Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center

PIRC PROVIDES FREE HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES SO THAT VULNERABLE IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND A MORE SECURE FUTURE.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: PIRC PROVIDES SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH TWO PROGRAMS: 1) THE IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS PROJECT AND 2) THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PROJECT/MEDICAL LEGAL PARTNERSHIP. IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS PROJECT: ISP IS A UNIQUE PROVIDER OF IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSUALT ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. ISP PARTNERS WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AGENCIES AND PRO BONO LEGAL AID ATTORNEYS IN A UNIQUE MODEL OF SERVICE DELIVERY THAT PROVIDES IMMIGRATION AND FAMILY LAW LEGAL SERVICES, PUBLIC BENEFITS ADVOCACY, VICTIM SERVICES, AND EDUCATION TO IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS. THIS SURVIVOR-CENTERED APPROACH PROFOUNDLY IMPACTS THE LIVES OF IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSUALT AND THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY CREATE A NEW LIFE OF SAFETY, ECONOMIC WELL-BEING, AND STABILITY. THIS IN TURN CREATES A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE 2014 YORK COUNTY BAR FOUNDATION'S ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY FOUND THAT EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN PIRC'S LEGAL SERVICES YIELDS AND ESTIMATED NINEFOLD ECONOMIC BENEFIT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEMAND FOR LINGUISTICALLY, FINANCIALLY, AND GEOGRAPHICALLY-ACCESSIBLE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT GREATLY OUTWEIGHS THE AVAILABILITY OF SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WITH PIRC BEING ONE OF THE FEW STATEWIDE PROVIDERS OF THESE SPECIALIZED, AND CRITICAL SERVICES. IN 2023, THE ISP CLOSED 119 DIRECT REPRESENTATION CASES, OPENED AN ADDITIONAL 117, AND CARRIED AT THE END OF 2023 341 OPEN CASES. COMMUNITY RESPONSE PROJECT/MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP WITH WELLSPAN: IN JANUARY 2022, PIRC AND WELLSPAN LAUNCHED A MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP. THE PARTNERSHIP IS A COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM BETWEEN LEGAL AND HEALTHCARE TEAMS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS HEALTH-HARMING LEGAL NEEDS IN PATIENTS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS OR AFFORD SUCH SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES NEEDS PROACTIVELY IN SUPPORT OF HEALTH. WELLSPAN HEALTH PARTNERS WITH PENNSYLVANIA IMMIGRATION RESOURCE CENTER (PIRC) AND MID PENN TO SUPPORT THEIR MEDICAL LEGAL PARTNERSHIP. IN 2023, THE MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP PROVIDED 17 CONSULTATIONS, CLOSED 10 ADVICE-ONLY AND BRIEF SERVICE CASES, AND TOOK ON 11 NEW DIRECT REPRESENTATION CASES. IN SEPTEMBER 2023, PIRC LAUNCHED THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PROJECT TO OFFER ADDITIONAL IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO IMMIGRANTS IN YORK COUNTY WITH EMERGENT LEGAL NEEDS, WHO WERE NOT REFERRED BY WELLSPAN HEALTH. IN ACCESSING THESE SERVICES, CLIENTS ARE ABLE TO SECURE THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS AND OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION SO THEY CAN BUILD A SECURE FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. SINCE THE START OF THE PROJECT IN 2023 UNTIL THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE PROJECT HAS PROVIDED 20 CONSULTATIONS, CLOSED 15 BRIEF SERVICE/ADVICE ONLY CASES, AND OPENED 13 NEW CASES.

UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN PROGRAM

DIRECT REPRESENTATION: PIRC PROVIDES DIRECT REPRESENTATION AND PRO SE ASSISTANCE TO INDIGENT IMMIGRANTS THROUGH THE NATIONAL QUALIFIED REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAM (NQRP), THE PENNSYLVANIA FAMILY UNITY PROJECT (PAIFUP), AND TO PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE POPULATIONS (PVP). NQRP PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR DETAINED IMMIGRANTS DETERMINED BY THE IMMIGRATION COURT TO BE INCOMPETENT TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS OR OTHER CAPACITY LIMITATIONS. THESE CASES ARE COMPLEX DUE TO ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION AND COMPREHENSION BARRIERS AS WELL AS THE LACK OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THIS POPULATION. SECONDLY, PIRC PROVIDES DEFENSE AGAINST DEPORTATION THROUGH THE PAIFUP COLLABORATIVE PROJECT JOINTLY WITH THE NATIONALITIES SERVICE CENTER. THIS PROGRAM SEEKS TO BRING UNIVERSAL REPRESENTATION TO DETAINED IMMIGRANTS IN REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS IN PENNSYLVANIA. CASES ARE SELECTED ON A MERITS-BLIND BASIS, SCREEENED ONLY FOR INCOME AND RESIDENCE ELIGIBILITY THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO SCALE THE PROJECT USING DATA/EFFICACY OF THE PROGRAM TO SHOW THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THAT REPRESENTATION MAKES TO INDIVIDUALS FACING DEPORTATION WITHOUT COUNSEL. FINALLY, PIRC PRESENTS OTHER SELECT CASES BASED ON PARTICULAR VULNERABILITIES SUCH AS ILLITERACY, LIMITED ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND TRAUMA FROM PAST PERSECUTION OR TORTURE. IN 2023, PIRC STAFF PROVIDED PRO SE ASSISTANCE OR REPRESENTATION BEFORE DHS OR EOIR TO 67 INDIVIDUALS FACING DETENTION/DEPORTATION.

LEGAL ORIENTATION PROGRAM (LOP): PIRC STAFF EMPOWER IMMIGRANTS IN DETENTION THROUGHOUT PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH THE LEGAL ORIENTATION PROGRAM (LOP), PROVIDING CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR IMMIGRANTS SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LEGAL CASES/FUTURE. THE LOP EDUCATES DETAINED IMMIGRANTS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF GROUP LEGAL PRESENTATIONS, SELF-HELP WORKSHOPS, AND INDIVIDUAL ORIENTATIONS ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT IN IMMIGRATION COURT, THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, AND POTENTIAL LEGAL OPTIONS AND POSSIBLE REMEDIES. FOR APPROXIMATELY 86% OF DETAINED IMMIGRANTS IN REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, LOP SERVICES ARE THE ONLY LEGAL ASSISTANCE THEY WILL RECEIVE BEFORE APPEARING PRO SE IN IMMIGRATION COURT. IN 2023, PIRC PROVIDED GENERAL LEGAL ORIENTATIONS IN A GROUP SETTING TO 569 INDIVIDUALS DETAINED AT MOSHANNON VALLEY PROCESSING CENTER AND CLINTON COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. ADDITIONALLY, PIRC PROVIDED INDIVIDUALIZED LEGAL ORIENTATION TO 213 NONCITIZENS. FINALLY, THROUGH THE LOP, PIRC STAFF SUCCESSFULLY MATCHED 11 CASES WITH EXTERNAL PRO BONO COUNSEL TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO ASSIST THOSE IN NEED OF REPRESENTATION. PRO BONO REPRESENTATION INCLUDED MATTERS RANGING FROM FEAR INTERVIEW PREPARATION, BOND/PAROLE, AND FULLSCOPE DEPORTATION DEFENSE.