ILSAA (Immigration Legal Services for Afghan Arrivals), in collaboration with VECINA, is hosting a free family reunification clinic for Afghans in Worcester, Massachusetts.
After the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the U.S. government evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans at risk. While many Afghans have entered the U.S. and have received long-term protection in the U.S. many of their spouses and children are still in Afghanistan or a third country hoping to join them in the U.S.
Volunteers at the clinic will assist members of our local Afghan newcomer community with their applications for family reunification, including tasks such as:
- Checking documents needed for the application(s);
- Filling out online or paper applications;
- Review and filing of the application.
Volunteers can sign up for a block of time (morning or afternoon) on clinic days. You are welcome and encouraged to sign up for multiple sessions if you are able!
Requirements:
Technology: Each volunteer should bring their own laptop. Once the session is complete, volunteers will be expected to clear their cache (i.e. “cookies”) from their laptop.
Legal Background: Volunteers are NOT required to have a background in immigration law, but it is preferred that volunteers are either law students, attorneys, accredited representatives, paralegals, or legal assistants.
Training: All volunteers will be expected to complete an approximately 1 hour online training prior to the day they are volunteering. This can be done at any time before arrival, as it is asynchronous (i.e. not live). We suggest completing this training within the week prior to the clinic.