(usually titled KIND) is an immigration-oriented, nonprofit organization that offer immigration-related legal assistance, trains advocates in proper immigration procedure, and supports the enforcement of tighter regulations on the immigration front. In their basic structure, Kids in Need of Defense functions as an information and referral service for Central American kids who may have come either as adults or as children seeking protection from abusive situations back home. While emphasizing on the need to protect kids in need from life threatening circumstances, this service also offers a variety of educational programs aimed at preparing them for survival in the United States. They offer legal assistance and representation to these kids in need of protection by offering a free consultation to families in need of help and by conducting free educational seminars on relevant topics. As part of their service to Central American children, the organizations staff work closely with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, an international association of attorneys specializing in human rights and immigration issues.
Through this work, KIND helps Central American: kids in need of protection to improve their economic conditions while developing a positive future for themselves and their families. They advocate on their client’s behalf before the courts, the policy makers and decision makers in the immigration proceedings, providing their clients with effective counsel on issues related to the custody, placement and settlement of their child clients. Additionally, they provide free educational classes on related topics to help parents retain and successfully navigate the complicated immigration proceedings, including how to prepare and handle their children’s immigration papers. When defending their clients before the courts, the pro Bono attorneys take care of every aspect of the case, focusing on defending the interests of their client, maximizing the client’s rights and ensuring that their child receives fair consideration under the law. Some of the issues the pro Bono attorneys deal with include:
It is extremely difficult for a mother or father to represent: their child in a child custody case, especially if that family is not financially stable. Many Central American countries have laws that favor the custody of children of parents who are unable to care for them properly. If you are an immigrant with children that are staying in a dangerous environment and are facing an uncertain future because of your status as an unauthorized immigrant, you should not have to pay for an attorney to protect your legal rights. Contact some of the highly regarded law firms that provide pro Bono services to immigrants, including Hernreay, Lamb, Arroy, & Brown, PC, Seattle, Bonner, Best, & Cooney, Atkins, Stenberg, Martindale-Hubbell, and Skidmore, so that they can provide you with the best legal counsel. These firms will provide you with affordable representation for your case, so that you don’t have to pay anything up front.
The Central American countries: of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras and the United States of America are experiencing a rapid increase in the number of unaccompanied children who have been illegally removed from their homes. These children have experienced trauma and are in desperate need of immediate medical care and adult legal representation. Many of these children are not able to make money by selling drugs on the streets of their city, so they are at extreme risk of being removed from the country and having to face life on the street if they are caught by an immigration agent.
Undocumented immigrants are often targets of human: smuggling rings and corrupt officials who prey on them. Some of these kids in need of defense (U Visa) lawyers are minors who have entered the country through Mexico, or any other Hispanic countries. While there are certain US cities that are known for being hot spots for illegal immigrants, like San Francisco, there are also many cities throughout the United States that are magnets for illegal aliens. As an unauthorized immigrant, you should seek the services of an immigration attorney immediately after you are told that you are in the system because there may be more issues waiting for you once you have crossed the border.
These types of cases involving kids in need of defense lawyers: can be very expensive for private law firms to invest in and represent their clients. Fortunately, the government is willing to help fund these programs so that they can be properly represented. It is not enough for these countries to merely take care of the children properly-they must have access to the right resources to do so as well. The children can never take back their homeland, but they can make sure that their rights are protected.
If an unauthorized immigrant child has been arrested, there is a possibility that the charges will be dropped if he or she requests political asylum.
