Center for Citizenship and Immigrant Communities
Citizenship for Us: A Handbook on Naturalization & Citizenship 6th Edition
Citizenship for Us is a comprehensive guide to the naturalization process that provides detailed information on citizenship eligibility, requirements, and benefits and a step-by-step explanation of the N-400 (Application for Naturalization). The guide includes 13 study units on U.S. history and civics, historic photos, timelines, a sample naturalization interview, and a chapter on civic participation. It is geared for immigrants, community leaders, ESL teachers, and other non-attorneys.
Hard copies are also available for $40.
CLICK HERE to order online
CLICK HERE for mail-in order form
Immigration Program Management Training
Date: Wednesday Jul 20, 2011 (8:30am) to Thursday Jul 21, 2011 (5:00pm)
Immigration Program Management Training
Co-Sponsored by:
Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC)
Catholic Charities of Portland, Oregon
July 20-21,2011
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Day One
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Day Two
*Please note that times are listed for the event's local timezone.
Starting a Legal Immigration Program: Capacity Building in a Charitable Community Agency
The Need for Charitable Legal Immigration Services
Current capacity does not meet current demands for low-cost legal representation in immigration matters. For instance, immigrants eligible and soon-to-be eligible to naturalize as U.S. citizens have less income, education, and English language ability than immigrants who naturalized in previous decades.
Promoting Immigrant Integration
CLINIC views comprehensive immigration reform as an important opportunity to facilitate more immigrant integration opportunities. If CIR will be an historic piece of legislation, it is wise to contemplate how immigrant integration can be promoted before, during, and after legislation is passed. Immigration reform in 1986 was an unfulfilled opportunity for greater immigrant integration assistance because immigrant advocacy and service organizations were few, small, and overwhelmed by the new law’s impact.
Expanding Charitable Legal Immigration Services
It is CLINIC’s mission to expand the availability of charitable immigration legal services to provide authorized and affordable assistance and representation in order that vulnerable immigrants are not harmed by unauthorized practitioners. CLINIC’s network is by-far the largest single network of charitable immigration services. Yet, the availability of such services by all network providers and stand-alone agencies is limited for the current needs of low-income immigrants and even more limited to serve millions in a legalization program.
Pro Bono Development
Held March 10, 2011
Are you interested in developing more pro bono resources for your immigration program? Would you like to know more about where to begin? This webinar will discuss the pros and cons of using pro bono resources, different pro bono program models and approaches, assessing your agency’s need for pro bono services, pro bono recruitment, and managing a pro bono program.
CLINIC attorneys Ann Atalla and Nadine Wettstein presented, joined by Catholic Charities of Washington, DC attorney Debi Sanders.
Developing a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Plan
CLINIC anticipates that its growing network of Catholic and non-Catholic affiliates with immigration legal programs will assist the largest number of undocumented immigrations seeking legalization services. The majority of these immigration programs will be faith-based, principally within Catholic diocesan and Catholic Charities agencies. As such, CLINIC sees itself as the lead national organization implementing immigration reform once passed while working to with other networks and their affiliates to build similar capacity.
Preparing Immigrants for Immigration Reform
Many immigrants are not well-informed on how to prepare themselves for the possibility of an earned pathway to citizenship passing into law due to language and barriers and other challenges. Too often, desperate people seek information and help from unauthorized legal practitioners (aka notarios), and sometimes unscrupulous, immigration practitioners who may take advantage of immigrants for monetary gain. Resources here are provided to help immigrants and local service agencies understand how to prepare for immigration reform and protect themselves from unauthorized practitioner
Issues Around Immigration Reform
In order to pass comprehensive immigration reform, increased awareness among the public, particularly voters, is essential. These materials are provided to help the reader in gaining more awareness and being a public voice promoting immigration reform.
General Immigration Issues and Need for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The Catholic Church and Comprehensive Immigration Reform
There are an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. Most live on the margins of our society in or near the poverty level even though they work in difficult and vital jobs that help sustain and grow the U.S.’ economy. Due to lack of status and accompanying poverty, they lack access to better employment, higher education, family reunification, unhindered travel abroad to visit family and many forms of poverty-reducing social services.
