By JUDE RATCLIFF/Staff Writer
East Texas lawyers volunteered their time Feb. 23 to help families with mixed immigration status fill out paperwork that ensures a plan for their kids.
A mixed-status family is one where the child is born on U.S soil, and thus considered natural born U.S citizens, but the parents are undocumented immigrants. In these families, the child holds citizenship while the parents don’t.
THE BIG PICTURE: Amid concerns about the Trump administration’s crack down on illegal immigration, attorney Nick Pesina is emphasizing the importance of remaining up-to-date on caregiver documents. These can ensure children are taken care of by a relative or capable guardian if parents are deported and separated from their children.
SPEAKING OUT: “We cannot predict the future,” Pesina said. “We can’t know what’s going to happen. But the least we can do is give them peace of mind, that if they find themselves in these situations, that their children will be with a person of their choice that can make educational and medical
decisions.”
See why Pesina think’s the clinic was important.
At the clinic, Pesina was accompanied by other lawyers and experts and guided families through the process of filling out the forms provided by the state of Texas.
WHAT’S NEXT: Pesina said they’re looking at hosting another one of these events in the coming months.
The event comes just days after the Smith County Sheriff’s Office reached an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to perform the duties of active immigration officers.
MORE INFORMATION: Caregiver documents can be found on the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services website.
Be the first to comment