Immigration Law
Attracta Kelly, Staff Attorney
Jeff Summerlin-Long, Staff
Attorney
Cristin Ruggles, Paralegal,
Immigration
Farmworker Issues
Carol Brooke, Staff Attorney,
Network
of Immigrant Advocates
Dani Martinez-Moore, Coordinator
If
you would like assistance
please contact our staff.
Feedback
PO Box 28068,
Raleigh, NC 27611-8068
phone: 919-856-2159
fax: 919-856-2175
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The North Carolina Immigrants Legal Assistance Project (ILAP) is a not-for-profit agency that helps low-income immigrants and migrant farm workers with certain kinds of legal problems.We cannot help you if you are trying to get legal immigration status through your employer. We also cannot help you if you want to apply for a temporary or non-immigrant visa such as a visitor's or student visa. We may be able to refer you to other people who can help.
In order to qualify for our services, the applicant’s household income must be below a certain amount. The amount is based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines issued each year by the federal government and it does change. Please understand that we have limited resources and concentrate our services on those who need them most and who have the least amount of money to hire a private attorney. We will require proof of income.
If you qualify for our services based on your income, the next step is to see if your case is of the type we generally accept. The following are the broad categories of cases we are currently accepting (due to limited resources, these categories do sometimes change):
Family-based petitions
NACARA 203 (Nicaraguan & Central American Relief Act)/ABC
Affirmative Asylum
Defensive Asylum
VAWA (Violence Against Women Act)
Families of Asylees
TPS (Temporary Protected Status)
Naturalization
Persons in Removal Proceedings
CSS
Special Immigrant Juvenile, Cuban Adjustment Act
If you are unsure as to whether or not your problem fits into one of these categories, please feel free to contact us to find out. Please note, however, that we can only receive calls from prospective clients on Tuesdays. The numbers and hours are listed below.
If no one answers the phone when you call, we are probably on the phone with another client. Please leave a message with your name, number, and a brief description of your immigration problem, and someone will return your call as quickly as possible. Please do not call other staff members as no one else will be able to help you.Our office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Monday through Friday.
For Immigration Clients:
Client intake (new cases) is Tuesdays from 9:00 AM to 5 PM. We talk to new immigration clients over the phone only on Tuesdays.
We do not accept walk-in clients.
If you are contacting us for the first time, please call us on Tuesdays at 1-888-251-2776 (toll free) or (919) 856-2159. We do speak Spanish. We require that all new clients call us before coming to our office to find out if we can help you.For Farmworker/H2B Clients:
You can call anytime at (919) 856-2144 or 1-888-251-2776 (toll free). If you are calling from Mexico, you may call collect.
Hablamos español.
Other Non-Profits in North Carolina who Assist in Immigration Matters
International House in Charlotte
Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry (no website)
Newton Grove, NC (910) 567-6917
Catholic Social Ministries offices
Greenville – Jim Palmer – (252) 355-5111
Raleigh – Hispanic Family Center – Consuelo Kwee – (919) 873-0094
Wilmington – Adriana Pridgen – (910) 251-8130
Heather Ziemba – Legal Services of Southern Piedmont – Charlote, NC
1-800-247-1931 (Spanish) / (704) 971-2622 (English)
Jane Oakes – Pisgah Legal Services – Asheville, NC
1-800-489-6144 or 828-253-0406
Rona Karaokova (for VAWA cases only) – also with Legal Aid of North Carolina in Charlotte - (704) 971-2621
Casa Guadalupe – Winston Salem
(336) 727-4745
Press Release: U.S. Immigration System Is Broken, Realizing the American Dream Act is Best Fix, May 4, 2004Class Action Lawsuit Filed April 20, 2004: The suit is on behalf of nine H2A workers and alleges that the North Carolina Growers Association and its members blacklisted workers from employment, cheated the workers on wages, retaliated against them for engaging in protected activity, and violated NC's RICO law.
