Rights Counseling for Undocumented People

The program provides immigration assistance, citizenship assistance centers, and rights counseling for undocumented persons. Immigration assistance is provided for legally admitted resident aliens, age 18 and older in Los Angeles County. The program also provides advocacy and counseling services for undocumented persons. Comprehensive citizenship services are provided at four Citizenship Assistance Centers; see site list for details. Services are targeted, but not restricted, to the Spanish-speaking community. There are no geographic restrictions.

The program assists people with completion of INS forms, photos, photocopies and direct delivery of applications to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Citizenship interviews and testing are provided by INS staff at all the agency's locations. The agency also provides a paralegal who assists people who wish to file petitions with the INS for citizenship for a spouse or other family member. The program also processes late amnesty cases; provides labor certification for employees; legalization questionnaires; and provides assistance to women who are victims of domestic violence under the VAWA program. The program provides immigration assistance to Guatemalans and Salvadorans under the NACARA program. The program provides citizenship education classes for individuals as well.

A staff paralegal also provides rights counseling for undocumented persons to understand what rights and benefits may be available to them.

Applicants for naturalization and other immigrant benefits can only have their fingerprints taken at INS application support centers or at registered law enforcement agencies.