Success Story - Justice for the Underserved
Success Story - Pursuing Freedom
Maricela’s green card was all but secured. She came to the United States using a tourist visa more than 30 years ago. Through her relatives in the U.S., she had filed an application to become a legal permanent resident. Unfortunately, Maricela’s application got lost in the system, and she never got her green card.
Success Story- Lawyering Beyond Boundaries
Letter to Chief Justice Karmeier
CALA Posts Job Opening for Staff Attorney
CALA's Helpline
Chicago Law Activists Fight Trump Orders with New Immigration Resources
The Community Activism Law Alliance (CALA) has created two special initiatives: the CALA Immigration Helpline and Know Your Rights Community Workshops. Both campaigns provide completely free support to immigrant communities—particularly those who are not eligible for federally-funded programs—and organizations serving immigrants that do not have access to an attorney.
CALA's impact in Lake County
CALA’s newest clinic is a partnership with the well-regarded immigrant-services organization, Mano a Mano in Lake County. Per a legal audit completed by Mano, there are only 2-3 immigration attorneys in all of Lake County. Of those, all are private attorneys charging market rates. Due to generous funding, our Lake County legal clinic is able to offer free and/or reduced fee services to families throughout the county. Without our services, many families in Lake County simply would never be able to attempt to adjust status.
A recent case is an example of how our assistance can make all the difference in the communities we serve. Mr. Moreno Santillan’s daughter was murdered by a former partner in August. Since then, he has been in court trying to adopt his granddaughters and assisting the police in the investigation of his daughter’s murder. While Prairie State Legal Service’s have provided legal assistance for the adoption, Mr. Moreno Santillan had not been able to find anyone to help with his immigration case because he could not afford legal fees. Because of CALA, he is now receiving free immigration assistance and is on the path to resolving his immigration issues. Mr. Moreno Santillan is relieved that he can finally breathe a little easier and doesn’t have to live in constant fear.
CALA in Solidarity with #Fightfor15 Movement
CALA staff members were proud to stand in solidarity with #FightFor15 protests on November 29th throughout the city of Chicago.
CALA stood with fast-food workers at McDonalds, uber drivers, hospital workers, and airport workers at O'Hare International Airport.
We demanded $15 an hour with union rights for all workers, saying no to all deportations, and demanding an end to police brutality against black individuals.
