Legal Support Network
World Relief's Legal Support Network
For over 40 years, World Relief has been creating church partnerships that support and empower local congregations to serve immigrants and refugees as they grapple with the complexities and hurdles of the U.S. immigration system. Today, World Relief’s Legal Support Network (LSN) is an affiliate group of about 25 nonprofit Immigration Legal Services sites across the nation who provide access to affordable legal services.
For Dr. Arlita Harris, Executive Director and DOJ-accredited representative of Immigration Center at Western Oaks Church of the Nazarene, being a part of the Legal Support Network directly impacts the quality of immigration legal services her organization can offer the 250 clients they see annually. She said,
Tech support answers our legal back-up questions rapidly and, therefore, helps our clients. Because we are a ministry of the church, we are able to pray with our clients, and help them spiritually as well as financially and legally.
For Westside Community Center that is just beginning their journey as an ILS site, being connected to the Legal Support Network is a great avenue for offering effective and affordable immigration legal services in their community. DOJ Accredited Representative Ashley DiGiore said,
The closest ILS organization is 20+ minutes away. We have a great deal of immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries, and we know these families are in need of services, support, and guidance. We have spoken with members of the community and other organizations and they are very excited for what this will bring to the community.
How to Join the Legal Support Network
Our Legal Support Network has an annual fee of $1,500. For membership in the Legal Support Network, qualified prospective affiliates must be Christian churches or Christian faith-based 501(c)(3) organizations that affirm alignment with World Relief’s Mission and Statement of Faith. For more information on joining World Relief’s Immigration Legal Support Network, please complete the following:
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Read the one-page summary of what the Immigration Programs team offers
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Read the Church Leaders’ Launch Guide and World Relief's Mission and Statement of Faith
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Complete the Sustainability Assessment
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Complete the Application Form
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Email your completed Sustainability Assessment per instructions in the Application Form
- Wait to be contacted by a World Relief staff member
Immigration Case Management Discount
Equifax Immigration Case Management is the exclusive provider and all-in-one immigration case management solution to World Relief and offers exclusive discounts to World Relief’s ILS affiliates. Complete with integrated immigration forms, billing, robust reporting, mobile intake capabilities, client web portal and more, Equifax enables thousands of today's leading immigration practitioners to serve more clients more efficiently.
World Relief's Legal Trainings
Upcoming Immigration Law Trainings
General information:
World Relief Immigration Legal Services Technical Unit is pleased to offer intensive, 40 hour immigration law trainings. The trainings are conducted using the curriculum of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC). This course will help to provide the necessary training component for individuals who wish to apply for accreditation from the Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ recognition and accreditation allows non-attorneys working in DOJ recognized non-profit organizations to practice immigration law. The course will touch on all areas of immigration law and practice focusing on topics most relevant to those serving and representing low-income immigrants.
Training Recommendations:
Due to the requirements of the accreditation application process, we recommend that only individuals with U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, or other long-term immigration status apply for this training.
Additional requirements:
Additional requirements for applying for Department of Justice (DOJ) recognition and accreditation will be discussed during the training week. Participants who pass the take-home test will receive a certificate of completion from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), the authors of the training curriculum. This will help participants in the process of obtaining DOJ accreditation.
Future Trainings
Winter 2025 Basic Immigration Law Training (Virtual Course)
When: January 13th - February 21st, 2025, Eastern Time Zone
Where: Virtual
Click HERE to learn more and to enroll!
World Relief hosts trainings throughout the year. Additionally, if the dates or locations above are not convenient for you, check out Immigrant Legal Resource Center's listing of upcoming Basic Immigration Law Courses. If you are looking for Comprehensive Overview of Immigration Law, see CLINIC's training calendar.
Didn't find what you're looking for? Email us immigration@wr.org.