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Q&A
ACS role in asylum seeker response efforts
1:47:24
·
71 sec
Council Member Stevens inquires about ACS's specific roles and responsibilities in asylum seeker response efforts.
- ACS currently administers interpretation services at asylum seeker centers, but this will sunset when centers close
- Some ACS staff with legal or language expertise volunteer to assist in response efforts
- ACS provides contracting support for language access
- ACS's immigration team ensures language access for ACS families and supports asylum seeker work
- ACS has some involvement in legal services for asylum seekers, but specific details are not provided
Althea Stevens
1:47:24
Does ACS still administer interpretation services at asylum seeker centers?
Jess Dannhauser
1:47:31
We do today, yes, but that is gonna sunset.
1:47:38
Do you know when?
1:47:43
As when the when the asylum center closes.
1:47:45
How
Althea Stevens
1:47:48
does ACF staff are assigned to assist in to the asylum asylum respond efforts?
Jess Dannhauser
1:47:56
We've had some staff who have legal expertise or language expertise, and obviously some of this is contracted, and so for the staff it's been on a volunteer basis.
Althea Stevens
1:48:07
What is ACS role in legal services to asylum seekers?
Jess Dannhauser
1:48:12
We have provided some of the contracting to make sure that the language access is supportive.
1:48:18
It runs out of our deputy commissioner, Gendel Shop, and she's been working with our immigration team to make sure that not only language access for ACS families is available, but that we lend support to the asylum seeker work.
1:48:33
Do we know who these kids are?
1:48:35
Yeah.
1:48:35
Got it.