From food stamp fraud to cyber fraud and even wage theft, Latino immigrants don't always have the resources needed to overcome legal hurdles that may arise. In fact, in many cases they fear their lack of lawful immigration status will get them deported.
Fortunately, a new initiative put forward by the Mexican government in collaboration with U.S. nonprofits aims to provide free legal assistance to immigrants facing a variety of legal challenges, including deportation.
The program began this week at the Mexican consulate in El Paso and is set to expand to all 53 Mexican diplomatic sites across the United States. Felix Herrera, deputy consul general in El Paso, explained the initiative in depth to Border Report:
"We have people who are permanent residents interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship. It's very important for them to consult an attorney. Also, if people have had a problem in the past and they are in a deportation process, they can also consult (attorneys) on those cases."
Wage theft, for example, which can include being paid below the state minimum wage or not receiving overtime pay, is one of the most common crimes committed against immigrants as many of them hesitate to file complaints due to fears of retaliation or deportation.
Both the city of El Paso and the state of Texas have enacted regulations to protect workers from wage theft, and the U.S. Labor Department investigates these complaints regardless of the victim's immigration status.
The clinics also assist victims on other pressing issues such as counseling on domestic violence and providing information about U visas, which allow certain undocumented victims to legally remain in the United States.
The initiative involves multiple organizations, including the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence and the Paso del Norte Center of Hope, as well as law firms such as Scherr Legate, Rodriguez Law Firm, and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, which provided attorneys for the clinics.
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