Blue cards. Green cards. Congress has not yet passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill, yet Puente has already received plenty of questions from undocumented residents on the South Coast. Many have lived here for decades and are raising children here, sons and daughters who were born in America. They all want legal papers and legitimacy. They want to know how to prepare. “’Start saving money. Attend English classes. Gather your tax returns.’ That’s what I tell them,” says Puente Program Director Rita Mancera. If immigration reform occurs this year, Puente expects to see more than a hundred new participants who would need help filing government paperwork. Fortunately, Puente will be ready to help them. Puente is seeking accreditation from the Board of Immigration Appeals to apply to the government on behalf of users seeking citizenship, not just help people fill out a form. Puente will also be able to represent individuals in immigration court proceedings overseen by the Department of Justice. The Grove Foundation, the primary funder of Puente’s immigration paperwork services, supported the changes. Puente’s new status will give the organization a whole new level of credibility in the community, says Mancera. “It’s going to be clear to everyone that they can get services from the people that they trust,” she says. “They know we do things in a very honest … Continue reading Offering a wider range of legal services