Providing crucial legal assistance to families fleeing endemic violence in their countries of origin.   

 

RSN Director Ana Fores Tamayo and ODIS Director Andres Pacheco talk with UNT students to discuss volunteer possibilities at the Pro Se Asylum Clinic.

 

The History

In 2014, frightened children and families began arriving in Dallas by the hundreds, seeking refuge from the violence that grips the Northern Triangle: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. In rapid response, a team of volunteers assembled to assist them in applying for asylum - as is their right under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, codified in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. Fast forward to the pandemic and beyond: RSN began doing most of its work remotely so we could still serve the community. In 2021, we began a partnership with Opening Doors International Services (ODIS) and shifted to a new operating model. Instead of having onsite workshops, volunteers remotely assist participants with their individual cases.

 

“The answer came exactly on my birthday. I felt really good. I want to be an attorney. I see there are so many good people and it makes me want to help them like I was helped. ”

— 14-year old salvadorIan asylum recipient  

 

Immigration attorney Paul Zoltan, founder of the Pro Se Asylum Clinic, starts a volunteer training session at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Denton, which founded and supports ODIS. This is the current host location of RSN.

 

What We Do

RSN in collaboration with ODIS provides each clinic participant with critical support in their request for asylum:

  • Initial screening to qualify potential clinic participants and provide basic legal orientation of the asylum process;

  • Various remote sessions with a volunteer team to prepare the asylum application;

  • Technical review for each asylum application;

  • A final in-person session to

    • review the completed asylum application;

    • provide guidance on details of the asylum process as applicable to each participant;

    • deliver the application package, including a participant copy;

    • provide a written translation as needed;

  • Translations of important documents such as birth certificates and police reports, upon request; 

  • Referrals for assistance with any appeal, if needed.

 

A clinic volunteer speaks with UNT students about how it feels to help entire families in need, including the emotional aspects of listening to asylum seekers’ often traumatic experiences.

 

Get Involved

To assist in the preparation of asylum applications, the clinic needs volunteers in any of the following categories:

a) Attorneys;

b) Bilingual Spanish/English or other languages as needed;

c) Talented writers;

d) Willing to help in research, documentation, administration, or special projects.

All are encouraged to volunteer. They only need to attend a virtual training, provided on demand; there's no long term commitment required!