Legal Assistance for Those Providing Services to Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-Eligible Populations
VECINA is excited to partner with Switchboard, a resource hub for refugee service providers in the U.S., to provide legal assistance to organizations and individual legal providers who assist Afghan OAR parolees and others eligible for ORR benefits.
What is Switchboard?
Switchboard’s mission is to provide comprehensive support and guidance to professionals and organizations involved in refugee resettlement. They provide technical assistance, e-learning, and other resources to those involved with refugee resettlement – including technical assistance on immigration legal issues facing Afghan OAR parolees.
VECINA’s Role:
VECINA’s Switchboard team of experienced immigration practitioners provides legal technical support to agencies and individuals assisting Afghan OAR parolees eligible for ORR benefits.
Who Can Access Legal Technical Assistance from VECINA’s Switchboard Team?
Staff at organizations serving individuals eligible for ORR benefits can access this assistance. Please note that only attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives may request assistance with specific legal cases. Any staff members at organizations that serve individuals eligible for ORR benefits may submit requests for immigration legal training.
LEGAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFERINGS:
What they are: virtual drop-in sessions for attorneys and accredited representatives at organizations serving ORR-eligible populations to ask questions related to legal assistance for Afghan OAR parolees. VECINA’s expert mentoring attorneys are available to answer questions on a first-come, first-served basis.
Who can attend: any attorney or accredited representative working at an organization that provides services to ORR-eligible populations.
When they are: Every Thursday from 2pm-3pm ET (11am-12pm PT).
Staff at organizations serving ORR-eligible populations can submit requests for individualized immigration legal assistance on issues facing Afghan OAR parolees from VECINA’s expert attorneys via Switchboard’s website or by emailing us at SwitchboardTA@vecina.org.
TA requests may be as small as one question about one immigration legal case and as large as requests for mentorship or training for your staff on a particular topic. Our goal is to provide expert help to those who provide immigration legal help to individuals eligible for ORR benefits, and we are happy to work with you to figure out what will best meet your organization’s needs.
Who can submit TA requests: staff at organizations serving ORR-eligible populations, including Afghan OAR parolees.
How to submit: Complete the form linked below, or send an email to SwitchboardTA@vecina.org with your questions and/or needs.
What to expect after you submit a TA request: a VECINA staff member will reach out to you to discuss your request within several business days.
As colleagues working across the resettlement community — whether we work for states, resettlement agencies, or other organizations — we bring a wealth of expertise to our work, but it can be challenging to find spaces in which we can share our knowledge and learn from one another. Communities of Practice (CoPs) provide an online space to share relevant resources, learn from peers across the network, and solve problems of practice together.
VECINA is partnering with Switchboard to facilitate a CoP for Immigration Legal Services open to attorneys and DOJ accredited representatives at ILS programs that serve clients eligible for ORR benefits. This group allows participants to connect with ILS providers from other resettlement agencies to share best practices about immigration program management. We will discuss topics designed to increase and improve the availability of legal services, such as effective use of pro bono volunteers, case management software, best practices in conducting intakes, staff training and development, and more. This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 2-3pm ET.
If your organization serves asylees, refugees, or other ORR-eligible populations in the U.S., and you are interested in joining VECINA’s Community of Practice, please email kristen@vecina.org to request to join.
To learn more about communities of practice and the benefits of social learning, click here.
Webinars
- Afghan Re-Parole Webinar, held on July 19, 2023
Roundtables
- Enhancing Your Client-Advocate Relationships: Navigating Literacy And Cultural Challenges When Serving Afghan Clients, held on February 6, 2024
- A Roundtable Discussion About Navigating Challenges in Afghan Asylum Cases, held on August 21, 2024
eLearning Courses
Printable Resources
- Adjustment of Status for Afghans Paroled into the U.S.
- Navigating MyUSCIS: Using USCIS Online Accounts To File And Track Immigration Forms
- Building Rapport With Clients During The First Meeting: Considerations For Legal Representatives
and More!
You can also access any of VECINA’s own free courses on immigration legal topics.
Upcoming Events:
We don't have any upcoming events at this time, but please check back soon.
Funded by ORR, Switchboard is implemented by the IRC. The IRC received competitive funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant #90RB0052. The project is 100% financed by federal funds. The contents of this document are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.