FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, March 3, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
Hector Fong: hfong@planevada.org ▪ (702) 505-6748
The Nevada Immigrant Coalition celebrates the opening of the UNLV Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office
Las Vegas, NV – The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) celebrates the grand opening of UNLV’s Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office, which was made possible by the fierce and tireless advocacy of the NIC members, who organized and secured a total of $1 million to provide much-needed free deportation defense and legal representation for Nevadans.
NIC is proud to have helped pass over 14 bills during the 2021 Nevada Legislative Session into law to protect immigrants and their families, including AB376 “Keep Nevada Working Act” which included an appropriation of $500,000 over 2 years to the UNLV Immigration Clinic to support deportation defense services, the development of a Keep Nevada Working Task Force within the Lieutenant Governor’s office, and required the Attorney General of Nevada to develop model policies on immigration enforcement. AB376 was fully implemented into law October 1, 2021.
NIC also successfully advocated to expand public support for deportation defense. Clark County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday, September 21, 2021 to allocate $500,000 (over 2 years) for free legal assistance for people in deportation proceedings. Combined with the passage of AB376 in the 2021 Nevada Legislature, NIC has secured $1 million to aid in deportation defense for Nevadans.
“The Nevada Immigrant Coalition is proud that we were able to secure $1 million towards deportation defense and free legal representation. We remain committed to establishing statewide practices regarding the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state/local agencies and for providing improved support of economic opportunities for all Nevadans, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status,” said Erika Castro, Organizing Director for the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada. “This moment is only possible because NIC partners organized, testified, gave numerous public comments, wrote emails, called our legislators, directly-impacted Nevadans went to Carson City, and lobbied state and local elected officials to win this crucial resource for our communities. We applaud Assemblywoman Torres and Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom for their leadership, and with the grand opening of the Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office, we look forward to ensuring we are protecting all Nevadans from family separation.”
“As the first-generation daughter of immigrant parents, I know first-hand how deportation and family separation can traumatize and impact an entire family. I hope we can prevent that from happening to as many Nevadans as possible, that’s why I’m proud to be a member of the Community Advisory Committee as we continue efforts to protect working families in Nevada,” said Bethany Khan, UNLV Immigration Clinic Community Advisory Committee member and Culinary Union spokeswoman. “One in four Nevadan workers—nearly half a million people—are of an immigrant background. Protection for Nevada’s working families ensures that Nevada has the stable workforce necessary to continue in its path to economic recovery and growth for the foreseeable future. With the opening of the Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office, our community is better protected with this essential resource and we will strive to keep families together.”
“I’m happy to celebrate the grand opening of the Immigration Clinic Community Advocacy Office today,” said Rico Ocampo, Immigrant Justice Organizer for Make the Road Nevada. “NIC was proud to organize to win this essential resource and ensure it was funded. Nevada has the highest per capita undocumented immigrant population, which has nearly doubled in the last 20 years and that’s why it’s crucial we continue to protect families and keep them together. As a DREAMer myself, I understand how the United States immigration system works. In 2005, my father was placed in deportation proceedings and was almost ripped away from my family and I. With the assistance of an attorney, my father was granted a stay and was allowed to remain in the country. My family staying together would not have happened if we did not have legal representation. Free legal representation will make the difference for Nevadans who depend on it and will increase the chances of families remaining together.”
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UNLV Immigration Clinic: Community Advocacy Office –
Address: 1212 S. Casino Center Blvd, Second Floor Las Vegas, NV 89104
Phone: (702) 476-0750
All services are free and they never charge a fee.
Who they can help:
*Unaccompanied children facing deportation. If you know a child who crossed the border without a parent, they may be able to provide free legal representation.
*Detained adults in deportation proceedings. They offer free legal defense to adults in immigration detention who are fighting deportation.
*University Legal Services: For University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and College of Southern Nevada (CSN) students, staff, and their families they offer free and comprehensive immigration legal services.
*DACA Renewals. They offer assistance in preparing DACA renewal applications for free.
How to get help:
For unaccompanied children and detained adults, call (702) 476-0750.
For members of the UNLV and CSN communities, make an appointment online: https://law.unlv.edu/clinics/immigration/university-legal-services/intake-form
For DACA renewals, make an appointment online:
https://law.unlv.edu/clinics/immigration/university-legal-services/daca-intake-form
For more information, go to https://law.unlv.edu/clinics/immigration or see this Community Advocacy Office flyer.
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NIC, composed of directly impacted activists and individuals, will continue to advocate for Nevadans at the federal and state level, deeply engage with the immigrant community across the state, and will continue to bring comprehensive legislative solutions forward for the issues that working immigrant families in Nevada face.
ABOUT THE NEVADA IMMIGRANT COALITION:
The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) ensures immigrant, refugee, and new American voices are heard at a local, state, and federal level to advocate for humane and fair immigration policies. The coalition focuses on strengthening a network that provides services, resources, and deportation defense to immigrants and refugees across the state while strategically organizing around issues that are important to all Nevadans. We believe in working towards a Nevada that welcomes, respects, and protects everyone regardless of their immigration status.
The Nevada Immigrant Coalition (NIC) is comprised of Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, Culinary Union, Make the Road Nevada, ACLU of Nevada, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Asian Community Development Council, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, ECDC – African Community Center, Faith in Action Nevada, For Nevada’s Future, ONE APIA Nevada, Planned Parenthood Votes Nevada, SEIU 1107, UndocuNetwork, and UNLV Immigration Legal Clinic.
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