Catholic Charities' Immigration and Legal Services (ILS) was
established in 1975 in repsonse to the growing number of immigrants moving to the North Texas area.  ILS is fully accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide a broad range of immigration counseling and representation to immigrants and their families.  ILS helps persons throughout North Texas to understand the immigration law and to their rights under the law.

The ILS program is designed to advise and guide clients through the immigration process in an efficient, effective and professionally caring manner.  ILS considers client participation to be critical to successful immigration processing.  ILS involves all clients fully in their own individual matters.

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Upcoming Event:

Join us for National Crime Victims' Rights Week
"25 Years of Rebuilding Lives: Celebrating the Victims of Crime Act"
April 26–May 2, 2009

FREE

• Crime Victims Information Forum
• Free Information
• Free Refreshments

Saturday, May 2, 2009
10:00 am – 11:30 am.

Catholic Charities Immigration and Legal Services
5415 Maple Ave. Ste 400
Dallas, Texas 75235

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 Our Intake Process and Procedures

Our program’s services are in great demand, therefore we ask that you understand and cooperate with the following procedures, which allow our lawyers and case managers to assist the maximum number of people possible

 · We will be open Tuesday – Saturday every week

· Consultations for new (first time) clients begin each day at 12:00 p.m.

· Numbers for new (first time) client consultations will be distributed beginning at 8 am each day

· Clients who have on-going cases may come either in the morning at 8:00 am or at noon

· Clients who have previously had a consultation and are ready to open a case may come either in the morning at 8 am or at noon.

· Clients ready to open new cases will be given an appointment in the morning.

March								July								November
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29	30	31						26	27	28	29	30	31			29	30
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			1	2	3	4								1				1	2	3	4	5
5	6	7	8	9	10	11		2	3	4	5	6	7	8		6	7	8	9	10	11	12
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26	27	28	29	30				23	24	25	26	27	28	29		27	28	29	30	31
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May								September								Closed for Holidays on:
					1	2				1	2	3	4	5		Saturday,  April 11, 2009
3	4	5	6	7	8	9		6	7	8	9	10	11	12		Saturday, May 23, 2009
10	11	12	13	14	15	16		13	14	15	16	17	18	19		Saturday, July 4, 2009
17	18	19	20	21	22	23		20	21	22	23	24	25	26		Saturday., September 5, 2009
24	25	26	27	28	29	30		27	28	29	30					Thursday, November 26, 2009
31								October								Friday, November 27, 2009
June												1	2	3		Saturday, November 28, 2009
	1	2	3	4	5	6		4	5	6	7	8	9	10		Friday, December 25, 2009
7	8	9	10	11	12	13		11	12	13	14	15	16	17		Saturday, December 26, 2009
14	15	16	17	18	19	20		18	19	20	21	22	23	24
21	22	23	24	25	26	27		25	26	27	28	29	30	31
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·   We conduct a walk-in intake process each day that we are open beginning at 12:00 noon.  Numbers for these consultations are distributed on a first come-first served basis each morning up until noon.  It is not necessary to have an appointment for a consultation, but you must get a number prior to 12:00 to be seen. 

·  The number of people we are able to assist each day will vary, depending on our available staff on a given day.

·   You must bring with you all documents related to your immigration case (copies of applications, visas, passports, criminal records, etc.).  If you do not have your documents, we will not be able to see you.

·  If you are petitioning for a relative and that relative is in the United States, s/he should come with you.

You can help us help more people by remembering the following:

• --Always have your case number
• --Bring any letter your received from us
• --Bring your colored checklist
• --Turn your cell phone off
• --When possible, leave your small children with a sitter
• --We do not handle employment-based immigration
• --We do not handle immigration matters relating to students
• --If you have an attorney, we will probably not be able to help you

 We appreciate your cooperation with these procedures

FAMILY VISA PETITIONS                     

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ILS assists persons to obtain immigrant visas so they may unite with family members already living in the U.S.
A United States Citizen may petition for his/her: 
Spouse                  Children (including step-children) 
Siblings                  Parents

A Lawful Permanent Resident of the U.S. may petition for his/her: 
Spouse                    Unmarried sons and daughters
Waiting times differ depending on what family relationship the petition is based on and the nationality of the beneficiary.

ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS APPLICATIONS
If a person wishing to immigrate to the U.S. is already in the U.S. and has an approved family-based petition for which the priority date is current, he/she may be eligible to apply for adjustment of status with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Complete consultations are necessary to assess an individual's eligibility for adjustment of status. Not everyone qualifies for adjustment of status.

CONSULAR VISA PROCESSING
Persons outside the United States and certain persons in the United States conclude the processing of their visas at American consulates abroad. ILS can help these persons with the final documentation necessary for consular visa appointments.

REPRESENTATION OF ABUSED IMMIGRANT WOMEN & CERTAIN CRIME VICTIMS
Special provisions in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) allow abused immigrant women and children to self-petition for permanent residency without relying on the abusers participation in their case. ILS assists such persons in applying for permanent residency under these special provisions.

