Provides Low-Cost Immigration Services

Catholic Immigration Services in Little Rock and Springdale provides low-cost immigration counseling and support to families and individuals who are eligible for immigration benefits and cannot afford private assistance. These programs are members of Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. The mission of Catholic Immigration Services is to work for solidarity in our community by welcoming the stranger in the spirit of the Gospel. We recognize the inalienable right of all persons to human dignity. We therefore assist and advocate for immigrants to attain family unity, economic independence and social integration. | Español | Services | Victim Assistance | How You Can Help | Resources

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General Immigration Services

• Application Assistance — Prepares and files immigration applications and forms to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
• Counseling and Referrals — Counsels clients about immigration-related needs and refers clients to attorneys for legal assistance and deportation proceedings.
• Advocacy — Interacts with congressional representatives on behalf of immigrants.
• Education — Conducts immigration workshops and seminars at various events in the community.

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Services for Immigrant Victims

• Help survivors of domestic violence married to U.S. citizens or other lawful permanent residents get lawful permanent resident status through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) act.
• Help victims of human trafficking (people forced or coerced into servitude) by working with the FBI.
• Assists survivors of certain crimes, like domestic violence, obtain Delayed Action and Employment Authorization when the victim is willing to help prosecute the criminal perpetrator.
• Work with law enforcement agencies and parish/community teams to educate them about immigrant victims' rights when they are victims of a violent crime and provide access to critical resources for victims when they are in crisis.

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Resources

Welcome the Strangers Among Us

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor wrote "I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me: A Pastoral Letter on the Human Rights of Immigrants," a pastoral letter that challenges us to open our minds and hearts to Christ's teachings as well as learn the plight of immigrants seeking a better life in the United States.

Catholic Social Teaching about Migration

Understanding how the Church’s teaching tradition informs its position on migration will help Catholics and others of good will better understand how these principles can be and should be put into practice. The resources highlighted here will help you learn more about the Church’s social teachings as related to migration and how you can help to make positive change.

Catholic Principles of Migration

This articles describes the five principles that help guide the Church’s approach. They are: 1.) Persons have the right to find opportunities in their homeland; 2.) Persons have the right to migrate to support themselves and their families; 3.) Sovereign nations have the right to control their borders; 4.) Refugees and asylum seekers should be afforded protection; 5.) The human dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants should be respected. A recent example of this teaching is "Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope," a pastoral letter concerning migration from the Catholic bishops of Mexico and the United States.

Root Causes of Migration

A root cause is the fundamental reason for the occurrence of an event, in this case, migration. Often, in the migration context, there are both push and pull factors with push factors being reasons why people would want to leave their home country and pull factors being reasons why people would want to come to a new country. In migration, push and pull factors can be economic, environmental, social and political.

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How You Can Support Our Work

Catholic Immigration Services is one of the few nonprofit agencies in the state recognized by the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals and one of the few charities that can assist low-income immigrants. Anyone can donate to Catholic Immigration Services to help lower the fees for clients. To mail a donation by check, address your donation to Little Rock or Springdale below.

Mail Donation To:

Catholic Immigration Services — Little Rock
P.O. Box 7565 
Little Rock, AR 72217-7565

Catholic Immigration Services — Springdale
2022 W. Sunset Ave.
Springdale, AR 72762