Political Asylum Project of Austin: PAPA
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PAPA Mission:
To promote justice for immigrants and refugees by providing free and low-cost legal services, education, and outreach.
PAPA Mission Goals Include:
Ensuring asylum seekers and immigrants have access to effective legal representation in presenting their claims to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the court and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Helping immigrant survivors of domestic violence apply for legal immigration status in the U.S. without having to depend on the sponsorship of their abusive spouse or parent.
Providing recent immigrants with the resources to advocate for themselves.
Increasing community awareness about human rights issues affecting immigrants.
Getting the Austin legal community involved in advocating for fundamental immigrant rights.
PAPA Programs:
The Detention Education and Representation Program (DERP) – PAPA represents immigrants detained by CIS and provides group rights presentations to detainees so they may better represent themselves.
The Program Representing Immigrant Survivors of Abuse (PRISA) – PAPA provides legal counsel to battered immigrants and their children in self-petitioning for residency without the sponsorship of the abusive spouse or parent (as provided under the Violence Against Women Act of 1994).
The Asylum Seeker Assistance Program (ASAP) – PAPA represents refugees from around the world who are eligible to apply for political asylum in the U.S. PAPA assists individuals in proving a “well-founded fear of persecution” if they were to return to their country of origin.
The Immigrant Victims of Crime Protection Project (IVCPP) – Created in response to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA) of 2000. PAPA promotes and enforces the use of this law to protect immigrant victims of crime through “T” and “U” Visa provisions and by providing direct legal assistance and representation to clients who qualify for protection under the VTVPA.
The Family Based Immigration, Adjustment and Citizenship Program (FBIACP) – PAPA offers legal counsel to low-income immigrants who are filing family-based visa petitions, applications for adjustment of status and US citizenship.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Pro bono attorneysTranslators (all languages)Media specialist
In order to achieve its goals, PAPA relies in part on the generosity and expertise of the Austin legal community. At the moment, we are most in need of attorneys and law firms willing to volunteer for our Pro Bono Publico Program, which pairs attorneys and firms with clients who otherwise would have little to no chance of ever obtaining effective legal counsel.
We are also in need of a media specialist who can handle press releases and help foster closer ties with local and national media.
And last – but certainly not least – we are always in need of volunteer translators and interpreters for all languages. Spanish, Somali, Urdu, German, Russian, French, etc.
For more information:Visit http://www.main.org/papa/
Please direct all inquiries to:
Brenna M. Troncoso
Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator
Political Asylum Project of Austin
btronpapa@yahoo.com
512-478-0546, ext. 214
