Immigration Resources

Note: The information below was taken from the agencies' websites

American Immigration Lawyers Association

http://www.aila.org/contentViewer.aspx?bc=16

918 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004-1400
phone: 202/216-2400
fax: 202/783-7853

Immigrant Attorney Referral Service 1-800-954-0254 or e-mail ilrs@aila.org

This is information that will help you when you are seeking out a lawyer to assist you with your immigration-related concerns. Included here are processing time reports, some of the latest immigration law news and updates, and other immigration-related resources.

In addition, AILA's Immigration Lawyer Referral Service (ILRS)can help you find an immigration lawyer in your area who can help you with your case.

All about Visas

United States Department of State

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html

The Visa section of travel.state.gov, an official source of information about United States ( U.S. ) visa policy and procedures. We hope you’ll use this site to learn about different types of U.S. visas, the application process, and to better understand the requirements you need to meet in order to receive your visa.

A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter the U.S., generally must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The type of visa you must have is defined by immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel. If your destination is the U.S., please watch this brief video , which explains new visa policies and procedures for visitors to the United States -- a nation with secure borders and open doors.

If you are visiting temporarily, see Temporary Visitors to the U.S.

If you are visiting permanently, see Permanent Immigrants to the U.S.

Questions? See Questions about Visas

Please visit the News section of our website for information on developments in U.S. visa policy, press releases and more.

American Immigration Law Foundation

http://www.ailf.org/lac/lac_911_index.asp

Post Sept. 11 Legal Resources

Post Sept. 11 Reports

Asian American Legal Defense
and Education Fund (AALDEF)
99 Hudson Street, 12th floor
New York, New York 10013

212-966-5932 PHONE
212-966-4303 FAX

info@aaldef.org General info

Defending Immigrants' Rights

AALDEF has consistently been at the forefront of immigration law reform and the defense of the rights of individual immigrants. In 1993, for example, AALDEF attorneys won political asylum for a Chinese immigrant who survived months in INS detention after struggling ashore when the Golden Venture freighter was grounded off the coast of New York City.

AALDEF attorneys were among the first allowed into the INS detention center to speak with the hundreds of immigrants who came ashore after that incident, and were the only East Coast Asian American community representatives invited to testify before Congress on proposed reform of immigration policy based on the government's treatment of Golden Venture detainees.

http://www.aaldef.org/about.html

Contact:

http://www.aaldef.org/contact.html

http://www.aclu.org/ImmigrantsRights/ImmigrantsRightsMain.cfm


		About the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project

Yet every wave of immigration has faced fear and hostility, especially during times of economic hardship, political turmoil, or war:

in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, one of our nation's first immigration laws, to keep out all people of Chinese origin
during the "Red Scare" of the 1920s, thousands of foreign-born people suspected of political radicalism were arrested and brutalized; many were deported without a hearing.
in 1942, 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were interned in camps until the end of World War II.

It is true that the Constitution does not give foreigners the right to enter the U.S. But once here, it protects them from discrimination based on race and national origin and from arbitrary treatment by the government. Immigrants work and pay taxes; legal immigrants are subject to the military draft. Many immigrants have lived in this country for decades, married U.S. citizens, and raised their U.S.-citizen children. Laws that punish them violate their fundamental right to fair and equal treatment.

The ACLU has been one of the nation's leading advocates for the rights of immigrants, refugees and non-citizens, challenging unconstitutional laws and practices, countering the myths upon which many of these laws are based. Use the resources on this page to learn more and take action to protect the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.

Immigrant Rights: Discrimination

http://www.aclu.org/ImmigrantsRights/ImmigrantsRightslist.cfm?c=96

http://www.usdoj.gov/civilliberties.htm

Civil Rights & Liberties Violations

How to Report a Complaint about Violation of your Civil Rights or Civil Liberties by a Department of Justice Employee

The Department's Civil Rights Division is the primary institution within the federal government responsible for enforcing federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, handicap, religion, and national origin.

Initiative to Combat the Post-9/11 Discriminatory Backlash
The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights has directed the Civil Rights Division’s National Origin Working Group to help combat violations of federal civil and criminal rights laws affecting individuals perceived to be of Middle Eastern descent.

Federal Protections Against National Origin Discrimination explains the laws prohibiting national origin discrimination. Laws that prohibit national origin discrimination make it illegal to discriminate because of a person's birthplace, ancestry, culture or language. The brochure also gives information on how to file a complaint based on this type of discrimination.

Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Federally operated and federally funded programs and activities must be made meaningfully accessible to limited English proficient (LEP) persons under Executive Order 13166 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and implementing regulations. The Civil Rights Division's Coordination and Review Section takes the lead in implementing Executive Order 13166 and Title VI across the federal government.

Frequently Asked Questions about

civil rights appeals
criminal civil rights violations
educational opportunities discrimination
employment discrimination
immigrant employment discrimination
housing discrimination
limited English proficiency
special situations, such as rights of people in jail, and police misconduct
voting discrimination

How to file a discrimination complaint regarding

disabilities
educational opportunities
employment
employment (DOJ employees)
housing
institutions, (jails, prisons, juvenile facilities, developmental disability/mental retardation facilities, mental health facilities or nursing homes)
state or local law enforcement agencies
interference with access to reproductive health clinics or places of religious worship
voting

Recipients of Federal Funds
The Department provides financial assistance to units of state and local governments, as well as public and private entities involved in the criminal justice system. Recipients of this assistance are prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, national origin and handicap. In addition, recipients of financial assistance from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, national origin, handicap, sex and religion in their employment practices and in the services they provide. Also, recipients of OJP and COPS assistance are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of age in their services.

Find out how to file a discrimination complaint against a recipient of financial assistance from OJP and COPS or from other Department of Justice components.

For more information about the Department component that is most active in this area, visit the Civil Rights Division web site.

http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/hotline2.htm

How to Report a Complaint about Violation of your Civil Rights
or Civil Liberties by a Department of Justice Employee:

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigates allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and misconduct by Department of Justice employees, contractors, and grantees. The OIG is an independent entity within the Department of Justice that reports to both the Attorney General and Congress on issues that affect the Department's personnel or operations.

The OIG has jurisdiction over all complaints of misconduct against Department of Justice employees, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; United States Attorneys Offices; and employees who work in other Divisions or Offices in the Department of Justice. (The one exception is that allegations of misconduct involving Department attorneys that arise from their authority to investigate, litigate, or provide legal advice are the responsibility of the Department's Office of Professional Responsibility.)

To report alleged misconduct on employees or contractors of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service: www.usdoj.gov/oig/hotline3.htm

Section 1001 of the USA Patriot Act, signed into law by the President on October 26, 2001, directs the Inspector General to review information and receive complaints alleging abuses of civil rights and civil liberties by Department of Justice employees. The OIG has created a special section in its Investigations Division to process these complaints. This section will identify the more serious civil rights and civil liberties allegations and assign them to OIG employees for investigation. The OIG will refer other complaints to Department components for their review and handling.

Individuals who believe that a Department of Justice employee has violated their civil rights or civil liberties may contact the OIG by mail:

Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints
Office of the Inspector General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Room 4706
Washington, D.C. 20530

e-mail: inspector.general@usdoj.gov

hotline: (contact information in English and Spanish): (800) 869-4499

or hotline fax: (202) 616-9898.

OIG Civil Rights Poster (JPG)

http://www.usdoj.gov/immigrationinfo.htm

Immigration Information

INS ~ Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Actions ~ Immigration Courts ~ EOIR Forms ~ Recognition and Accreditation Roster ~ Passports & Visas

INS Transitions to Department of Homeland Security

On March 1, 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transitioned into the Department of Homeland Security.

For services and benefits, such as citizenship, asylum, and refugee services, visit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

For enforcement activities, such as illegal alien detention and removal, immigration intelligence and investigations programs, go to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

For the U.S. Border Patrol and immigration border inspections programs, visit U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Statistics on immigration are maintained by the Office of Immigration Statistics.

Much of the former INS services and benefits information can be found at the USCIS website at http://uscis.gov/, including the I-9 Form, Employment Eligibility Verification. Please update any bookmarks you may have to the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Actions

Individuals who believe they are victims of national origin or citizenship status discrimination in hiring, firing, recruitment or referral for a fee, over-documentation in the employment eligibility verification process ("document abuse"), or retaliation may contact the Office of Special Counsel toll-free at 1-800-255-7688, 202-616-5525, or 1-800-237-2515 (TDD).

Employers who need information or assistance may call the Office of Special Counsel toll-free at 1-800-255-8155 or 1-800-362-2735 (TDD).

The Office of Special Counsel also administers annual public education and outreach grants to educate and train employees and employers about their rights and responsibilities under the statute enforced by the Office of Special Counsel. For further information, please consult the Office of Special Counsel's website.

Immigration Court Information

List of Immigration Courts, arranged by state. Provides address and telephone number.

