The City of Seattle will host the final in a series of workshops providing undocumented immigrants and DACA-recipients an opportunity to meet with an immigration attorney. This clinic, conducted through phone and online video conferencing, is sponsored by King County Bar Association (KCBA) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association Washington Chapter (AILA-WA), in partnership with the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA).
Fee scholarship funds are also available from the nonprofit community-based organization El Centro de la Raza to individuals who are unable to afford the cost of the DACA renewal application fee and who reside in, or work in, or go to school in Seattle.
“We are all contributors to our local economy and society, regardless of immigration status. That is why no matter which party is in power in the other Washington, local communities and local governments will still need to work together to protect our immigrant friends and neighbors.” said OIRA Community Engagement and Programs Specialist José Manuel Vasquez, himself a DACA recipient. “The results of this recent election show that America is a divided country, especially on the issue of immigration, which means that we will need to work extra hard to finally fix our broken and outdated immigration system. So I urge my fellow undocumented immigrants to attend a legal clinic and explore your options to apply for legal status.”
This next virtual legal clinic will take place on Thursday, November 19, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is still currently accepting DACA renewal applications. Thus, the clinics will offer an opportunity for an immigration attorney to review an applicant’s renewal packet. Advocates have emphasized that completing the forms accurately will prevent potential delays, as well as the rejection or denial of the renewal application.
While DACA allows for a temporary protection for recipients, it does not lead to lawful permanent resident status (green card) or a path to citizenship, and may be withdrawn in the future. For all of these reasons, OIRA also recommends that undocumented individuals, including DACA recipients, be screened for other forms of immigration relief. Individuals will have a half-hour to meet with an attorney.
Even if a person was thoroughly screened prior to applying for DACA initially, changes in personal circumstances or immigration policy may mean that a new form of relief is now available. Studies have estimated that 20-25 percent of DACA recipients screened by a legal service provider were found to be eligible for a more permanent form of status. These options include U visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, family-based immigration, relief under the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA), and even citizenship. Applicants are required to sign-up for a time slot here: https://bit.ly/free-daca-clinics.
The nonprofit organization El Centro de la Raza is managing the DACA scholarship process. To apply for a DACA renewal fee scholarship fund, please visit: elcentrodelaraza.org/get-help/daca/.
This work has been funded by a $375,000 disbursement from Council President M. Lorena González to OIRA meant for coordinating “rapid response” to the executive orders and rule changes from a federal administration that has been openly hostile to immigrant and refugee Americans.
For more information about the City of Seattle’s ongoing work regarding DACA and information about future clinics, please visit: www.seattle.gov/daca.
