For three years, a non-profit immigrant rights organization has helped undocumented El Camino College students become aware of available resources.
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) has worked with El Camino to provide free and private legal consultation. Personal information is not shared with the college or police.
There are seven slots for in-person consultation available once a month at El Camino. About four or five of the seven slots are taken each month.
Immigrant Student Success Coordinator Josefina Cruz said El Camino offers both online and in-person consultations with CHIRLA.
“Either a paralegal or lawyer are here [to] meet with a student for about 45 minutes,” Cruz said.
While the in-person consultation is taking place, a representative will try their best to provide some legal aid.
Cruz said CHIRLA can help provide undocumented students with asylum if they are being persecuted in their home countries.
CHIRLA was founded in 1986 with the hopes of advancing the human and civil rights of immigrants and refugees.
Immigrant Student Success Counselor Ayman Mendoza said there are almost 1,000 students eligible for free legal consultation at El Camino.
CHIRLA representative Rocio Garcia said the organization offers virtual consultations for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients via Zoom.
CHIRLA also helps pay the required DACA renewal fee every two years.
“The legal services provided by CHIRLA do not cover the family of undocumented students,” Cruz said.
Family members of undocumented students only receive consultation if they are registered for classes at El Camino.
“Staff and faculty may access legal services provided by CHIRLA but there might be some fees,” Cruz said.
While CHIRLA covers a lot of legal services for undocumented students, not all legal services are free.
“[CHIRLA] offers a lot of updates on whatever is happening, so it is important for students to always go on their website to see what is going on,” Cruz said.
