By Matthew Greeley |  Special Contributor

The executive actions taken by President Barack Obama to address the complex and difficult issue of immigration have presented undocumented immigrants who have long been “stuck” in a broken system with both unprecedented hope and worrisome risks. 

In an effort to help individuals and families navigate the upcoming changes and confusion that change brings with it, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton, has mobilized outreach and support through two of its offices – Community Services (formerly Emergency & Community Services), located in Lakewood serving people in Ocean and Monmouth counties, and El Centro in Trenton which serves the communities in Burlington/Mercer.  A number of presentations and community gatherings have been provided to date, in order to assist the public in navigating through information and misinformation.

“At this juncture, Catholic Charities’ role continues to be to educate the community about what the process will entail and what documentation folks will need whether they are immigrants or individuals who want to volunteer to help,” shared Marlene Lao-Collins, executive director of Catholic Charities, Trenton.

Currently, everything is in a holding pattern regarding the reforms, as state and national governments work to iron things out, described Lao-Collins. This means that undocumented immigrants would be putting themselves at risk for deportation were they to come forward now. 

Lisa Thibault, CC Trenton’s communications manager, expressed the importance of established trust among the immigrant community.

“As part of the Catholic Church, people know that we are providing a safe space and that the Church is there for them. We often serve as liaisons for people with other organizations like the Bureau of Immigration Appeals.”

The two main immigration programs are: DACA (Deferred Action Childhood Arrival) and DAPA (Deferred Action Parents Accountability). Both target specific populations and follow specific procedures that applicants will need to follow.

Both DAPA and DACA will offer a work visa good for three years. Applicants will be required to prove having children who are citizens of the USA and that they have not committed any crimes through a background check.

People leave these informational sessions with a clear idea of the documentation they will need as the processes for DAPA and DACA move forward. Thibault also says that, as a BIA-accredited and Catholic institution, Catholic Charities serves as a trusted entity and offers a safe space for our immigrant community. Sadly, there are many individuals seeking to exploit these most vulnerable, charging exorbitant fees for often incorrect work, especially in terms of the filling out of the myriad forms.

“Simply getting the needed documents can take months,” added Lao-Collins, “so we make sure people have what they will need and then we also help them fill out the requested information correctly. The smallest mistake on any single form can ruin a person’s chances at fixing their legal status.”

Roberto Hernández, director of El Centro, echoed the importance of having every detail in check noting “Sadly, there are many people calling themselves notarios (notaries) who are posing as attorneys. They are neither notaries nor attorneys. They charge unsuspecting and desperate people exorbitant amounts of money; that they don’t have! And they do not even know how to fill the forms out properly. The consequences are horrible all around.”

Hernández explained that the sad reality is that most people seek the help of Catholic Charities when it is too late, often after they have paid a notario and, worse still, after an error has been made in their process.

“We will be holding more of these information sessions,” continued Hernández. “We, as the Catholic family, need to embrace our immigrant family. These sessions will inform people about DAPA and DACA but we also hope they will draw more people who want to serve as volunteers in some capacity. We need people with computer skills and who can translate.”

More than 150 people attended the most recent information session offered by El Centro in Our Lady of Angels Parish, Trenton. In addition to CC Trenton representatives, the session included talks given by the Mercer County district attorney with other city and county officials to help emphasize that they recognize the significance these system changes will bring to the entire community and to show that the immigrant community is not alone on their journey.

Carmen Pagan, director of Community Services for people in Ocean/Monmouth, echoes the need to get people connected with skilled BIA-accredited entities or true attorneys.

Of the many people Pagan sees connecting with proper support, she notes, “I see the relief on their faces. So many people want to fix their legal situations so they can play more of a role in our greater society. They want to pay taxes.” And, Pagan added, many already are paying taxes and have been for years even though they are without legal documentation.

The sessions are also of import to many volunteers who give their time and talents to walk with the immigrant community in the many parishes and service groups around the Diocese, so they too will have the appropriate information to be able to better assist those who are hopeful to take advantage of any future changes.

“We need to inspire a sense of hope in this situation. Pope Francis has said this is the year of the family; so it’s important that we look beyond our immediate family to recognize the other and help each other out,” encouraged Hernández.

Greeley is associate director of the Diocese’s Communications Office and coordinator of Spanish-language communications.  For more information about Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Trenton and to see how you can share your gifts and talents to serve our most vulnerable, please visit www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org.