Press Release
News and Observer Article, April 21, 2004Immigrant Access to Public Benefits in North Carolina
Overcoming Barriers to Participation, PDF, 1 MB 12/2002Links to resources listed in this document
How To Be An Effective Advocate for Migrant Workers, PDF 10 KB
Legal Rights of H2A Workers, PDF 18 KB
Legal Rights of H2B Workers, PDF 17 KB
Legal Rights of Non-H2A Workers, PDF 20 KB
Media Release: Immigrant Workers Deserve Real Immigration Reform
English SpanishEditorial: The Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits and Security Act of 2003 1/12/04
Food Stamp Availability
New Rules Mean Food Stamps for More Legal Immigrants PDF, (108 kb)
Advocate's Guide to Food Stamps for Legal Immigrants/Estampillas de Comida para Inmigrantes Legles (en Espanol and English) PDF 528 KB
Flyer- A Small Reason to Know if It's Possible to Get Food Stamps PDF 237 KB
Flyer - Una Pequeña Razón Por Que Ud. Debe Averiguar Si Puede Recibir Estampillas de Comida PDF 236 KB
Immigrants residing in the U.S. who are not eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN) can apply to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). This number can be used in place of a Social Security Number to file taxes. The ITIN should never be used with an employer-- it does not grant permission to work in the U.S. and should not substitute for a SSN on employment-related documents. All people, regardless of immigration status, have a legal obligation to file taxes for any income earned in the U.S. Additionally, immigrants who are planning to adjust their immigration status through a family member or any future legalization proposal will need to show proof of filing their taxes to establish their "good moral character". However, there may be some risks associated with establishing an ITIN with the IRS. Even though the ITIN is not supposed to be considered evidence of an undocumented status, ITIN holders unlawfully present in the U.S. may face additional risks through their contact with the IRS. If you have questions about whether or not you should apply for an ITIN, please discuss your questions with an immigration attorney. In December 2003, the IRS announced new rules for obtaining an ITIN. We will add more information here about the application process soon. Until then, the IRS links below may be of interest: Application Form and Instructions in English Form W-7 (Rev. December 2003) -- Fill-in FormDepartment of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number For use by individuals who are not US citizens... http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-fill/fw7.pdf IRS Announces Revisions to ITIN Applications ITIN Frequently Asked Questions |
Los inmigrantes que residen en los Estados Unidos que no son elegibles para un numero de seguro social (SSN) pueden solicitar al Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS) para un numero de identificacion personal del contribuyente (ITIN). Este numero se puede utilizar en lugar de un numero de seguro social para llenar declaraciones de impuestos. Nunca se debe utilizar el ITIN con un empleador -- no concede el permiso de trabajar en los Estados Unidos y no debe sustituir para un SSN en documentos relativos al empleo. Toda la gente, sin importar su estado de inmigracion, tiene una
obligacion legal de declarar los impuestos para cualquier ingreso
ganado en los EE.UU. Sin embargo, puede haber algunos riesgos relacionados con establecer un ITIN con el IRS. Aunque el ITIN no debe de ser considerado evidencia de un estado indocumentado, los que tienen un ITIN y que estan presentes ilegalmente en los EE.UU. pueden enfrentar riesgos adicionales a traves de su contacto con el IRS. Si usted tiene preguntas alrededor de si o no usted debe solicitar un ITIN, discuta por favor sus preguntas con un abogado que especializa en inmigracion. En diciembre de 2003, el IRS anuncio las nuevas reglas para obtener
un ITIN. |
La
Forma y Las Instrucciones en espanol
Form W-7(SP) (Rev. December 2003) -- Fill in Form IRS Anuncia Cambios a Solicitudes para los ITIN http://www.irs.gov/espanol/article/0,,id=118746,00.html ITIN Preguntas Frecuentes |
Legal Assistance for Farmworkers
Pine Tree Legal Assistance
California Rural Legal Assistance
North West Justice Project
Michigan Legal Assistance Network/Farmworker Legal Services
Legal Services of North Carolina, Farmworker UnitFarmworker Advocacy Organizations
Student Action with Farmworkers
National Center for Farmworker Health
Farmworker Justice Fund
Unions and Farmworker Organizing Organizations
Pineros Y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste
United Farm Workers
Coalition of Immokalee WorkersGovernment Agencies
North Carolina Department of Labor
North Carolina Industrial Commission (workers' comp)
U.S. Department of LaborImmigrant Access to Public Benefits Resources
State Benefits Application Procedures
Child Care Guidance Limiting SSNs on State Applications
Immigrants and Domestic Violence Fact Sheet
Public Charge Guidance
INS Fact Sheets on Public Charge
North Carolina Institute of Medicine Task Force Report on Latino Health
North Carolina Governor's Office of Hispanic/Latino AffairsImmigration Links
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services Home Page
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/index.htm
Immigration Forms and Fees
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/index.htm
Local BCIS Contact Information
http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/fieldoffices/index.htm
Immigrant Advocates Network
The Network of Immigrant Advocates is a statewide organization of agencies and individuals who work with the immigrant community. The Network currently has four working committees:• Immigration
• Title VI
• INS Quick Response Teams
• AdvocacyWe also conduct trainings for members on changes in the immigration laws and other issues affecting immigrants in North Carolina. For more information, or to join our listserv, please e-mail Carol Brooke or call 919-856-2144.