Immigration Event

An event is scheduled in the upstate of South Carolina that will benefit individuals interested in receiving information about immigration laws. Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services employee Vanessa Garcia is assisting with planning and arrangements. This event, which is primarily for the Latino community, will be held this Saturday, May 11 from 9 am-2 pm at Santa Maria Magdalene (St. Mary Magdalene). Attendees may find this church at 2252 Woodruff Road Simpsonville, SC 29681. A group of attorneys that practice in different areas of immigration law will be there to answer legal questions from the Latino community. The Mexican Consulate will be present, as well attorneys practicing in the areas of property, immigration, family and criminal law. Space is limited for this event and reservations are required. Please call Rossy Bedoya at 864-801-0081 to attend.

Immigration: Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver Presentation

Mily Choy, an employee with our Immigration Legal Services in Hilton Head, has been working with USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) to organize a free, informational event about the new Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver. This event will feature a presentation and discussion by Edly Vliet, the Community Relations Office for USCIS. It is scheduled for Friday, March 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm at Holy Family Catholic Church- 24 Pope Ave. Hilton Head Island, SC 29928. This event is free and open to the public, although space is limited. Edly will be addressing the naturalization application proves, general services offered by USCIS, and the new Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver process that goes into effect March 4, 2013.

This new provisional waiver process will allow the immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen to apply for a provisional unlawful presence waiver while they are still in the United States and before departing for their immigrant visa interviews abroad. More about this Waiver, including eligibility requirements, application information, and more, may be found on the USCIS website or in the attached document.

Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services offices are prepared to assist all individuals interested in applying for these provisional waivers. If you are interested in contacting someone from Immigration Legal Services and setting up an appointment to discuss this waiver or other Immigration related topics, please visit our website here. If you are interested in supporting the work of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston, you may find information about donating, volunteering, or contacting our offices here.

Immigration Reflections

            Immigration services saw the most growth in 2012. When the year began, Catholic Charities had offices located in Charleston and Greenville. A new office was opened in Hilton Head and an additional location was opened in Greenville. Clinics were held to help several hundred individuals apply for temporary legal status and work authorization. Additionally, our Associate Director of Immigration Services, Emily Guerrero, received an award in November from the American Inns of Court, Petigru Chapter in Charleston for her philanthropic work. Whew! We’re tired just saying all of this! You can read about these accomplishments and more in past blog posts. When we asked our Immigration employees to share their favorite stories of 2012, this is what they shared:

 “P is a U.S. citizen married to E. We filed for immigration status for E based on her marriage to P. She had to leave the U.S. and process through Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. She took their 1 year old daughter with them. We filed a waiver asking for forgiveness of her previous unlawful presence in the U.S. While the waiver was processing at the U.S. Embassy abroad, E and their daughter were separated from P. P was so upset to be separated from his family, he had to go to a counselor and was diagnosed with depression.  Thankfully, after 10 months, the waiver was approved, and E and their little girl got to come back to the U.S. and be reunited with P.”

 “A long time client of ours from Russia got her permanent residence with our office three years ago based on being the victim of domestic violence by her U.S. citizen husband. He was continually physically and verbally abusive to her while were together. He was particularly physically abusive to her when she was pregnant. Recently, she became eligible to petition for U.S. citizenship and we helped her through this process. She passed the test and became a U.S. citizen.”

To learn more about Immigration services, donating, how you can be involved with this program, or receiving assistance from these offices, please visit our website. We’ll be back on Friday with the Lowcountry and Carter May Home 2012 reviews.

Immigration Employee Introductions

One of our fastest growing programs is Immigration legal services. Emily Guerrero oversees a team of attorneys and immigration specialists who have offices throughout South Carolina. Since the passage of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act, our Offices of Immigration Services have helped hundreds of people apply for temporary legal status and work authorization. We also opened two new Offices of Immigration Services this year, one in the Piedmont region and one in the Lowcountry. To learn more about the work of these offices and hear from Emily about their experiences, please visit past posts. You can also learn more about the programs, how to donate, and how to get involved on our website.

Emily has worked in the Catholic Charities Office of Immigration Services for 8 years. Her job requires her to work with a variety of people facing difficult situations. She is grateful for the opportunity to help these people and their families find the positive in negative situations. When she is not working with clients and overseeing the Immigration offices, Emily likes to run, bike, cook, and spend time with her children.

Blenda Suarez began working with Catholic Charities in 2011. When she first began working here, she was a member of the team in the Piedmont office. Recently Blenda began working in the newly opened Office of Immigration Services in Berea, in the Piedmont area. She enjoys crafting, scrap-booking  singing, and taking trips with her family.

Vanessa, Blenda, Emily, and Mily at a recent employee meeting.