NATURALIZATION SERVICES
ILS accredited staff is available to help persons determine their eligibility for United States citizenship. Basic requirements for U.S. citizenship include: 

Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S. for at least 5 years (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen); 

• Actually reside in the U.S. for at least one-half of the last five years; 
• Good moral character; 
• Basic knowledge of U.S. history and civics; 
• Ability to understand, speak, read and write basic English.

CITIZENSHIP CLASSES
ILS offers citizenship classes to help people prepare for the naturalization exam. Classes are conducted in English.

DEPORTATION REPRESENTATION
ILS attorneys and accredited staff represent persons who are in deportation proceedings in the Dallas Immigration Court. We represent detained and non-detained persons. ILS staff is not available for representation in other jurisdictions. ILS maintains a referral list of immigration specialists for persons whom it is unable to represent.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EDUCATION
Under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, ILS conducts extensive outreach throughout North Texas about provisions in the law which protect workers from immigration-related employment discrimination. ILS staff is available to make presentations to groups of workers, to employers, and to other service providers. In cases of immigration-related employment discrimination, ILS staff is available to guide persons in filing discrimination claims

Know Your Rights!

Knowing your rights is the best way to protect yourself against abuse by any law enforcement authority. The following are just some of the rights all people have, regardless of their immigration status: 

•  The right to speak to an attorney or an accredited representative. 
•  The right to make a phone call. 
•  The right, under certain circumstances, to request a hearing before an Immigration Judge. 
•  The right to receive a current list of voluntary agencies which offer legal services. 
•  The right to receive in writing the charges made against you.
•  The right, under certain circumstances, to request political asylum if you fear persecution in your country on the basis of race, religion, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. 
•  The right, under certain circumstances, to appeal your case to a higher review level.
  
  For more information about your rights, and to inquire about particular events which may have happened to you, contact our office.
  

ILS provides consultations on a daily basis (Tuesday – Saturday). Persons are assisted on a first-come/first-served basis. Initial consultations are $30 for most matters and $60 for deportation and removal matters.


In response to your suggestions we have changed our schedule. 

See Intake

Visita "Intake" Nuestras Reglas y Procedimientos

• We are open Tuesday – Saturday.
• Consultations begin each day at 1:00 p.m.
• Numbers for consultations will be distributed on a first come-first served basis each morning up until noon.  It is not necessary to have an appointment for a consultation, but you might get a number prior to 12 noon to be seen.
• The number of people we are able to assist each day will vary, depending on the staff available on a given day.
• You must bring with you all documents relate to your immigration case (copies of applications, visas, passports, criminal records, etc.).  If you do not have your documents, we will not be able to assist you properly.
• If you are petitioning for a relative and your relative is in the United States, he or she should come with you.
• Clients ready to open new cases will be given an appointment in the morning. 

We appreciate your patience.  Our phone number is (214) 634-7182.

Anuncio Importante!!

• En respuesta a sus sugerencias, nuestra oficina cambiara el horario.
• Abriremos de Mártes a Sabado.
• Las consultas empezarán a la 1:00 pm cada dia.
• Los números para las consultas se distribuirán hasta al mediodia.  Tiene que obtener su numero antes al mediodia.
• Por favor, traigan todos sus documentos sobre su caso.  Si tiene una peticion para uno de su familia, y esta persona vive en los estados unidos, tiene que traer esta persona con usted.
• Los clientes que esten listos para abrir casos recibirán una cita para la mañana.

Apreciamos su paciencia con el proceso.  El numero del telefono es (214) 634-7182.

Here are just a few of our recent Success Stories from clients at ILS

Claudia came to Immigration and Legal Services after being in an abusive relationship for 10 years.  She was able to gain her residency with the help of Catholic Charities' VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) Program.  "Catholic Charities VAWA program enabled me to have a fresh start.  I can now protect my children and myself," Claudia recently told us.  Claudia was able to obtain a job and her children are getting an education.  This past fall, her oldest child started college in California.




Volunteer Attorney John Gilhooley succeeded in obtaining documentation for a nine-year old girl, Vanessa, whose mother was having tremendous difficulty with school officials who needed Vanessa's birth certificate.  Vanessa was born at home, in her mother's one-room East Dallas apartment.  Vanessa's mother had just arrived to the U.S. when she was nine month pregnant, fleeing from her abusive husband in Mexico.  Afraid to seek medical care when she went into labor, Vanessa's mother gave birth at home.

Vanessa's mother had previously been to other legal aid attorneys to try to get a delayed birth certificate issued but none of these efforts were ever successful.  John Gilhooly began his efforts in March of 2007 and finally, after tireless advocacy, he prevailed in getting a probate judge to sign an order instructing the Bureau of Vital Statistics to issue a delayed birth certificate to Vanessa.  The birth certificate arrived on Vanessa's ninth birthday!

Watch a Video about Immigration and Legal Services