Nonprofits in Northern Nevada Witness an Increase of Refugees Seeking Asylum but Lack Funding

RENO, Nev. (775 Times, NV Globe) – A regulation that permitted authorities to quickly remove migrants at the border based on COVID-related public health limitations is scheduled to expire in less than a week.

As a result, additional asylum seekers may arrive in various regions of the country, including the Silver State.

“The numbers are quite high, the higher we’ve seen them in years,” said Noah Montague, Immigration Unit Supervisor at Northern Nevada Legal Aid.

According to him, the NGO now has roughly 60 cases and lacks the means to represent all of the recent new arrivals.

“Immigration court is some of the most challenging and time consuming and unfortunately, it’s quite challenging to win in an immigration court,” said Montague.

“As a nonprofit we have limited resources and even the private attorneys I know in town are kind of at capacity, as far as how many cases they can take.”

That’s why they’ve teamed up with Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, which has been providing free clinics in St. Vincent’s dining room for people needing assistance or resources about removal proceedings.

“We have more people coming to our office, asking for our help,” said Annie Allen, director of legal services at CCNN. “That is why we are giving this workshop because we do not have the capacity at this time to take additional cases.”

“To know how to represent themselves, what the court is going to look like and hopefully be able to apply for asylum or another immigration benefit on their own behalf,” said Montague.

In many situations, unaccompanied adolescents and people fleeing domestic or gang violence are involved.

The majority of the migrants come from Central and South America, as well as Haiti. Many are staying with family members, according to Montague.

Northern Nevada Legal Aid is in need of volunteers, attorneys, and funds. Many of the migrants require basic essentials as well.

Another asylum clinic will take place Thursday, January 12 at St. Vincent’s dining room (325 Valley Rd. Reno) at 6:00 p.m.