Catholic Charities was first recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) in 1998 for the office in San Bernardino. Almost 16 years later, Catholic Charities has applied for recognition of additional offices throughout the Inland Counties in the hopes of meeting the expanding needs of refugee and immigration services, and leading to a greater impact in the community.
“We really want to help the people of our community, who often don’t have enough money for an attorney or are vulnerable to being taken advantage of by notaries (i.e. unauthorized practitioners),” said My-Hanh Luu, Director of Refugee & Immigration Services.
With the help of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Catholic Charities recently sent two staff members, Oras Mohammed and Simona Botezatu, through legal training for BIA partial accreditation. Staff accredited by the BIA are not attorneys, but provide immigration legal representation for individuals and families in need.
In 2013, Catholic Charities provided immigration assistance to over 2,000 individuals, including resettlement assistance to over 100 refugees. Catholic Charities has been providing immigration and refugee services throughout the Inland counties since 1975.
For additional questions regarding Refugee and Immigration Services at Catholic Charities, please contact (909) 388- 1239.