Get Involved

Volunteer

There are 3.2 million immigrants facing deportation in the United States; some are among the 90,000+ undocumented individuals living here on LI.

If you are a Long Islander who…

Empathizes with immigrants who faced many crises in their home countries that drove them to seek asylum in the U.S. and…
Appreciates the many contributions immigrants make to our communities…

Your Immigrant Neighbors Need You!

Become a Volunteer for the Long Island Immigration Clinic

There are many ways that you can help -

as part of a trained team of volunteers helping prepare asylum applications and other related applications during LIIC's clinic sessions.
providing assistance in preparing immigrant friends for court appearances or interviews
join with LIIC staff and friends in advocacy efforts to support reform of current immigration policies that will facilitate more streamlined processes and opportunities for humanitarian relief for those seeking asylum

Clinic Volunteer Roles

All team members assist in the ‘listening process’ with the Friend. One member of the team takes the lead in asking the questions – usually it is the Note taker or Computer person, and then the Translator translates.

Working on an Asylum application (I589) generally takes 4-5 clinic sessions to complete. Team members are asked to commit to a 4-6 week period (clinic is once/week) to provide continuity on the case. This continuity supports and respects the relationship building between the team and the friend, who will be sharing very confidential and traumatic experiences.

Childcare Assistant

The Child Care Assistant should be comfortable supervising children from ages 4-12 years old during the 2-hour clinic session. This allows the immigrant friends to give full attention to their application process, while their children are cared for. We have a welcoming childcare room with ample toys, drawing supplies, books etc. This role is best suited for someone with prior experience watching children and isn't afraid to get creative!

Computer Navigator

The Computer person needs to be technologically proficient, able to download forms, filling them in as the asylum interview is in progress (while the notetaker also takes notes on the conversational parts). All forms are in the Clinic data base and input can be typed directly on the forms. At the end of the Clinic session, the Computer Person uploads a copy of the form the team is working on (whether it is still in progress or completed) the Friend’s case file, which is located in the Clinic database.

Document Translator

Interpreter

This person should be fully fluent in the native language the Friend speaks. The predominant languages used will be Spanish or Creole.

Their job is to make sure the Friend understands all discussion about their application with the 3 person team, including questions they are asked and comments from team members. The Translator should help the Friend fully express their story and make sure that other members of the group understand what the Friend is trying to express.

Note Taker

Researcher

The researcher is tasked with compiling reputable research regarding the country conditions for the home countries of the immigrant friends. The researcher will be assigned to a specific case and will complete a report on a weekly basis for the immigrant friend’s team based on the information they have found. The researcher’s compiled work is then submitted as a part of the asylum application to support the immigrant friend’s asylum claim. This volunteer can be completely virtual.

Volunteer Spotlight

Justin Ovalle & Christopher Luna

Justin and Christopher have both been volunteering at the Long Island Immigration Clinic since September of 2023. Justin is one of our computer navigators with an extensive technical background. Christopher is one of our Spanish interpreters who is also a paralegal.

Justin and Christopher have taken on the task of assisting our friends who have year end dates coming very soon. They help them complete their asylum applications through the Quick Clinic Process. Their dedication and expertise is greatly appreciated by our friends and the Long Island Immigration Clinic.

Thank you Justin and Christopher!

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