In conjunction with our ILS team, the Removal Defense Program provides high-quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees and engages in public education, training, and community outreach to foster migration-positive communities and full participation of all newcomers.
Making help accessible for our immigrant brothers and sisters
Many who are new to this country have very little and are often unable to find and/or afford the kind of legal representation that safeguards and legally protects themselves and their families when detention and deportation become real threats. The availability of those legal services to immigrant families facing separation is rare and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
The Removal Defense Program leverages Catholic Charities of Oregon’s existing Immigration Legal Services (ILS) team to improve our ability to tackle complex immigration court cases—specifically detention and removal defense—for vulnerable families.
KEEP KIDS HOME TASK FORCE
Changes in immigration policy enforcement have put many children in Oregon at risk of being separated from their families. Catholic Charities of Oregon has collaborated with statewide partners in education, foster care, and immigration legal services to develop cross-system infrastructure, policies, and procedures to protect children and keep them out of state custody in the event of detention or deportation of a parent.
Check out our volunteer opportunities to help keep children with their families.
Resources
Through the Removal Defense Program, Catholic Charities of Oregon offers pro bono removal defense legal services to the portfolio of services our Immigration Legal Services team offers. The Center provides legal protections for immigrants who are unable to afford attorneys and will ensure safeguards for vulnerable mixed-status families when detainment and deportation becomes a real threat. We have one full-time lawyer and one full-time legal assistant dedicated to providing clients with representation; outreach and education; and development, management and coordination of comprehensive pro bono activities.
Beliefs
At Catholic Charities of Oregon, we believe in justice and humane treatment for all humans. We believe in keeping families together. We know that Oregon is home to 391,200 immigrants, 192,000 of whom are children, and 62,000 with at least one undocumented immigrant parent. 49,000 of these children are United States Citizens. The Center for Removal Defense is vital for families in desperate need of their services to keep their family together.
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