PORTLAND, Ore. — A program that helps immigrants in rural Oregon is suddenly having to stop accepting clients.
Catholic Charities of Oregon is dealing with the unexpected loss of a federal grant that has supported the program for years. The program helps immigrants who are crime victims with legal assistance to manage court systems and gain visas allowed for survivors.
Many immigrants are drawn to rural Oregon, such as Tillamook County, for work in dairies, agriculture and other industries. Some have left their home countries as survivors of violence. Others become victimized here in the U.S. Most survivors of mental or physical abuse are women.
For them, legal help has been available at places like Tillamook nonprofit Tides of Change, thanks to Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services. It has helped more than 3,600 low-income, mostly undocumented immigrants dealing with the effects of everything from domestic violence to human trafficking to get justice.
“The U visas and this system and this program particularly let them know that it's OK to go to the police to report your abuser, to report these criminals that are committing these crimes, and that allows them to stay here legally,” said John Herrera, director of Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services.
Since 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice has continually awarded grants to Catholic Charities to fund legal aid for migrants in rural Oregon and southwest Washington through the program. This past fall, though, the Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women abruptly denied a new three-year grant for $750,000.
“It's difficult because we daily receive calls from clients and agencies that need more support, and there are clients calling daily to get more services — and all of a sudden, we don't have that service anymore,” said Herrera.
Herrera and his family received help to immigrate from Columbia nearly 20 years ago to escape political violence that threatened the young attorney and town mayor. He himself was a client of Catholic Charities before he started working for them.
Herrera said they have an obligation to continue helping those already in the process of court cases on the road to healing and permanent residency. But for now, they can't take on anymore clients, which hits hard in counties like Tillamook.
“It's very devastating for our community because we're a small rural town, and there are no other legal services — immigration legal services that we can refer people to," said Norma Obrist, Tides of Change's director of services. "And it's just hard times right now because we just don't know what's going to happen.”
She's seen the difference the legal assistance has made during her 17 years at the nonprofit agency. For one client, Julian Gomez, whose daughter is a survivor of domestic violence. Her family was able to gain legal residency and have lived and worked now in Tillamook for 25 years.
“It's very important what these agencies do for people that have issues going on,” said Gomez through an interpreter.
The program has also trained thousands of social workers and volunteers and even law enforcement over the years on migrants' legal rights and issues. And by offering U visas to victims, it also allows law enforcement the ability to prosecute cases where violence has occurred in this country and hold criminals accountable.
Herrera said they've not received a specific reason on why the grant was denied; KGW has reached out to the Department of Justice and is awaiting a response.
Tides of Change Executive Director Valerie Bundy said the loss of the resource is heartbreaking, particularly for new victims of abuse who need help.
“So, now, we're concerned about 'what does that mean?' Because the options often are just stay or end up in maybe another unsafe scenario because you don't have any other options,” Bundy said.
Herrera said they will be reapplying to get federal funding back, and they will do all they can in the meantime — but they need help.
“Every single dollar amount is not small," Herrera said. "You can donate. You can support; you can continue the good work of keeping this country of immigrants safe for immigrants."
If you would like to help Catholic Charities of Oregon continue its work in this and other areas, follow this link.