In addition to our regional office and Berea Office of Immigration Services, the Piedmont region is also home to the Greenville Office of Immigration Services. Attorney Vanessa Garcia operates this office and has been with Catholic Charities since last fall.

When the Hilton Head Office of Immigration Services opened, we gained another wonderful staff member. Immigration Specialist Mily Choy, who manages this office, joined our team this spring.

The final member of the Immigration staff is Andrea Penafiel. Andrea is an Immigration Specialist and works in the office in Mt. Pleasant with Emily. Andrea began working with Catholic Charities Office of Immigration Services in 2006.

Blenda, Emily, Mily, Andrea, and Vanessa at an employee appreciation lunch.

Counting Our Blessings

We asked our staff to share some of the things they're most thankful for this year. This is what they told us:

"I am thankful for my family and having the opportunity to see the world through my children's eyes. They see things in a fresh and simple way that reminds me to stay in the moment and enjoy every little blessing."-E, Immigration

"I'm most thankful for my family"- M, Midlands

"I have so much to be thankful for this year. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and awesome friends. He's also given me this job with Catholic Charities, where I can incorporate my faith into my work. This year has been full of new adventures and changes. I've gotten to travel and make countless memories with my family members and friends. It's been a blessed year!"- K, Central office

"This Thanksgiving I am extremely thankful that I will have 3 of my 8 grandchildren with me. I haven't seen one of them in 8 years. It is going to be wonderful. Thanks be to God!"-C, Pee Dee office

"I am very thankful for the opportunity to work for Catholic Charities and minister to my fellow brothers and sisters in need. An extra blessing is being able to work with Mary, the best co-worker anyone could ask for!"-C, Midlands office

"I am thankful for the people in my life. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends. I am also thankful and blessed to work for a faith based organization. I have great relationships with my coworkers and I feel like our belief in God and our ability to be open about it puts us on a whole different level than other businesses."- J, Central office

Thanks for sharing, everyone! We're very thankful for all of our employees and their hard work. Catholic Charities has been blessed with some wonderful people who are committed to our mission of serving the needy.

Most of our employees with Bishop Guglielmmone at a recent employee appreciation event

Immigration Series- Part 4

Over the past week we have featured guest writer Emily Guerrero. Emily, Supervising Immigration Attorney with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston, has shared her experiences since the passage of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act. Today we conclude this series as Emily tells us about the clinics she and her staff have held to help young immigrants, known as “Dreamers,” obtain temporary legal status and work authorization.

On the morning of my first clinic, in the quiet car ride there, I have to admit I teared up, thinking of this wonderful day, this opportunity to change people’s lives. I felt honored to be a part of it. Once there, the volunteers came through the doors, as did the immigrants, and the day was smooth and productive. At the end of the day, once the tables and chairs were put back into their rightful places, the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion was heavy.

The thankfulness and gratitude of the Dreamers carried us through the exhaustion. The sincere “Thank you’s” and hugs and “God bless you’s” were an addictive boost of positive energy. Many mothers rushed to embrace us, thanking us for giving their child a long-awaited chance to succeed, to go to college. Also, the volunteers had an eye-opening experience and were stunned by the tenacity, intelligence, and authenticity of the Dreamers. It was truly a way of bringing everyone together.

Staff members and volunteers working with Dreamers to complete the necessary legal forms.

All in all, we did seven group processing clinics across the state and served almost 400 people in preparing their Dreamers applications. We had many victories, made a lot of mistakes, and learned so much. We learned that even though we are a small program, we can accomplish so much. We can think outside of the box, we can partner with other agencies and people, and we can use the resources in our communities.

I am infinitely proud of my staff, who worked so hard to make these clinics happen. I am humbled by their diligence, their perseverance, their grace under unbelievable pressure. We have the confidence now to do anything, right after we take a very long break J. I encourage all of you to challenge yourselves, get out of your comfort zone, and know that your efforts do not have to be perfect. Think big, work hard, and the results will be life-changing, both for you and for the people you serve.

Volunteers working together to insure Dreamer's forms are properly filled out.

Thank you, Emily, for sharing about your staff, the clinics, and all your hard work. It has been wonderful to learn more about our Catholic Charities Immigration Offices and the services they provide. Also- a huge thanks goes out to to all our employees and volunteers for the countless hours they have put into the clinics and processing of the paperwork in recent months. We’re so proud of their hard work and for the Dreamers who have had the courage to chase after their dreams for a better future!

If you would like to learn more about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act or read the rest of this series, please click here. To learn more about Catholic Charities Immigration Offices, click here. Interested in donating your time or resources? Click here.

Immigration Series- Part 3

Today we continue our series written by Emily Guerrero, Supervising Immigration Attorney for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston. Please join us as we learn more about how Emily and her staff are helping “Dreamers” apply for temporary lawful status and work authorization since the enactment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act (DACA).

