Refugee & Immigrant Center For Education & Legal Services

DIRECT LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR IMMIGRANTS, ASYLUM-SEEKERS, AND REFUGEES.

DIRECT CLIENT SERVICES: IN TEXAS, LESS THAN 30% OF THOSE IN IMMIGRATION COURT PROCEEDINGS HAVE COUNSEL, RESULTING IN DEPORTATION ORDERS FOR OVER 70%. IN RESPONSE, RAICES PROVIDES TRAUMA-INFORMED, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AFFIRMATIVE AND REMOVAL DEFENSE LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS IN DETENTION AND THROUGHOUT TEXAS, INCLUDING PRO-BONO REPRESENTATION FOR FAMILIES AND UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN. IN 2021, RAICES OPENED 15,463 CASES REPRESENTING 12,149 CLIENTS AND PROVIDED ACCESS TO WRAP-AROUND SOCIAL SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY $200,000 IN EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, $1.2 MILLION IN BOND FEES, SAFETY PLANNING, AND SCHOOL ENROLLMENT. IN ADDITION, RAICES PROVIDED 15,863 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUSTODY WITH KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS AND LAUNCHED A RURAL LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE LIVING IN MORE THAN 80 LOCATIONS

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT: DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH NATIONAL PARTNER USCRI FOR THOSE CLASSIFIED AS REFUGEES, ASYLEES, CERTIFIED VICTIMS OF SEVERE FORMS OF TRAFFICKING, CUBAN AND HAITIAN ENTRANTS, CERTAIN AMERASIANS, AND SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA HOLDERS FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN, RAICES' REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES PATHWAYS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INCLUDES ACCESS TO LEGAL COUNSEL AND RAPID SUPPORT FOR HOUSING, CASH ASSISTANCE, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT, HEALTHCARE REFERRALS INCLUSIVE OF MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT, AND EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE. FOLLOWING THE U.S.'S WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN, RAICES EXPANDED CAPACITY TO INCLUDE AFGHAN HUMANITARIAN PAROLEES, AND RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 401 SERVICE RECIPIENTS FROM AFGHANISTAN, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, ERITREA, IRAQ, MYANMAR, AND SUDAN APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF WHOM WERE MINORS AT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL.

RIGHTS ADVOCACY: RAICES ADVOCACY AND LITIGATION PRIORITIES CENTER THE NEEDS OF MIGRANT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PURSUE SYSTEMIC CHANGE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT U.S. POLICIES AND PRACTICES WILL NOT ADVANCE UNLESS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DEMAND IT. IN 2021, RAICES PURSUED THE END OF POLICIES INCLUDING THE MIGRANT PROTECTION PROTOCOLS AND TITLE 42 IN THE FEDERAL COURTS AND FILED ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ON BEHALF OF 52 FAMILIES SEPARATED IN 2018 UNDER THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY. IN ADDITION, RAICES ACTIVATED NEARLY 20,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TAKE ACTION THROUGH DIGITAL ORGANIZING CAMPAIGNS, INCLUDING SIGNING PETITIONS, CALLING, TWEETING, AND EMAILING PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO END HARMFUL ANTI-IMMIGRANT POLICIES AND EXPAND PERMANENT PROTECTIONS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.