I spent a week touring and working in respite centers along the southern border. While we were there, our team tried to help arrivals work through the trauma they had experienced, hoping to alleviate their intense anxiety. In this report, I walk you through the challenges faced by asylum seekers coming to the U.S. and…

Background: On August 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it has finalized the new public charge rule. The new rule will take effect October 15, 2019; it is not retroactive. Changes include, but are not limited to, expanding the kinds of public benefits considered in the public charge test. Under the…

“There are complications [for resettling Rohingya people in the U.S.],” says by Arya Surowidjojo at OPB. “Khin Niang Cing, Hussein’s resettlement case manager with Catholic Charities of Oregon, said Hussein managed to bring his children’s birth certificates but not his marriage certificate. “This missing document, compounded by the slashing of the refugee resettlement quota by…

Using property tax collections, the Portland City Council approved $500,000 last year to provide legal aid to local immigrants. With lawyers from Catholic Charities, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Immigration Counseling Service, Innovation Law Lab, and Metropolitan Public Defender, more than 341 people were provided lawyers to represent them in deportation hearings, and 105 (including 23…

A recent article in the Catholic Sentinel discusses the destructive effects of deportations and detentions on children and families. The Catholic Sentinel’s Katie Scott spoke to Pope Francis Center Director Vanessa Briseño, Intercultural Counseling Center Manager Lucrecia Suarez, Immigration Legal Services Director John Herrera, and retired immigration judge Michael Bennett. Read the article on their…

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) has developed two resources that may be useful in the event of a detention or removal attempt: “Know Your Rights” cards in several languages and the rapid response toolkit. If you need further assistance, please contact our Immigration Legal Defense team at (503) 542-2855 or by emailing immigrationemail@ccoregon.org.