Thousands of ?dreamers? Californians face a legal limbo while the battle continues to protect this group of the population that continues to be undocumented and does not experience a "way of the cross" in your immigration process in the US, so the support of an ?ally? It is highly necessary for undocumented students.
Given this, the legal support program Find Your Ally (findyourally.com) offers free immigration legal services and case support to students, staff and faculty on California Community College campuses in person or virtually.
“More than 10,000 students have benefited from the program” since its launch nearly four years ago, said Alonso García, senior manager of equity programs at the Foundation for California Community Colleges, during a briefing held by Ethnic Media Services.
García specified that, last year alone, more than 5,700 young people benefited.
Find Your Ally – offered through the Higher Education Legal Services Project – is an unprecedented state-funded effort to provide all students enrolled in California Community Colleges and their families with free immigration legal assistance, including opportunity to have your DACA fees covered.
Students qualify as either full-time or part-time, taking credit or non-credit courses, dual enrollment, and adult education courses.
García specified that Californians who need reliable legal help can find it for free at any of the state's 115 physical community colleges.
The attorney's time, he said, is free and continues regardless of when community college membership ends; Services include support for legal permanent residency (green cards), and DACA Temporary Protected Status (TPS), among other services.
And, starting this November, it offers help with naturalization procedures and advance entry permits (advance parole).
Between 50,000 and 70,000 undocumented immigrants are currently enrolled in a California community college, given the importance of having reliable legal services to seek to change their immigration status in the American Union.
Likewise, García assured that all information provided remains private, since the legal teams, previously approved by California or the US Department of Justice and with at least three years of experience in immigration work, work in a manner confidential.
"I would encourage people to enroll in their local community college to get at least one credit so they can access services like ours and hopefully find a way to move forward," said the Immigrant Legal Defense attorney. , Manoj Govindaiah, based in Oakland.
The specialist explained that, generally, undocumented people face two important obstacles when it comes to accessing legal services: finding quality lawyers and being able to meet with them in person, which is why he highlighted the importance of this program.
“This program goes to schools…bringing support where it is needed,” Govindaiah stressed, while noting that Find Your Ally also offers up-to-date legal advice, helping those who did not know they were eligible find pathways to change their status. migratory.
For Kelly Fletes, dean of student services at Monterey Peninsula College, California community colleges serve as access points to higher education, accepting all who apply.
In that sense, he recalled that community colleges are ideal for reaching recently arrived immigrants, many of whom often enroll in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes soon after arriving.
“There's a different level of anxiety that happens when you literally have to take care of yourself or watch your back because you or your parents could be deported or risk not coming home every day,” he said. ?How could you focus on your education??
Added to this is the economic burden, since the cost of legal services is beyond the means of many students who, in most cases, work at the same time.
"I have students who have to work three to four jobs," Fletes stressed, while explaining that some of them already have large debts for legal services that have not yet been completed.
Sabrina P, a beneficiary of the program, knows well the situation that thousands have experienced, as she is a first-generation university student with undocumented status.
She, like many, did not know if she could qualify for the change in immigration status, a worrying situation, because when they leave these community universities they do not know if they will be able to work in what they invested so much time in.
Is each case different? (but) now I can say that I am in the process of getting my green card. I can work and do other things that I was denied before because I didn't have any kind of papers. “Can I support my family a little better?” he said happily.
He recalled that anyone who wants to obtain this help must do so immediately, since the process is long and the date on the original request influences the resolution.
?I would suggest just not being afraid. Honestly, that's the best thing you can do for yourself, because just asking won't hurt anyone and maybe it will help you.
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