Founded in 1996, our Immigration Legal Services division works to protect individuals and maintain and reunify families in need.
Working to Keep Families Together
Catholic Charities’ Immigration Legal Services (ILS) program is a nonprofit law program providing low-cost consultations and legal representation to immigrants and refugees throughout Oregon and southwest Washington. We also educate the public, immigrant communities, and the organizations who serve them to promote justice for all newcomers and support conditions for their full participation in American society.
We focus on family reunification and assistance to the most vulnerable immigrants and refugees, including survivors of domestic violence, and sexual assault.
“It is necessary to respond to the globalization of migration with the globalization of charity and cooperation, in such a way to make the conditions for migrants more humane.”
– Pope Francis
Our Services
- Family-based applications/visas
- Permanent residency (Green Card)
- Naturalization and citizenship
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse (VAWA)
- Visa for crime victims (U-Visa)
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Asylum
- Removal Defense
- Refugee adjustment of status/family petition
We also offer other types of assistance on a case-by-case basis.
Clients enrolled with ILS should contact their representative to make an appointment. Walk-in appointments will not be accepted.
Whom we Serve
ILS provides help to clients with diverse backgrounds and varied needs:
- Families that have been separated
- Survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and other violent crimes (learn more)
- Refugees
- Dreamers (DACA)
- Foreign-born spouses or children of U.S. citizens
- Immigrants without criminal offenses who face deportation/removal
- Low-income individuals and families seeking documentation
Our Services
- Family-based applications/visas
- Permanent residency (Green Card)
- Naturalization and citizenship
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child sexual abuse (VAWA)
- Visa for crime victims (U Visa)
- Survivors of human trafficking (T Visa)
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
- Asylum
- Removal Defense
- Refugee Adjustment of Status/Family Petition
- Other types of assistance on a case-by-case basis
Who We Serve
We serve clients of diverse backgrounds with varied needs. Examples include…
- A mother who has been feeding her children from 3,000 miles away but hasn’t been able to hug them in 10 years
- A victim of violent crime
- A refugee reuniting with loved ones left behind
- A survivor of years of abuse
- A student who has lived in Oregon since he was 6 months old, only speaks English, and found out he was undocumented after applying for college
- A young girl escaping trafficking
- A U.S. citizen who wants to bring his wife or child to the United States
- An immigrant facing removal issues by ICE without a criminal offense
Seeking Assistance?
If you or someone you know would like assistance from Legal Services, please call (503) 542-2855. Messages will be returned.
Enrolled clients should contact their representative to make an appointment. Walk-in appointments will not be accepted.
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