Caseload Information. Dial 1-800-898-7180 to find information (in English or Spanish) on:

· Next Hearing Date, Time and Location

· Elapsed Time and Status of the Clock for Asylum Cases

· Immigration Judge Decision Information

· Case Appeal Information, including Appeal Due Date, Brief Due Date, Date Forwarded to the Board of Immigration Appeals, and Board of Immigration Appeals Decision and Decision Date.

EOIR Forms

The Executive Office for Immigration Review has numerous forms available online. These are the forms that are needed for filing with the Board of Immigration Appeals, the Immigration Courts, or the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer.

Recognition and Accreditation Roster

This list gives the names of accredited organizations and individuals who are entitled to represent individuals before the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Immigration Courts, and the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Passports & Visas

Passports and visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State.

For more information about the Department components that are most active in this area, consult the Executive Office of Immigration Review and Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices web sites.

Last Updated: 02/01/05

http://www.usdoj.gov/crimevictims.htm

Victims of Crime

Where to Find Help

The Office for Victims of Crime's Online Directory of Crime Victim Services is searchable by location, type of victimization, agency type, or available services-24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (OVCRC) is an information clearinghouse for emerging victim issues. OVCRC offers access to a criminal justice library to search for victim-related resources, information specialists to answer your questions, and products and online services such as electronic notices.
OVC Resource Center phone number: 1-800-851-3420.
OVC's Family Assistance Call Center for victims and families affected by the September 11 tragic events. 1-800-331-0075, (TTY 1-800-833-6885). International families may call collect (00)(1)(414)359-9751, 9am - 5pm (EST) Monday-Friday; translation services available. Please do not call this hotline unless you are a family member or a victim.
Help for Victims, organizations and other resources that can help victims of different types of crime.
Toll-Free Telephone Numbers to resource centers, clearinghouses, and other organizations who can assist victims.
State by State List of direct service programs and other referrals. For each state, the assistance programs are arranged by city and provide the organization's name, address, phone number, and the types of services offered to victims.

Compensation Programs

Directory of state agency crime victim compensation programs.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons' Inmate Financial Responsibility Program establishes payment plans for inmates to meet their financial obligations. Most funds collected by the program are deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and subsequently distributed to the States for victim assistance and compensation programs.

International Crime Victim Compensation Program Directory lists basic information on each country's program, such as eligibility requirements and how to apply for compensation.

Victim Impact Statements

Information about victim impact statements is available on the Office for Victims of Crime Web site.

Children as Victims

The Office of Justice Programs has information on many aspects of Family Violence and children as victims of violence. This site has links to proven community programs, funding, research and statistics, and conferences.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency's Missing and Exploited Children's Program promotes effective policies and procedures for addressing the problem of missing and exploited children. The program provides funds for a variety of activities to support and coordinate a network of resources such as The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; training and technical assistance to a network of state clearinghouses, nonprofit organizations, law enforcement personnel, and attorneys; and research and demonstration programs.

The Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) prosecutes offenders involving child pornography; offenders who sell, buy, or transport women and children interstate or internationally to engage in sexually explicit conduct; child sexual abusers; offenders who abuse children on federal and Indian lands; offenders who do not pay certain court ordered child support payments; offenders who transport obscene materials in interstate or foreign commerce; and international parental abductors. You can find practical information on this site, including How to Report Child Pornography on the Internet and Safety Tips for Parents and Children.

It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Crimes Against Children (CAC) Program to provide a quick and effective response to all incidences of crimes against children. Making this a priority increases the number of victimized children safely recovered and reduces the level of crime in which children are targets. Individual FBI Field Offices serve as primary points of contact for persons requesting FBI assistance. For further information about FBI services or to request assistance, please contact a Crimes Against Children Coordinator at your local FBI Field Office.

Juveniles as victims and juvenile crime publications. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service has many publications on juvenile victims, child abuse and neglect, child sexual abuse, and missing children.

Statistics

Crime and victims statistics are gathered and posted on the Bureau of Justice Statistics web site. They present summary findings and more detailed information on victim characteristics and characteristics of crime.

Publications

Many publications that can assist individuals and communities with crime victims issues are available at the Office for Victims of Crime site.

What You Can Do If You Are A Victim Of Crime. Fact sheet.

Attorney General Guidelines for Victim and Witness Assistance

No More Victims. Know More. Ask OVC. Funding information, training and technical assistance, publications, skill-building tools, and other vital information resources to enhance victim services.

Research publications on victims of crime issues.

Additional publications are available through the National Criminal Justice Reference Service site.

For more information about the Department component that is most active in this area, visit the Office of Justice Programs web site.

