Mountain View Nonprofit Tower Tenant Provides Legal Services to Low-Income Immigrants
A link to the article in Spanish, with translation provided by Andrea Estudillo, can be found here.
In 2015, just over 160,000 immigrants from Mexico received a green card to live and work in the United States. The application process to receive a green card (also known as a Permanent Resident card, which grants the recipient legal immigration status in the U.S.) is quite tedious, and can take several years. On top of the traditional application process, many immigrants are the victims of domestic or sexual abuse, violence and/or human trafficking.
This was the issue that the founder of Mil Mujeres faced as he helped a Puerto Rican woman with legal immigration services after learning she was the victim of sexual assault. Shortly after their meeting, Mil Mujeres, which translates to “One Thousand Women” was officially founded as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit in 2007.
“It can be a very sad environment,” said Claudia Fuenzalida, the paralegal and Office Director at Mil Mujeres’ Denver branch. “I often hear the same stories over and over again. But I do the best that I can, and that is by providing legal services.”
Mil Mujeres, which has 15 offices across the country stretching from Los Angeles to Washington D.C., has made it their mission to provide direct immigration legal services to low-income Hispanic immigrants in the United States. Since 2015, the organization has provided legal advice and representation to almost 7,000 individuals.
Fuenzalida explained that there are four types of visas that Mil Mujeres traditionally aims to help their clients obtain. These include:
Visa U: This visa is reserved for victims of crime.
VAWA: This visa is for women or men who are victims of domestic violence. The perpetrator must be an American citizen or resident for the victim to apply for this particular visa.
Visa T: This visa is reserved for women or men that have either been a part of human trafficking, or are in a life threatening situation.
SIJS: This visa is for children that immigrated to the United States, and once on U.S. soil, were the victims of violence from their parents. This visa helps children gain independence from their parents.
Fuenzalida, who has worked with Mil Mujeres for just over two years, said the Denver office sees an average of 50 cases per year, and almost all end with the successful attainment of a visa. However this legal process takes time. Fuenzalida explained that an individual must provide an intake of their story, and a lawyer will assess if the story fits within the guidelines of one of the four aforementioned visas. Next, the client must provide an extremely detailed story, and fill out papers for immigration. This paperwork is then sent to Washington D.C., and finally on to immigration officials. This process can take between six months to one year.
Once individuals are granted a visa, there is oftentimes more waiting, depending on which visa an individual is granted. For example, individuals that are granted a Visa U cannot legally work in the U.S. for their first four years. After this waiting period they may apply for a work permit and can then start the application for a green card. This perfectly exemplifies the challenges with gaining legal status in the United States, and how slow the process can often take for individuals to safely – and legally – live and work in the United States.
The services that Mil Mujeres provides to immigrants across the country are invaluable, especially for those escaping dangerous or violent situations. Fuenzalida said that although her job presents challenges each day, it can be extremely rewarding as well. She has had multiple clients return to the office after receiving their visas and explain how the legal guidance and assistance from Mil Mujeres changed their lives. ULC is proud of community partners like Mil Mujeres who work each and every day to provide brighter and safer futures for individuals throughout metro Denver.