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Dear Friends,
Happy Halloween! We hope you are having a good Fall. Read on to see what Just Neighbors has been up to this month.
Clients at our Clinic
Our Tuesday evening community clinic in Falls Church this month is a microcosm of the work of Just Neighbors. The volunteers fell into three general groups: those from St. Mark Catholic Church (the church had generously provided funds to sponsor this clinic); those from Morrison & Foerster law firm (a steadfast provider of attorneys at both Falls Church and Herndon clinics); and returning, regular volunteers.
The clients, the very reason for hosting a clinic, came from around the world: Argentina, Bolivia, Central Africa Republic, Eritrea, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Sudan.
- The husband of our client from Argentina was convicted in criminal court of domestic assault; we continue to explore whether she is eligible for U-visa relief, which would enable her to work in the U.S.
- The Bolivian husband and wife had green cards denied several years ago due to an attorney’s error; we told them their only option is to start the process over again from the very beginning, which they have proceeded to do.
- One asylee returned from the September clinic to continue with applications for green cards for his wife and their four children. (For those who read last month’s client story, he is the man who had endured the “blue pen” fiasco).
- The client from Eritrea is now a United States citizen; we are helping her apply for her parents to join her here, where they can finally get to know their grandchildren.
- Our Indonesian client is also now a United States citizen; she is seeking to have her adult daughters live in the United States lawfully. After reviewing her situation thoroughly, we explained that unfortunately this was not possible because her daughters are not considered “immediate relatives” and therefore, unable to adjust status to lawful permanent residents while living in the U.S.
- The Pakistani, an asylee, has been waiting for eight years for his green card; he came over fifty miles to us from Fredericksburg hoping that we could bring his long wait to an end. After interviewing him thoroughly, we told him that we would find out from Immigration whether we could get a decision promptly about his application.
- Finally, our client from Sudan entered the United States as a derivative of his mother’s asylum application; we are helping him apply for a green card and we are helping him obtain original documentation that he does have asylum status.
These snippets offer a brief view of the broad range of issues we address on a daily basis, as well as a taste of the lasting impact of the work of Just Neighbors for our clients and their families. We are appreciative of St. Mark’s support, which will enable us to continue working with these clients in the weeks ahead.
Temporary Protected Status
The renewal period for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Hondurans, Nicaraguans, and Salvadorans has opened. This month Just Neighbors has been assisting immigrants who have TPS to renew their status and will continue to do so in November. We are reaching out to the many Salvadorans who live in Northern Virginia with TPS, as they have until December 30th to renew their status and should do so as soon as possible to maintain their authorization to work in the U.S. Eligible immigrants with TPS should call Just Neighbors at (703) 979-1240 to make an appointment.
Volunteer of the Month
We thank Lisa Chou for her help this past month organizing TPS files, editing brochures, and assisting with a variety of administrative and casework tasks. Lisa, an elementary school teacher who had the semester off before moving to San Diego, brought energy and creativity to her work here. She also brought doughnut holes regularly and entertained us by wearing a homemade kangaroo suit one day (she’s originally from Australia). Thank you Lisa!
Around the Office
Thank you for those who visited our Open House earlier this month. We had a great turnout, including some new faces and volunteers we hadn’t seen in months. We even finished off all the baklava that was generously donated from Jerusalem Restaurant and Mirage Café—two more reasons we’re glad to be in the neighborhood.
We are grateful for a grant from the Washington Forrest Foundation and a generous gift from Fairfax United Methodist Church. We are also glad to learn that we will continue as a General Advance of the United Methodist Church for the next four years. The General Advance is an official channel for designated giving within the United Methodist Church. Just Neighbors is #803002.
Sincerely,
Rob Rutland-Brown
Executive Director |
