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Immigration Legal Assistance Program
The Immigration Legal Assistance Program has been serving the San Luis since 1987, when it was formed under the auspices of San Luis Valley Christian Community Services. This program was formed to provide immigration legal assistance to the growing immigrant and refugee population who were locating to the San Luis Valley. The San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center is currently recognized and accredited as an Immigration Service Provider by the Board of Immigration Appeals and has been accredited for the past ten years.

The Immigration Legal Assistance Program provides, for a nominal fee, legal assistance and consultations for low-income persons needing assistance.

The program uses its limited resources to:

1. Provide immigration legal advice for U.S. citizens, immigrants, and undocumented people needing assistance.
2. Prepare immigration and naturalization forms, which include Adjustment of Status, Family Petitions, Conditional Residency, Naturalization, Renewing Resident Cards, Visa packets, and Affidavits of Support.
3. Translate, certify, notarize, and copy documents.
4. Make referrals as appropriate.

For more information please contact Accredited Representative, Flora Archuleta at 719-587-3225 ext. 11

Por Ti Misma-Assisting Battered Immigrants
The Por Ti Misma –Assisting Battered Immigrants program assists domestic violence victims in seeking legal residency under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). women who would otherwise be eligible to apply for legal immigration status through their husbands, yet their abusive husbands have refused to help them are assisted through this program. Through VAWA, we guide the women through the process of petitioning for residency, while effectively putting control of the immigration process in the hands of the victim. In the process, women gain much greater control of their own lives.

VAWA offers the opportunity to request legal permanent residency status for battered spouses and children, without the help or knowledge of the abuser. A battered immigrant may be able to:

• Self-petition with USCIS to request permanent residency
• Suspend deportation proceedings
• Obtain deferred action
• Change conditional residency status to permanent residency status
• Request a work permit

The decision to stay with or leave the abuser is a decision the victim makes on her own. The petition allows the victim to make this decision freely, without pressure from the spouse. In addition, the whole process is completely confidential. USCIS will not contact the applicant (victim) directly. Also, the abusive spouse will not be notified and the victim's choice to petition will not affect the abuser.

We also assist crime victims who qualify to apply for the U-visa. The purpose of the U-visa, which is a nonimmigrant visa, is to give victims of certain crimes temporary legal status and eligibility in the United States for up to 4 years. Family members may also be included in the petition including spouses, children, unmarried sisters and brothers under 18, mothers, fathers, as well as stepparents and adoptive parents. An approved U-visa petition will automatically grant the applicant work eligibility in the United States. 10,000 U-visas are issued every fiscal year. Each case is considered individually.

For more information, please call the Immigrant Advocate, Carmen Stevens at (719) 587-3225 ext. 13.

Punto de Vista Education/Outreach Language Project
This project provides English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to adult immigrants in the San Luis Valley. The focus of this project is to serve as many adult ESL students as possible by coordinating times and places in order to eliminate the barriers of work, transportation and childcare by providing evening classes. Depending on available funding, we offer classes in as many locations throughout the San Luis Valley as possible. This project has been in existence since 2001.

Current ESL Sites:

• Alamosa
  • San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center

For more information contact ESL Coordinator, Roxanne Reimer at 719-587-3225 ext. 12

After School Tutoring Program

This program provides tutoring services to approximately 20 school age children four days per week at the Alamosa Migrant Housing complex “Tierra Nueva”, where they are assisted in completing their schoolwork during the school year. This program has been in existence since 2010.

 

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