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Immigration Law Outreach
PLC assists undocumented immigrant victims in filing for various forms of immigration relief, engages in broader based impact litigation, and provides community education on immigration issues.
- VAWA Petitions (Victims of domestic violence)
- U Visa Petitions (Victims of violence)
- T Visa Petitions (Victims of human trafficking)
- SIJ Petitions (Abused, abandoned, and neglected children)
- Asylum (Victims of persecution in their home county)
- I-751 Waivers (Lawful immigrant spouses who are victims of domestic violence)
- HIV/AIDS Waivers (People living with HIV/AIDS who are qualified for residency)
Forms of Relief
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Petitions
Undocumented women, men and children who have been the victim of domestic violence and have a qualifying relationship with their abuser may be eligible for relief through VAWA. VAWA provides victims with the ability to live and work legally in the United States. Victims may also qualify for a range of public benefits. PLC assists immigrant victims in petitioning through this Act.
- U Visa Petitions
Undocumented victims of serious crime who have cooperated with law enforcement may qualify for U Nonimmigrant Status, which provides crime victims with the ability to live and work legally in the United States. Victims are also eligible for a range of public benefits. PLC assists immigrant crime victims in petitioning for U Nonimmigrant Status.
- T Visa Petitions
PLC assists victims of human trafficking in petitioning for immigration relief through filing T visas, which allow victims to live and work legally in the United States. Undocumented persons who have entered the United States through force, fraud, or coercion and are forced to perform some type of labor once in the United States, may be eligible for T visa relief. Victims may also qualify for a wide variety of public benefits. PLC is a member of the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) and assists immigrant petitioners in the T visa process.
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Act (SIJ) Petitions
Undocumented children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by their parents may qualify for immigration relief by filing a SIJ Petition. A successful SIJ petition gives children the ability to live and work in the United States legally. PLC assists immigrant children with this process.
- Asylum Petitions
PLC assists undocumented persons who have been persecuted in their home country or who fear persecution upon return to their home country based on race, religion, nationality, political belief, or membership in a particular social group in petitioning for immigration relief through asylum.
- I-751 Waivers
Immigrant spouses who reside in the United States and possess a Conditional Permanent Resident Card, who have been the victim of domestic violence, may be eligible for an I-751 Waiver. This Waiver allows immigrant spouses to remove the conditions on their Legal Permanent Resident Card without the cooperation of their spouse. PLC assists these victims in filing I-751 Waivers.
- HIV/AIDS Waiver
Immigrants who have already petitioned the government for residency, but who are ineligible to adjust their status based on having HIV or AIDS, may be eligible for a waiver. PLC assists petitioners in filing this waiver.
How to Get Assistance
Low-income Orange County residents may meet with an attorney or legal advocate at one of PLC's free legal clinics. PLC also accepts a limited number of referrals from the Legal Aid Society of Orange County and other community partners, including domestic violence shelters and local police departments.
Links
Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
Catholic Charities of Orange County
Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
National Immigration Law Center
National Immigration Law Project of the National Lawyer's Guild
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Department of Justice Trafficking Information
U.S. Department of State Trafficking Information
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