“Hearing people’s stories is a sacred blessing. While Burns has heard heartbreaking stories of families separated by violence in their home countries, she said that every story a client shares with her is an honor. “It is exciting, gratifying and heartwarming to see them progress.” A lot of people we work with went to college,” she said. “A lot of people go from working as a housekeeper or a nanny, to actually being able to use their education. “I came here to give my son a better life and he’s doing so well.”īurns said she often will see clients a few years after working with them to get DACA status or work papers and the change, she said, is visible. My self-esteem was on the floor and when I got it, it went up,” Lopez said, breaking down in tears. “I was undocumented for 14 years and it was life-changing when I got my documents. She has worked at Apostles as a translator and receptionist for the last few months. Karina Lopez crossed the border from Mexico when she was 18 years old, but now has legal resident status. “When I started, I was happy to just make copies because that helped Sister Mary Ellen help another client.”įor an outsider, helping with paperwork and making immigrants aware of their options might seem like small services, but the effects are enduring for people in need of help. I got a degree and now I am giving back to something I am very passionate about,” she said. “This is my way of giving back to my community. No one could really help me with the forms and I could have filed on my own, but I didn’t want to take a chance,” she said.įor Vergara, working full time at Apostle Immigrant Services is a way to help others and use the degree she received in ethnic studies from the University of California, San Diego. I had called another group to get services and I got referred here. Vergara is a DACA recipient and said she came to Apostle Immigrant Services three and a half years ago seeking assistance with her own application. Department of Justice to represent clients in citizenship and immigration matters. A steady drumbeat of horrible things being said about immigrants makes them nervous.”Įrika Vergara works as Apostle Immigrant Services’ accredited representative, meaning she’s certified by the U.S. “People have been expressing a lot of nervousness from a year ago. As is keeping them from people who prey on their vulnerability,” Burns said. “Giving people good, trustworthy information is a benefit. Undocumented young people and their parents called wondering what the news meant and what steps they could take to protect themselves. 5, when Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the end of the DACA program, the office phone rang all day, Burns said. Currently immigrants from only 11 countries qualify for such status. Some can apply for temporary protected status if their country is in the midst of violent turmoil or natural disaster. citizen or have family to sponsor them, there are few avenues to citizenship. I don’t think people realize that it is very difficult to get legal status,” Burns said.īurns said this country’s immigration system provides few avenues for undocumented people to obtain legal status. “A certain segment of clients who come here are undocumented and come here to find a way to legal status. The group does not accept clients seeking asylum as both Yale University and the University of Connecticut have asylum clinics. “We are small, but mighty,” she said with a laugh. Burns employs one accredited immigration representative and a translator who doubles as a receptionist, but otherwise relies on volunteers to get the work done.
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