The days and months passed, and we readied ourselves for the group processing clinics. Nights and weekends blurred together as we prepared the curriculum, recruited and trained volunteers, and drafted informational materials. Mily, Vanessa, and Blenda spent their weekends doing massive amounts of outreach, spreading the word about the Dreamers relief and how to apply. Weekdays, the phones rang until our ears bled, and potential Dreamers streamed in the doors and filled our waiting rooms. We begged for volunteers to help answer the phones. The workload was weighty, and the stress even crept into our beds, stealing sleep like a merciless thief.

Bright spots abounded as we trained volunteers in Charleston, Hilton Head, and Greenville. I used law students from the Charleston School of Law and was moved by their energy, their enthusiasm. Vanessa used students from Furman and partnered with Alianza Hispana, a local Hispanic advocacy group. Mily used volunteers from a local volunteer group. A handful of wonderful private immigration attorneys joined in our efforts. We were humbled by these volunteers, giving of their time and expertise solely for the joy of service.

We planned to do seven group processing clinics around the state. As the group processing clinics neared, we geared up our copy machines and copied our clinic materials until smoke rose up from the machines. The piles of materials and office supplies cluttered our already-cluttered offices. Finally, we were ready, and luckily, our good friends, adrenaline and caffeine, were coming to the clinics too.

Volunteers, staff and Dreamers working to complete the paperwork for temporary lawful status and work authorization.

Wow- it’s tiring just reading about all that you and your staff have done, Emily! We still desperately need volunteers in our legal services offices. If you are bilingual and interested in volunteering, please call 843-402-9115, ext. 15 or 45.

This series will continue on Monday, so be sure to check back at the blog to read more from Emily! If you would like to read past posts from this series or learn more about Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston’s response to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, please click here. To donate your time or money, please visit our website here.

Immigration Series- Part 2

On Monday we introduced you to one of our wonderful employees, Emily Guerrero. Emily is an immigration attorney and oversees the Catholic Charities legal services offices. In recent months Emily and her staff have worked tirelessly to help young immigrants (“Dreamers”) apply for temporary lawful status and work authorization under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act. Back to you, Emily!

Preliminary estimates have shown that South Carolina has about 7500 Dreamers. We knew we needed to serve as many as possible in an efficient way. Our staff is small, comprised of five talented, wonderful women covering the entire state of South Carolina. Andrea is in Charleston and has a special Board of Immigration Appeals accreditation because of her five years of on-the-job experience and training background. Mily, an attorney in Peru, heads up the Hilton Head office and works so hard, I have to beg her to take a day off, to no avail. She started in April and bravely jumped right into the middle of the crazy pace of our offices.

Vanessa is our attorney in Greenville, and we thank God everyday for her snappy sense of humor. She attracts the messiest, strangest immigration issues, and she valiantly and unsuccessfully tries to stave off her stress level with baking, tennis, fishing, and knitting. Blenda, a caseworker in Greenville, is our resident legal expert, researching everything and able to answer questions like a seasoned immigration practitioner. And there’s me, with my palms sweating and my mind racing. How are we going to serve all of these young, deserving people?

On the same day that Obama introduced the Dreamers relief, we sketched our enthusiastic plan to do group processing clinics around the state. Our idea was to process groups of 50-60 immigrants at a time, helping them to fill out the forms and gather the necessary supporting documents. We would recruit volunteers! We would train them! We would do outreach! We would help hundreds of immigrants to file their petitions! We were all idealistic and starry-eyed, excited to be a part of history. Looking back, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into…

Staff and volunteers helping Dreamers during the Immigration clinics.

Check back Friday to learn more about the clinics our Immigration Offices have held to help Dreamers apply for their temporary lawful status and work authorization! If you would like to learn more about this Act and how Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston has responded, please visit previous blog posts here. To learn more about donating your money or time, please click here.

Immigration Series- Part 1

The lives of thousands of young immigrants in the United States changed on July 15, 2012, when President Obama announced the passage of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act. This act offers temporary lawful status and work authorization to young immigrants, frequently referred to as “Dreamers”. Emily Guerrero, Supervising Immigration Attorney, graciously volunteered to write a special guest series about how she and her staff have responded to assist the Dreamers of South Carolina since the passage of DACA was enacted, our legal services have processed paperwork for 400 Dreamers. Take it away, Emily!

When Obama called a press conference to announce the new immigration relief for “Dreamers,” my first reaction was pure panic. My palms started to sweat, and my heart began to race. I knew that our small immigration legal services program was going to be inundated with people, clamoring to apply for this new work permit. My second reaction was more methodical, with the aim of calming my racing heart and neurotic mind. I got to work, and I started to plan our response.

