Soerens
• What makes you interested in
Affordable Legal Services?
3. Need for Affordable, Authorized,
Competent Legal Services
• Explanation of Need for Affordable,
Authorized Immigration Legal Services
– Lack of affordable assistance. There is not
enough capacity to serve the immigrant
community right now.
• When the government passed the last immigration
reform there were only 7 million undocumented
people. Only 1.3 were able to complete their
application because there were not enough points
of help.
– Problem of notarios. Many immigrants go to
people who hold them selves out a legal but
are only Notary Republics but a charlatans.
4. Biblical Imperatives
• Biblical imperative to welcome and
seek justice for immigrants
– The OT has many exhortations to love the
stranger
• Lev 19:34
• Deut 27:19
– Jesus always ministered to immigrants
– Acts 17:26-27
5. Connections to Biblical Imperatives
• Connection to biblical imperatives to
– Seek justice We who are strong are told by
Jesus to help the week
– Make disciples
• Matt 28:19-20
6. Who is Authorized?
• Attorneys
• Accredited Individuals at Non-Profit
Organizations Recognized by the Board
of Immigration Appeals
– Organizations can be Recognized
– Individuals can become Accredited
• Full Accreditation
– Can represent clients before Department of Justice
(Immigration Court and Board of Immigration
Appeals) and Department of Homeland Security
(U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services)
• Partial Accreditation
– Can represent clients before Department of
Homeland Security only
7. Who is Authorized?
• Roster of BIA-recognized Organizations
Maintained by Department of Justice at
http://www.justice.gov/eoir/ra.html
• Database of BIA-recognized
Organizations and Non-profit
Organizations with Attorneys on Staff at
http://www.ImmigrationLawHelp.org/
• Private attorney referrals through
American Immigration Lawyers
Association:
http://www.AILAlawyer.com/
8. Legal Requirements for BIA
Recognition and Accreditation
• “Non-profit, religious, charitable, social
service or similar organization”
• “Adequate Knowledge, Information, and
Experience”
– Intensive (40-hour) initial training course
– On-the-job Experience
– Access to Immigration Legal Resources
– Access to Technical Assistance
• “Nominal” Fees
9. Recognition Application Process
• Organizations seeking recognition must file
form EOIR-31 with the Executive Office for
Immigration Review
• Copies must be filed to local U.S. Citizenship &
Immigration Services and Immigration & Customs
Enforcement offices
• Should also include:
– Organizational Information
– Staff chart & résumés
– Program budget & fee schedule
– Evidence of legal resources (library, etc.)
– Evidence of technical support from attorney(s) or
fully-accredited representatives
10. Accreditation Application Process
• No formal application form for individual
accreditation
• Should be a letter on organizational letterhead
• Should include evidence of formal training, on-the-
job shadowing/experience (or experience with a
prior organization), and letters of recommendation
• Can be filed concurrently with recognition
request
• Copies must be filed to local U.S. Citizenship
& Immigration Services and Immigration &
Customs Enforcement offices
• Accreditation must be renewed each 3 years
11. Case Study: Immigrant Hope Brooklyn
• Context in Brooklyn
• Process to BIA recognition
• A typical client experience at
Immigrant Hope Brooklyn