QUESTION
Where are individuals requiring long-term legal representation referred, and how is this process managed?
3:05:28
·
112 sec
The Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) facilitates referrals for individuals needing long-term legal representation, with the process tailored to specific case needs and available resources.
- The Mayor's Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO) collaborates with MOIA for referrals.
- Referral processes are structured around the specific legal needs of the individual, including direct referrals for certain case types.
- Tom Tortorici explains that referrals can lead to contracted legal service providers or general immigration legal services based on the city’s contracts.
- Challenges in meeting the demand for full legal representation have led to calls for universal legal representation.
- The city has seen a rise in complex Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications, reflecting the diversity of legal needs among immigrants and asylum seekers.
Alexa Avilés
3:05:28
In terms of Owasso, where do you refer individuals who require long term legal representation as opposed to the prosay services.
Molly Schaeffer
3:05:39
So we work with Moia to make the appropriate referrals.
Alexa Avilés
3:05:44
And where is Moia?
3:05:46
Finding their referrals.
Manuel Castro
3:05:51
Well, I'll let Tom speak to some of this.
3:05:54
But, again, you know, the the challenge to finding full legal representation to whoever whoever with So everyone who needs it has been existing for a very long time, which is why advocates have been calling for universal legal representation, but I'll hand it over to them.
Tom Tortorici
3:06:14
That's right.
3:06:15
For certain case types, there are direct referrals to certain contracted legal service providers.
3:06:22
These can include a motion to reopen that is on a critical time period.
3:06:30
Otherwise, many help center participants are referred to the general points of entry.
3:06:40
For immigration legal services that the city has with its tens of 1,000,000 of dollars in immigration legal service contracts.
3:06:47
And that shows up in action MIC's data.
3:06:50
We've seen a dramatic increase in TPS applications that are complex.
3:06:56
Oftentimes, that means that the individual may have, in their case, a a firm resettlement issue that needs to be dealt with.
3:07:03
And things like that.
3:07:04
So the the broad spectrum of available immigration legal services is also serving newly arrived to Salem seekers.
3:07:12
But there is no very direct referral pathway.
3:07:15
It's more general and also specific to the need of the individual.