________________________________________

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fbci/about.html

FACT SHEET: Task Force for Faith Based and Community Initiatives

The delivery of social services must be results-oriented and should value the bedrock principles of pluralism, nondiscrimination, evenhandedness, and neutrality.
-- President George W. Bush

Background

On January 29, 2001, President Bush issued two executive orders related to faith-based and community organizations. The first executive order established a White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The second order established centers to implement this initiative at the Department of Justice, along with the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Housing and Urban Development.

The Task-Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is the result of President Bush’s order to create a center at the Department of Justice. In July 2001, the Task-Force released a comprehensive survey of the programs in the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs to determine if there are inappropraite barriers to the full participation of faith-based groups in applying for government grants and cooperative agreements. The survey also looked at how these programs might be made more accessible to faith-based and small community groups. In August of 2001, the White House issued its report, "Unlevel Playing Field," based on the work of the five centers. You may access a copy of the report that was issued by the White House at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/unlevelfield.html

Our Mission

The Task Force's purpose is to promote good works by neighbors, particularly in the areas of juvenile delinquency, prisoners and their families, victims of crime, domestic violence, and drug addiction/treatment/prevention. It is doing so by identifying and eliminating barriers to the participation of faith-based and community-based organizations in grants funded by the Department of Justice, highlighting best practices, helping bring innovative programs to the attention of the nation, and providing information to assist Faith-based and Community-based groups in having an equal opportunity to compete for grants.

Working with the OJP, the Task Force is able to provide assistance in identifying resources and training to Faith Based and Community Based organization. The Task Force does not make the decisions about which groups are funded. Those decisions are made through a careful competitive process established by OJP. There is no funding set aside for faith-based organizations, nor is there a separate fund established by the White House, the Department of Justice, or any of the other Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Faith-based and community-based groups are currently eligible to apply for some of OJP's grant programs, as well as those programs offered by the Bureau of Prisons and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

For a summary of all federal domestic programs, projects, services, and activities that provide assistance or benefits to the American public, please consult the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). To review a summary of federal domestic programs, go to this site (www.cfda.gov). This document is very large and difficult to use. We suggest you start with our list of programs open to participation by faith-based and community groups and information on the web sites of the Centers for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives at the other four federal departments. For Justice Department funding opportunities, go to this site (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm).

Other funding sources may be available through your state, city or county. In addition to government sources, funding may also be available from private foundations and corporations.

Requests for Speakers/Conferences/Workshops

The Department of Justice Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives staff is very eager to help you understand funding opportunities and see to it that you receive the assistance you need to compete for grants on a level playing field. The staff who operate the various grant programs are the best source of technical assistance.

We receive many requests for speaking engagements. When possible, we like to meet with faith-based and community groups to hear their concerns and to speak at their gatherings. We must carefully select the opportunities that will allow us to use our limited resources to reach the maximum number of people. Please be patient with us as we cannot honor every request. Please submit all requests in writing to the United States Department of Justice, Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, 950 Pennsylvania Ave, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20530, (202) 514-2987 or via email to fbci@usdoj.gov. Also, please include as much information as possible about your organization and the event.

For information about Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives located in the White House and the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Education, and Housing and Urban Development, please contact them directly. You may access their websites by going to the home page at (http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/fbci/).

ICE Mission

To prevent acts of terrorism by targeting the people, money, and materials that support terrorist and criminal activities.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is responsible for identifying and shutting down vulnerabilities in the nation’s border, economic, transportation and infrastructure security.

ICE Vision

To be the nation's preeminent law enforcement agency, dedicated to detecting vulnerabilities and preventing violations that threaten national security. Established to combat the criminal and national security threats emergent in a post 9/11 environment, ICE combines a new investigative approach with new resources to provide unparalleled investigation, interdiction and security services to the public and our law enforcement partners in the federal and local sectors.

Contact

Office of Detention and Removal (DRO)

Immigration Detention Facilities

Strengthening the nation’s capacity to detain and remove criminal and other deportable aliens is a key component of the comprehensive strategy to deter illegal immigration and protect public safety. Detention and removal of illegal aliens is a priority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This commitment has been backed by significant resources devoted to detention and removal efforts.

DRO secures bed space in detention facilities, and monitors these facilities for compliance with national Detention Standards. The standards specify the living conditions appropriate for detainees. These standards have been collated and published in the Detention Operations Manual (Detention Standards). This Manual provides uniform policies and procedures concerning the treatment of individuals detained by ICE.

Alphabetical List of Detention Facilities