Center for Citizenship and Immigrant Communities
The Center for Citizenship and Immigrant Communities strengthens immigrant rights community by preparing charitable immigration programs to expand their service-delivery capacity and establishing a coordinated service-delivery and legal support architecture. Through its various projects, the Center for Citizenship and Immigrant Communities seeks to develop capacity for lasting change by working with a cross-section of national and regional groups in under-served communities, (whether geographic, ethnic, or population-specific communities) to start or improve existing programs that will allow millions of immigrants throughout the United States to understand and to exercise their rights.
Toolkit for BIA Recognition & Accreditation
Does your nonprofit agency want to develop a legal immigration program, but lack attorneys on staff or the money to hire them?
Does your nonprofit agency want to continue providing legal immigration services, but avoid engaging in the unauthorized practice of law?
Case Management Toolkit
This toolkit is intended to facilitate the process of designing and/or improving the case management system in your immigration program. In a legal immigration context, case management is a set of: policies and procedures; forms; a database; and files used by legal representatives in a standardized manner for the purposes of delivering professional services. It improves the quality of immigration service provided by your organization and reduces the likelihood of errors that can harm clients and lead to malpractice and liability.
Asylee Eligibility for Resettlement Assistance: A Short Guide
This guide gives service providers the information needed to address the resettlement needs of asylees.
Preparing for Comprehensive Immigration Reform: An Earned Pathway to Citizenship & Beyond
It is estimated that 12 million immigrants living in the United States are undocumented. The reality of this situation echoes the need for comprehensive immigration reform. When comprehensive immigration legislation passes, there will be a huge need for access to professional and affordable legal services.
Managing an Immigration Program: Steps for Creating and Increasing Legal Capacity
This manual describes best practices used by many of the country's most experienced nonprofit immigration programs and managers. The training curriculum covers program design, case selection criteria, case management systems, fee schedules, alternative funding sources, financial controls, marketing, staff training, BIA agency recognition and staff accreditation, and legal representation ethics.
Information for Asylees and Refugees
Refugees naturalize at a higher rate than other, non-refugee immigrants, yet they often face serious challenges in the naturalization process due to advanced age, disabilities, low income, limited English proficiency, and low levels of literacy. Refugees also face challenges to civic participation such as language and cultural barriers, unfamiliarity with U.S. civic institutions, and reluctance to get involved in community affairs due to negative experiences in their native countries.
A More Perfect Union: A National Citizenship Plan
The United States is a nation of immigrants united by a common creed and shared values.
CLINIC Announces Updated Naturalization Guide
By: Laura Burdick
CLINIC is pleased to announce our updated handbook, Strategies for Naturalizing the Most Vulnerable Applicants: A Guide to Helping Refugees and Immigrants Who Are Elderly, Disabled, Low-Income, Low-Literate, and Limited English Proficient. The handbook, initially released in 2008, has been updated to reflect the latest naturalization policies and procedures. It discusses English exemptions, due consideration, reasonable accommodations, disability waivers, oath waivers, fee waivers, and expedited processing. It also contains approximately 30 links to various references and resources such as USCIS policy guidance and sample letters.
The handbook is available here as a free resource on the CLINIC website.
Citizenship and Civic Participation Toolkit
This toolkit contains a variety of resources collected and produced through CLINIC’s citizenship projects. It is designed to assist agencies providing citizenship services and civic participation opportunities for the most vulnerable applicants.