As the specifics of this new immigration relief came to light, we knew it was a watered-down version of the Dream Act, which has failed to pass in the legislature for years. Young people under the age of 30 who came to the U.S. when they were under the age of 16 are eligible for deferred action and a work permit, as long as they are in school, graduated from high school, or were honorably discharged from the military.

USCIS (Immigration) calls this relief, “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.” It aims to help young people move forward in their lives and careers, creating the possibility of college and a well-paying job. Many of these Dreamers have been in the U.S. since they were toddlers and know no other place as home. They speak English fluently and identify themselves as Americans. Many have graduated from high school and find themselves in a holding pattern, unable to go to college and forced to take low-skilled, low-paying jobs.

Dreamers are eager, enthusiastic, and beyond thankful to have this opportunity. With this work permit, they will not have legal status in the U.S., but they will have a work permit, a driver’s license, and a social security number. These are small concessions, but in their world, it is everything. It is, finally, a small step forward for them and a chance to advance themselves and contribute openly to their communities.

Immigrants and volunteers at the beginning of one of the 7 clinics.

Thanks for sharing, Emily! Please check back Wednesday, October 17 to learn more about our Immigration Offices staff and their reactions to the passage of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act. To learn more about this Act and how you can help, please click here. If you would like to learn more about donating your time or resources, please visit our website here.

Urgent Volunteer Need!!

Volunteers are needed to help at our Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services Offices. These offices are located in Mt. Pleasant, Greenville, and Hilton Head. Since the  Deferred Action for Dreamers program went into action, our offices have been flooded with calls. Interested volunteers must be bilingual in English and Spanish and will help answer calls. For more information, please call 843-402-9115 x 15 or x 45.

Also, all of the group processing clinics held by our Immigration Legal Services Offices are now full. 

Calling Young Immigrants!

On June 15, 2012 President Obama passed a law allowing eligible immigrants to apply for temporary lawful status and work authorization. This law goes into effect today, Wednesday August 15, 2012. The Immigration Policy Center estimates that this new relief will benefit 7,530 immigrants in South Carolina.

Our Catholic Charities Immigration Offices are preparing to assist individuals who meet the established qualifications. To learn more about the requirements for eligibility, please visit our Immigration Office's website here. This website also provides contact information for our attorneys. Our staff is prepared to answer your questions and help you begin the process of completing and submitting the necessary paperwork. Please call in advance to set up an appointment.

You can also visit the website for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website to learn more and find answers to many questions. Their website may be found here.

Attention Dreamers! ¡Atención Dreamers!

Calling All Dreamers!

The President has made it possible for undocumented youth who have lived in the U.S. for over five years to apply for temporary lawful status and work authorization. Young people that meet the following requirements can apply:

• Came to the United States when they were under the age of sixteen;
• Have continuouslyresided in the United States for at least five years before June 15, 2012, and are present in the United States on June 15, 2012;
• Are currently in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;
• Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety;
• Are not above the age of thirty (as of June 15, 2012).

We strongly urge you to get help from an accredited nonprofit immigration program or a licensed attorney. Please stay away from "notaries" and other unscrupulous entities who are not authorized to practice immigration law.

Questions and Answers
1. Is this an amnesty? No, this is not an amnesty. This is a way for undocumented young people to get a work permit. This is not a way to apply for permanent residency or U.S.citizenship.

2. What benefits will I get with this temporary status? You will get a work permit that will be valid for two years with possible renewal after that. You can work and live legally in the United States with this status. You can not include your family members as derivatives.

3. When can I apply for my work permit? We have to wait for Immigration to issue a form and fee for this process. We cannot apply yet. It could be several months until the application process is opened. DO NOT pay anyone to help you until the government announces that the application period has opened.

4. How can I get ready to apply? You can prepare by gathering all the documents to prove the requirements listed above and by saving your money for fees. 5. What kind of documents will Immigration want? Documents to prove the above requirements could be:

• Your birth certificate, with an English translation;
• Proof that you came to the U.S. when you were under the age of 16, such as school records, medical records, receipts, financial records, and affidavits from friends and family members;
• Proof that you have lived in the U.S. for at least five years, such as school records, medical records, bank account records, taxes, financial records, letters from employers, leases or mortgages, and affidavits from friends and family members.
• School records showing you are currently in school, your high school or college diploma, your GED certificate, or military records showing that you have been honorably discharged from the military;
• Court dispositions from all arrests. For more information, you can call USCIS at 1.800.375.528

Documents to Apply for Dreamer Deferred Action and Work Permit

Documentos para Aplicar por Dreamer Acción Diferida y Permiso de Trabajo

Information for Group Clinics

Información para Clínicas de Grupo