Y & H Soda Foundation Children's Project
CLINIC recognizes that all children in removal proceedings deserve legal representation. At this time, however, our efforts are focused exclusively on children living in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California.
Unaccompanied children are among the world’s most vulnerable migrants. Those in removal proceedings face tremendous obstacles. Only 19 percent of unaccompanied children are represented in the immigration courts because current laws do not require that a child in immigration court be appointed an attorney if they cannot afford one. Instead, children are left to navigate the complex immigration system in a strange country, often in a strange language, and without the support of an adult who will be with them throughout this long and confusing process.
CLINIC works to get free legal help for these children so they are guaranteed a fair day in court.
CLINIC recruits, mentors and supports a network of volunteers to represent and support these children.
Click here for more information on who these children are and how they got here.
Criteria for Referral of Children’s Cases
Referrals will only be accepted until April 1, 2012.
The child must be under 18 years of age through April 30, 2012 and live in either Alameda or Contra Costa County.
The child must have been released from the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
The child is in removal proceedings before the San Francisco Immigration Court as an individual and not as part of a parent(s)’ removal proceeding.
The referring agency must make clear to the child or child’s guardian that CLINIC will NOT take on representation of the child. CLINIC will only seek to find pro bono counsel to represent the child and there is no guarantee that CLINIC will find pro bono counsel in the child’s case.
CLINIC may accept children’s cases with the following qualifications:
- Colorable and non-frivolous asylum claim
- “U” or “T” Visa claim
- Special Immigrant Juvenile claim
- Closure of case under June 2011 DHS prosecutorial discretion memo (only in particularly sympathetic cases where there are strong equities (such as family and community ties))
- Other immigration relief
CLINIC will evaluate each case for likelihood of placement and may choose not to accept cases where there is little chance of placement with a probono attorney. CLINIC will not accept cases for placement where the only relief sought is Voluntary Departure.
If you know of a child that fits this criteria, please review the referral procedures.