Since the launch of ReUnite in 2021, the project has assisted over 1,400 unaccompanied children, through direct legal representation of their families members and loved ones, one-on-one release and reunification guidance, or other forms of assistance. We have assisted families from 29 different countries speaking 31 languages.

Many of the families we serve are peoples of the indigenous Mayan communities of Central American and Mexico, as well as Afro-descendant migrant families. Indigenous and Black migrants are disproportionately affected by issues involving family separation and detention.

The following is just one example of the families the ReUnite Project has served. Yel* and Roseline* were living in Haiti with their 5 and 7-year-old daughters when local criminal groups in Haiti kidnapped Yel and extorted him. The couple was forced to flee Haiti to seek asylum in the U.S due to escalating threats. Their daughters remained behind in the care of their grandparents, but were also forced to flee as the threats persisted. Knowing that the girls would be sent into government custody when they entered the U.S., a team of VECINA’s ReUnite volunteers started working on family reunification paperwork in advance to minimize the amount of time the children would spend in custody. This team supported Yel through the entire reunification process.  Not only was ReUnite able to ensure the girls were released and reunited with their parents, we were able to hold the Office of Refugee Resettlement accountable for violation of its own policies, ensuring Yel was reimbursed for $1000 in travel expenses erroneously passed through to the family.

We engaged approximately 400 volunteers to provide legal assistance to more than 450 Afghan newcomers. This included full representation on asylum applications, as well as more limited help, preparing Afghans  for their asylum interviews. So far 100% of our teams’ clients have won their asylum cases! VECINA pro bono volunteers are now working with Afghan newcomers on their applications for lawful permanent residence (the next step on the path to U.S. citizenship), and with their applications to reunite with family members left overseas.

Our innovative online courses now have more than 6,000 users signed up for one or more of our free educational opportunities.

VECINA has deepened its partnership with Switchboard, which provides training and technical assistance to lawyers and accredited representatives who serve immigrants eligible for refugee resettlement benefits. Our assistance includes weekly office hours, public and private trainings, and individual case consultations. To date, our Switchboard services have helped hundreds of legal service providers.

VECINA, through our partnership with Immigration Legal Services for Afghan Arrivals (ILSAA), supported legal services clinics for Afghans in Columbia, SC; San Diego, CA; Worcester, MA; and Reston, VA, where we enlisted over 106 volunteers who collectively assisted 245 individuals seeking durable status in the U.S.

VECINA’s ReUnite Project Director Molly Chew, alongside partners at Acacia, KIND, the Young Center, and Al Otro Lado, hosted a webinar titled “Navigating the Ongoing Migrant Family Separation Crisis in the U.S.” Together, these experts thoughtfully explored the current reality of family separation and what these organizations are doing to confront this issue in front of an audience of over 200 attendees.