Immigration Law & Justice Michigan

We are hiring! Our Dearborn office is seeking a Bilingual Legal Assistant (part-time) to support two staff attorneys. While we don't require legal experience, it is helpful. Please consider sharing this with your networks. Applications should be sent to: [email protected]. https://lnkd.in/gfWzcbua

Our friends at the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church invited us to share our thoughts on today's national day of service in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." The fight continues. https://lnkd.in/gyveybWx

Last week, ILJMI's Executive Director sat down with @WLNS to talk about how to prepare for the incoming administration. If you or someone you love is an immigrant, please advise them to speak to a qualified immigration attorney to ensure that their rights are protected.

ILJ Michigan Legal Director, Marcelo N. Betti, recently penned an Op-Ed that appears in the Traverse City Record Eagle. The original is behind a paywall, so with the author's permission, we've reproduced it on our website for you to read. "Immigrants have long been an easy target in politics. Noncitizens cannot vote, and therefore can be vilified without negative electoral repercussions." https://lnkd.in/eaMAXGGK

We are so excited to share that our clients Aqeel and Narjis, along with their two oldest children became U.S. citizens today! (Their youngest was born in the U.S. and is already a citizen.) Judge Elizabeth Stafford presided over the swearing in ceremony in Detroit this morning. This Iraqi family has been in Michigan for 9 years, working hard and building a better life. To complicate the year-long process of naturalization, both of the adults are deaf and use Iraqi sign language. Thanks to our friends at DEAF C.A.N. for helping make this possible! Attorney Mary Lou Boelcke worked tirelessly to help this family achieve their goal. So proud of our team!

We recently spoke with the Detroit News about our concerns for immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied refugee minor children under the incoming administration. The ILJ Michigan team is racing to help our clients who will be affected by the planned changes to immigration programs. We are fielding dozens of calls per hour (at four different offices), including naturalized citizens who have completed the legal immigration process years ago. We stand with our clients, their families, and the nearly 700,000 Michigan residents and taxpayers who are immigrants.

Today, as we process the national, state, and local election results, many of our clients and supporters feel uncertainty and fear for the future. We understand this worry, and we feel it too. Remember that history teaches us resilience, and we know that the ILJ Michigan community - from our home churches to our volunteers, to our community partners and our supporters - is forged in that resilience. This is not the end of the story. Michigan was built by immigrants and immigrants are a vital and irreplaceable part of our communities and economy. We call on you to show up for one another with strength, compassion, solidarity and resolve. Together, we remain rooted in our belief that we are called to welcome strangers to our country. If you are able to support our immigration legal services today, we invite you to make a contribution via our secure website. Link: https://iljmi.kindful.com/

We are so excited for our client Milojka Miranovic who was sworn in as a U.S. citizen on Monday this week, along with 79 other new Americans. Milojka is pictured with Staff Attorney Mary Lou Boelcke as well as in the chamber where she was sworn in. Learn more about Milojka and how ILJ-Michigan helps people through the immigration process on our website. Link to full story: https://lnkd.in/gugrK5uh

Did you know that all four of the ILJ-MI offices are hosted by The United Methodist Church? Our home churches provide us with office space, volunteers, community support, and so much more. It truly takes a village to help people navigate the complex legal immigration system in the United States. We are so thankful for our beloved UMC family for welcoming our staff and our clients. (Image: A legal reference book and several pens are shown on the top of a dark wood desktop. Not shown: any identifying information about clients or cases.)

Where do immigrants to Michigan come from? It's probably not (entirely) what you've heard about on the news and from your social networks. Check out the Top 5 ... any surprises?