Immigration Clinic Participates in New Collaborative Efforts | CASE ...

Immigration Clinic Participates in New Collaborative Efforts

Our Legal Clinics? Interns showed great enthusiasm and initiative when contacted recently by the San Diego Naturalization Coalition to participate in a citizenship workshop scheduled for February 25, 2012. The Coalition consists of a group of six San Diego nonprofits that have joined together to increase the rate of naturalization for permanent residents by providing free legal assistance. Legal Interns from USD?s Immigration Clinic responded quickly to the request, and coordinated their participation in the event that was held at San Diego City College from 9 am to 4 pm.

Legal Interns Jennifer Avina and Trevor Marsh attended a three hour training to prepare for the first workshop, which is one of four that will be held throughout the year. At the workshop, potential applicants are screened for eligibility to naturalize before meeting with law students from universities around the county, including USD?s Immigration Clinic.

One of the members of the coalition.

The majority of the time spent with applicants included assisting them in completing the N-400 form, a ten page document that is at the heart of applying for Naturalization in the United States. ?I was able to assist one applicant at this workshop,? comments Jennifer Avina, noting that she spent the rest of her time helping a considerable number of attendees who needed interpretation assistance. ?Many of the questions on the application were complicated and confusing for the participants; however, I was also able to help several other law students with questions because of the immigration law experience I?ve obtained at USD?s Immigration Clinic,? she adds. ?I don?t know exactly how many people we helped that day, but I do know that a bus came to San Diego from Escondido and that bus alone brought about 50 potential applicants to the workshop.?

Another member of the collaborative.

This workshop was the first of its kind sponsored by the San Diego Naturalization Coalition, using a new format to increase the number of applicants that can be assisted through this type of legal assistance. ?I?m happy to be part of this new endeavor and look forward to helping the Coalition improve future workshops,? states Avina. ?With this type of free legal assistance combined with San Diego?s large immigrant population, hopefully we can become a model for the rest of the country.?

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