Q&A
Plans for funding and restructuring legal representation for immigrants
2:10:37
ยท
61 sec
Molly Schaeffer from OASO outlines plans to restructure and fund legal representation for immigrants in the coming year. The office is working with the state to reinvest in and modify the Asylum Help Center (AHC) model.
- OASO is pushing for state reinvestment in the AHC for the next year
- The goal is to shift funding towards more legal representation and nonprofit involvement
- They plan to reduce the high-impact, pro se model in favor of more comprehensive legal support
- This change is in response to the increasing complexity of cases and the evolving needs of immigrants
Molly Schaeffer
2:10:37
So we actually for the next year, we're really pushing for the state to reinvest in the AHC, AHC, and it will look different.
2:10:48
The goal is for it to look different.
2:10:50
The goal is to get to a place where we're funding more, legal representation and more nonprofits that do that, and less our high impact model, pro se model.
2:11:04
And so that is the goal, and that's what we're working with the state on, to make that shift, because we know that the cases that are going to come up are more complicated, and we've done what we needed to do as part of the emergency response of this.
2:11:20
So we want to sort of lower the amount of, availability at our AHC and sort of make more money available to nonprofits if we get that money again from the state.
Alexa Aviles
2:11:30
Got it.
2:11:30
So, can you I think this is part of your state advocacy.
2:11:35
Can you tell us, is Owasso engaged in any federal advocacy?