CCNY operates New York City’s ICH, which has been funded by the Executive Office for Immigration Review since 2016. The program provides group and individual information sessions, Friend of the Court services, pro se application assistance, and referrals to pro bono representation for immigrants in removal proceedings. To be eligible for ICH services, people need to show that they are based in New York or that their case is docketed there, in removal proceedings, and can’t afford a private attorney. CCNY provides consultation days on a walk-in, first-come, first-serve basis, most days per month. Unfortunately, because of limited capacity, CCNY staff must turn away dozens of people per day, causing people to arrive hours in advance in the hopes of obtaining help. Given this high number, CCNY also offers remote services by appointment, especially to accommodate families with small children or people with disabilities.

After an initial consultation, some people are invited back for appointments, based on deadlines, for pro se support with their asylum cases, TPS applications, work permits, venue changes, and requests to close their deportation cases. CCNY keeps track of all the information it shares with applicants in case of policy changes. CCNY holds other workshops to prepare people for their court proceedings because, although CCNY attorneys cannot represent everyone, some people have strong cases that could benefit from this specific training. 

Through ICH and other programs, CCNY holds regular workshops to assist people with preparing and submitting their pro se asylum applications. During these workshops, CCNY attorneys review the applications together with the applicants, and then lay out clear next steps and advisals on what people should expect going forward in their cases, like attending hearings and collecting evidence for their cases. CCNY staff also explain to applicants how they may be able to apply for work permits in the future. Finally, CCNY gives applicants contact information in case they receive mail that they don’t understand. 

The Haitian Response Initiative (HRI) serves Haitians who have ties to New York City. CCNY has frequent screening days to advise people whether they are eligible for relief. In addition to direct representation for many Haitian immigrants, HRI holds weekly clinics to assist unrepresented Haitians in preparing and submitting pro se applications for those who are eligible for asylum, Temporary Protected Status, or work permits immediately if they have the necessary documents.

CCNY works with multiple external individuals, including pro bono attorneys and other volunteers, to deliver services. Since the beginning of the previous administration, CCNY has received support from an increased number of volunteers. Volunteers can be law students, members of student organizations, prospective law students, attorneys, and college students. Single-day volunteers go through mandatory training on the type of work they will be completing ahead of their initial day volunteering with CCNY. All volunteers work under the direct supervision of CCNY attorneys, and all volunteers’ work is reviewed by CCNY attorneys before submission to the government.

Quality control, including direct attorney supervision and detailed review of all cases in pro se legal clinics, is paramount. Also, because CCNY wants people to clearly understand its services, CCNY requires all pro se applicants to review and sign a scope of services agreement in their best language ahead of any pro se services. A copy is given to the client and one is kept with CCNY.

CTU’s community navigators play an important role in the pro se legal clinic. They are trauma-informed, highlighting the oppressive structures upheld by the law and offering resources to support getting involved with CTU and broader organizing. They ask community members what is most important to them and try to answer any questions they have, and thoroughly explain the legal issues so they can make a fully informed decision in their case. Community navigators also serve as translators for Beyond lawyers. Community navigators advocate for community members to guarantee that their voices are heard and listened to by the lawyers. Even when lawyers are well-intentioned, they might make errors in ensuring the agency of clients. CTU has a transparent and honest relationship with the lawyers. When CTU feels like a lawyer is not being accountable to the community, is operating in a hierarchical way, or is otherwise being condescending, community navigators have a meeting with the lawyer to give them a chance to address their actions. If successful, they have a mediated conversation. To relieve some reliance on lawyers at its pro se legal clinics, CTU is encouraging more of its staff to become accredited representatives. 

The help desk meets people where they are, with walk-in hours offered two days a week within Los Angeles’ main immigration court and a third day in Esperanza’s office. Being in the courtroom allows for relationship-building. Immigration judges, ICE, and Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP) agents, and other non profit organizations regularly refer pro se immigrants to the help desk, and information about the program is included in all initial hearing notices. Community Education for Released Adults and Families is staffed by a full-time attorney and a legal assistant with support from pro bono lawyers, law students, and Spanish speaking volunteers. 

Community Education for Released Adults and Families offers an orientation program to all immigrants seeking support. The orientation provides an overview of the court process, including information and resources on the major actors involved in the immigration system. Following an orientation, individuals participate in a one-on-one consultation with a legal team member to discuss their case and assess potential areas of support. The team is very clear about its capacity and at every level of service, they have retainers explaining the scope of the work. The clinic and workshops provide orientation rather than representation. Esperanza lawyers do not represent clients, but rather orient them so that people are not told what to do but understand the processes they are undertaking. Those with asylum claims are invited to an Asylum workshop which is divided into two parts: 1) overview on the asylum process and 2) preparation of the asylum application. The overview workshop happens twice a month with approximately 40 people and aims to empower impacted communities with knowledge about the asylum procedure and rather than just gaining a translation, they learn how to tell their stories. The second workshop prioritizes individuals who are either approaching their one-year asylum deadline or an immigration judge deadline. Every month, around thirty individuals are invited to attend this workshop to complete their application. Spanish speaking volunteers assist individuals in the preparation of the biographical sections of the application, while a team of lawyers and law students assist individuals to fill out the more “legal” elements of the application. The help desk also runs a workshop on employment authorization and relies on active participation of immigrants to fill out their own forms to build knowledge and agency.

Community Education for Released Adults and Families responds to the evolving needs of the community. For example, consultations revealed an increasing number of immigrants unable to remove their private attorneys from the record because predatory attorneys required payment before filing the requisite paperwork. In response, Esperanza created a pro se “motion to withdraw representation” and supported individuals to file such motions with significant success.

The clinics also serve as an organizing space. For people seeking asylum, their families, attorneys, and members of the community at large, the clinics are a space to take steps towards a more active role in organizing for immigrant rights in Georgia. A shared struggle suggests shared solutions and with the time gained, Defend Asylum creates space to name and explore those shared solutions.  

The NSC pro se clinic was not limited to legal interventions. Friends worked with their volunteer teams to identify other areas in which they needed support, and a team of social workers maintained a table to provide information on finding employment, enrolling children in school, obtaining an NYC ID card, and to answer questions. Volunteers often supported Friends seeking permanent counsel. In many instances, Friends had an easier time securing counsel after NSC supported them to meet a filing deadline or to take first steps in defending against deportation and advocating for their right to remain. NSC provided childcare, donated dinner to Friends and volunteers, and homemade treats to teams throughout the evening.

Although the NSC faced challenges such as the stressful nature of being a clinic, limited resources including inadequate translation and lack of volunteer confidence, Friends and volunteers shared positive experiences. During a participatory evaluation process of NSC, Friends reported that they appreciated NSC’s open door policy and welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. They also reported on the ability to receive free legal assistance, access to material resources such as social services, and increased knowledge of the immigration system and their rights more broadly. The NSC also provided emotional support, a sense of security, safety, and community. Friends recommended that the NSC should have been better advertised and better recruited, and that there could have been more trainings for Friends, with a more Friend-led model. Volunteers likewise reported favorably on the experience. They enjoyed being part of a larger movement that allowed them to be in solidarity with Friends and bear witness in court hearings. Volunteers gained increased knowledge of the immigration system and political context, which permitted them to be politically active and raise awareness with their networks.