This project is complete!

This project has been completed thanks to the efforts of our volunteers.

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completed
Al Otro Lado

Border Asylum and Humanitarian Parole Screenings

Asylum attorneys provide legal screenings for migrants trapped at the border.

Posted April 29, 2021

Background & Context

The Al Otro Lado Border Rights Project works with asylum seekers on the Mexican side of the border, providing legal education and screening for legal support. Border policies initiated by the Trump Administration had stranded thousands of asylum seekers on the Mexican side of the border since early 2018. The implementation of Title 42 weaponized the pandemic to shut down all access to asylum under the guise of health and safety protocols. As a result there are now thousands of vulnerable families of asylum seekers who have been stuck in Mexico for years who are in need of education and support.

Immediate Problem

We need immigration attorneys with at least a year of defensive asylum experience to sort through the thousands of people in need as quickly as possible to identify the most vulnerable and advocate on their behalf with immigration authorities for parole. We also need to provide a basic assessment of their asylum claim so they can make an educated decision about their future.

Work & Deliverables

Experienced asylum attorneys review information from intake conducted by volunteer. Ask follow up questions of client as necessary. Identify potential forms of relief for asylum seeker and explain to client.

Project Plan

Preparation Phase

  • Fill out Volunteer Application form
  • Schedule training
  • Sign up for shifts

Collaboration Phase

  • Conduct client screenings remotely during scheduled shifts

Wrap Up

  • Provide feedback on the system, inform if you can no longer participate.

This project is complete!

This project has been completed thanks to the efforts of our volunteers.

Visit the Project Directory to check out other projects that still need your help!

Additional Information

  • Time Commitment: 11-20 hours
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Additional Training Details: Initial training on the type of screening, and the level of feedback to provide clients.
  • Site-Preference: Remote
  • Open to Law Students: No
  • Bar License(s) required: Any Bar License
  • Required Languages: None
  • Preferred Languages: Haitian Creole, Spanish
  • Required Legal Expertise: Immigration
  • Mentoring Provided: No
  • Supervision Provided: Yes
Al Otro Lado

We are a bi-national, social justice legal services organization serving indigent deportees, migrants, and refugees in Tijuana, Mexico. Our mission is to provide legal services and to uplift our immigrant communities by defending the rights of migrants against systemic injustices in the legal system. Our comprehensive cross-border programming and litigation work integrate trauma-informed practices. We engage vital partnerships and thousands of volunteers to provide essential legal services to migrants at the Southern Border in Tijuana and throughout Southern California. Al Otro Lado’s work is also centered in fighting for all families that have been torn apart by unjust immigration laws.

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