Welcoming Migrants with Dignity
The Welcoming Project
The Welcoming Project began in 2023 with the goal of providing a holistic and dignified welcome for noncitizens living or arriving in Southern California with a focus on the greater Los Angeles area. We believe that no migrant should stand alone when arriving at a new home. This program helps migrants navigate the immigration system and understand their rights as migrants while settling into a new community. These services became an official project in response to increased instances of anti-immigrant state governments busing migrants to California.
Supporting Migrants with Essential Knowlege and Services
This team provides community legal education, legal consultations, pro se assistance, triage legal assistance, and legal referrals to this population. We also provide information on how to access social services such as Medi-Cal and driver’s licenses. ImmDef believes that helping people in removal proceedings file applications necessary to obtain work permits and maintain eligibility for asylum is a crucial step towards helping them preserve lawful pathways and achieve financial independence, housing, and food security. We also provide presentations on immigration law basics for case managers and shelter staff who interact with migrant populations so they can be better informed about the issues migrants face and know how to help this community.
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Reducing Barriers to Counsel
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Through this program we aim to reduce some of the barriers preventing our clients from participating in their own immigration proceedings. Moreover, the project helps clients staying in Los Angeles County obtain legal counsel by registering them for the RepresentLA program for free legal services or providing legal referrals to private attorneys as needed.