ABA seeks legal volunteers to help Haitian immigrants at monthly clinics

The American Bar Association Commission on Immigration has joined eight other organizations to co-sponsor monthly online clinics to help Haitian immigrants complete applications for Temporary Protected Status. The organizations seek volunteer lawyers, paralegals, law students and translators to work three-hour shifts.

The clinics will be held on a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday each month. They are hosted by the Office of New Americans of Miami-Dade, Florida, a public-private partnership that helps immigrants achieve economic stability and become U.S. citizens.

The next clinics will be Oct. 21-23 and Nov. 18-20. Each volunteer will complete one or two applications with applicants during each shift. Volunteers can sign up at https://ona.salsalabs.org/tpshaitivolunteer/index.html.

The clinic is open to all lawyers who want to volunteer, including those with no prior immigration experience. Training and support is available for all volunteers. Work can be done remotely from the volunteer’s home or office.

On Aug. 3, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated certain people from Haiti as eligible for Temporary Protected Status, which allows them to stay in the United States and apply for work authorization. The designation expires on Feb. 3, 2023.

For additional immigration volunteer opportunities, visit the ABA Commission on Immigration website at www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/immigration.