Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA)

The day after the presidential election, Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) Executive Director ellen dumesnil sent an email to the IIBA team with a reminder that we have each other and we will get through this.?Below is a reply from Becky Bogyo, one of our longtime IIBA staff members.?Becky's message shines a bright light on why we do this work and why we must persevere. From Becky: When I heard the outcome of the presidential election, I considered quitting. Do I have the energy to face four more years of anti-immigrant hate? My stamina hit an all-time low. But, then a client named Maria dropped by to visit. She became a citizen this year. I filed her U visa application in 2012, then her adjustment of status application in 2016 and naturalization application in 2024. We shared a solid dozen years of working together. Maria came to the U.S. as a teenager with no education, unable to read or write in Spanish — or any language. A single mother of two, she took classes at Sequoia Adult School where a teacher was kind enough to spend extra time with her to teach her to read and write in Spanish. Maria then downloaded Duolingo, determined to learn English (Maria proudly showed me her 800+ day streak). And she diligently attended IIBA’s citizenship classes in Redwood City. Last month, despite never having gone to school a day in her life in Mexico, she passed her citizenship exam in English on her first attempt. On October 1 of this year, Maria was sworn in as a citizen. I was so moved by her perseverance. Maria, I won’t quit.?– Becky Like Maria, we are not powerless. Together, we will persevere.

The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) is fighting back against the false and hateful anti-immigrant narrative that has been dominating our nation's political discourse. That's why IIBA has launched a new campaign called #IMIIBA – where we are uplifting the inspiring stories of immigrants who we have had the honor to work with. With the perspective of IIBA’s 106-year history of supporting refugees and immigrants, we celebrate the true character and positive contributions that immigrants continue to make in our community. “IIBA stands up for immigrants because we know that their collective courage, resilience and optimism are what make our Bay Area community better,” said IIBA Executive Director ellen dumesnil.?“The?I’M IIBA?campaign recognizes that immigrants aren’t ‘them.’ Immigrants are a part of ‘us.’” Read more about the #IMIIBA campaign here: https://lnkd.in/gfS2_wx4 Campaign design and concept by Arnaud Ghelfi and Delfin Vigil.

We're #hiring a new Staff Attorney/DOJ Representative in San Francisco Bay Area. Apply today or share this post with your network.

??Looking for an opportunity to make a difference in your community? Join our growing team to support immigrant families in the Bay Area! We are excited to announce that multiple positions are available, and we want you to join our team. To learn more about our available positions and how you can join our team, visit bit.ly/IIBA-Careers today.

We are so excited for Equal Justice Works Fellow Jocelyn G. who will be featured in a segment on today's #TheKellyClarksonShow! Jocelyn shares her personal journey growing up in an immigrant family, graduating from University of California, Berkeley - School of Law working with East Bay Community Law Center and her current focus with Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) Fremont Office advocating for immigrant survivors of trafficking in the Bay Area community. Where to watch: https://lnkd.in/gXQCxNc

?? This past Saturday, the IIIBA Fremont office hosted a DACA renewal workshop, where we had the privilege of assisting over 70 clients from Brentwood, Fremont, and Oakland office with their DACA renewals. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff and volunteers who made this event possible! Together, we’re supporting our community on their journey! Check out some photos from the event! #IIBA #DACA #CommunitySupport #Gratitude #Immigrants

This summer, we hosted our first in-person pro bono clinic since March 2020, at Ropes & Gray LLP in San Francisco. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and Ropes & Gray, we provided immigration legal services to 21 residents from six Bay Area counties and covered all filing fees. IIBA Pro Bono Director Valentina Ozbek shared, “this event represented the best of IIBA’s in-person and virtual workshop models, leveraging the efficiency of the tech tools we adopted during the pandemic… The impact of our collaborative work will help many of these clients become US citizens this year.” ?? Check out some photos from this special day!

In May, DLA Piper lawyers, together with volunteers from an in-house legal department, staffed a Citizenship Clinic hosted by the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA). Volunteers assisted 16 low-income legal permanent residents, ranging from ages 19 to 68 and residing in 8 San Francisco Bay Area counties, with the papers required to apply for United States citizenship. The team provided individualized attention to each client, helping them organize and explain their personal histories and ensure they have required information for their citizenship applications. As one client shared, "I am a proud father of a 6-year-old daughter. I have spent most of my life here. . . . I want to stay here with my family, and I hope to travel freely with them once I become a citizen." DLA Piper is proud to help expand access to legal services for immigrants within the San Francisco Bay area. #ProBono #Immigration

IIBA is proud to partner with the CLS collaborative in co-hosting a?DACA - Advance Parole Forum & Panel?at?Vintage High School (Theater) in Napa at 5:30pm Wednesday, July 24. The purpose of the event is to inform our community about the process of Advance Parole for eligible DACA recipients. We will have a panel discussion of individuals sharing their advice, experience and pathways. Followed by Q&A and a presentation by IIBA to explain the application process and how to get started. This is a critical time for DACA recipients to consider Advance Parole and explore eligibility. Schedule 5:30pm Visit Information Tables (quad)? 5:45pm Welcome (theater) & Panel Speakers - Live Q&A 6:45pm IIBA presentation (theater) 7:30pm Thank you?- visit info tables Location: Vintage High School (theater) located in front of the quad.? Address:?1375 Trower Ave.?Napa, CA 94558?(parking on site).?

In May, DLA Piper lawyers, together with volunteers from an in-house legal department, staffed a Citizenship Clinic hosted by the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA). Volunteers assisted 16 low-income legal permanent residents, ranging from ages 19 to 68 and residing in 8 San Francisco Bay Area counties, with the papers required to apply for United States citizenship. The team provided individualized attention to each client, helping them organize and explain their personal histories and ensure they have required information for their citizenship applications. As one client shared, "I am a proud father of a 6-year-old daughter. I have spent most of my life here. . . . I want to stay here with my family, and I hope to travel freely with them once I become a citizen." DLA Piper is proud to help expand access to legal services for immigrants within the San Francisco Bay area. #ProBono #Immigration