Virtual Legal Assistance Now Available for Immigrant Families

By Catherine West, Attorney for KCBA’s Legal Advice and Referral for Kinship Care

I’ve devoted my career to helping underserved and vulnerable communities. During the first Trump administration, I volunteered with the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. I took a pro bono asylum case for an unaccompanied minor from Central America. I assisted that young man over many years, and when he finally received his green card, I felt so relieved for him.

Watching the recent videos of mothers and fathers dragged away by masked ICE agents has left me in tears. So, I started volunteering for Legal Counsel for Youth and Children. LCYC protects the interests and safety of youth in Washington by advancing their legal rights. LCYC also has an Immigrant Safety Plan on its website (https://lcycwa.org/isp) that is a collective community resource to help parents plan for the care of their children.

LCYC was offering clinics for parents concerned about being deported. As a volunteer at the clinic the evening of Oct. 8, I assisted parents with drafting and notarizing documents to nominate caregivers for their children in the event of detention or deportation. One family created a separate document for the care of each of their five children. By the end of the clinic, they left with a stack of signed, notarized documents so that they were as prepared as they could be in this tragic time.

Perhaps because of the fear of gathering in safe spaces for Latinx people, LCYC is offering a Virtual Immigrant Safety Plan for parents in King County. It is excellent news that parents will not have to travel to a physical location for a clinic.

Folks who live outside King County can use the QR link below to work on their own documents. You likely know someone who may be interested in this resource, and I ask you to share this information widely.