Central American Legal Assistance

Today and every day we’re grateful for our family of abogad@s, staff and board members at @calaenlalucha - past and present. Happy Thanksgiving from our CALA family to yours!

This holiday season, @calaenlalucha (and @oscar_el_abogato) are organizing a donation-based holiday toy drive for our clients’ children. If you’d like to contribute to this holiday toy drive, we kindly ask that you Venmo our staff attorney, Cassie Estassi! Thank you and happy holidays !

Last night, asylum seekers who show up to their hearings were referred to as ‘low IQ’ , as if following the law is something to be ridiculed. CALA stands in solidarity with all those who seek safety and rebuild their lives so far from home. Your sacrifice is real. Your survival matters. Your pursuit of safety is not idiotic. Your hope has never been more essential. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2NBdE3Hq32tm8xPnfW_Jnw

* ANUNCIO IMPORTANTE * Cada día hay novedades y noticias nuevas, pero por el momento la regla que iba a entrar en vigor mañana 2 de octubre ha sido *bloqueada de manera temporera* por una corte federal. Es decir, no subirán los costos cobrados por inmigración para las solicitudes tales y como la de permiso de trabajo. También por el momento seguirá existiendo la solicitud para un perdón de pago para la residencia, permiso de trabajo, entre otros. Si es cliente de nuestra oficina y tiene cualquier duda o necesita tramitar una de estas solicitudes, por favor llamarnos entre lunes a viernes 10am - 4pm. * actualizado el 1 de octubre de 2020 *

We’re thrilled to welcome our newest staff attorney to team @calaenlalucha , Cassie Estassi. Cassie, a former @ijcorps fellow at @humanrightsfirst, joined us earlier this month and we couldn’t be happier to have her as part of our legal team. A special thank you to the New York Community Trust for helping fund CALA’s ongoing efforts to seek justice for asylum-seekers at the appellate level. Welcome to the lucha, Cassie!

* OJO * Anuncio importante sobre cambios en los costos de varias solicitudes, comenzando el 2 de octubre. Si es cliente de nuestra oficina y tiene preguntas al respecto por favor llamarnos entre lunes a viernes de 10-4.

On September 21st, the Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative @immigrant_arc is hosting a panel discussion onThe Role of the Legal Advocate at the Intersection of Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice. The event is free and open to the public and press and will also include a keynote by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries @repjeffries CALA has been a proud member of I-ARC since it began as a volunteer effort. Over the last three years, Immigrant ARC has been part of many headline-making moments throughout the years. On the 21st, they are officially launching as a standalone non-profit with this great event. Please join them! Link here and also in their bio: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/launch-event-the-immigrant-adv

We’re excited to welcome IJC Justice Fellow, Joanna Lopez, as the newest member of the @calaenlalucha legal team. Bienvenida a la lucha, Joanna! Estamos sumamente entusiasmad@s de darle la bienvenida a la nueva miembro de nuestro equipo legal, Joanna López. Bienvenida a la lucha, Joanna! @ijcorps

*OJO* Estos días han habido muchos cambios en los reglamentos relacionados a los permisos de trabajo, entre otros temas. Aquí le resumimos algunos de los cambios más relevantes en este momento para nuestr@s client@s. Si usted es cliente actual y tiene cualquier pregunta al respecto por favor llamarnos al 718-486-6800 entre 10am - 4pm. Por el momento seguimos solo atendiendo *CON CITA PREVIA*. ... #brooklyn #immigration #immigrationlawyer #asilo #asylum #asylumisahumanright See more

CALA will be joining UnLocal, Inc. and ImmSchools in conversation with the filmmakers of Immigration Nation to discuss the brutality of the Deportation Machine, how immigrant activists and defenders are fighting it, and how you can (and must) help. Trigger Warning: Those who have been directly impacted by the Deportation Machine may find the scenes in this documentary-series triggering and you do NOT need to watch the series to appreciate the conversation. https://immigrationnation.splashthat.com/

DACA LIVES! https://t.co/TkKQKSjdEy?amp=1

Congratulations to former volunteer and now staff member Ana Ortiz for graduating and earning her degree in Political Science from John Jay! We’re so proud of Ana’s accomplishments and lucky to have on the CALA team.

Another congratulations to our staff member Cristian Vasquez for graduating and earning his degree in Sociology from John Jay! We’re so proud of Cristian accomplishments and lucky to have him on the CALA team.

While CALA lost Becky McBride, one of its relentless attorneys, earlier this month, it has gained another guiding spirit and enduring legacy in its fight for justice and freedom for asylum seekers everywhere. Undeterred by illness, Becky continued to defend asylum seekers in court and affirm their identities and struggles through selfless acts of kindness, laughter, and authenticity through the end of her life. So many fight to be seen and heard as the voice for the community.... Becky, instead, de-centered herself, using her skills and privileges to enable her clients to be the guiding voices, feelings, convictions, and values in their own struggles. Con Becky en lucha siempre! A pesar de perder a Becky McBride, una de nuestras abogadas implacables, a inicios de este mes, CALA ha ganado otro espíritu rector y un legado perdurable en su lucha por justicia y libertad para asilados en todo lugar. Sin inmutarse por enfermedad, Becky continuó defendiendo asilados en corte y afirmó sus identidades y luchas por medio de actos desinteresados de bondad, risas, y autenticidad hasta el fin de su vida. Tantos pelean para ser vistos y escuchados como la voz de la comunidad. Becky, en lugar, se descentraba, usando sus habilidades y privilegios para permitir que sus clientes sean las voces, sentimientos, convicciones, y valores en sus propias luchas. ¡Con Becky en la lucha siempre!

Si no tiene documentos, trabajaba en la industria de comida y se necesitan ayuda financia, debe buscar alguien quien le puede ayudar solicitar ayuda a través del Undocu Workers Fund https://raise-nyc.squarespace.com/events Si se necesita ayuda de comida, hay el Food Bank y unos Mercados Movibles en los barrios de NYC https://www.cityharvest.org/programs/mobile-markets/ https://www.foodbanknyc.org/get-help/