The CLSEPA

The CLSEPA Immigration Program provides legal assistance to immigrants in and around East Palo Alto, where two-thirds of the population is Latino or Pacific Islander. Our four full-time immigration attorneys help local residents navigate the federal government's complicated immigration processes. In an effort to teach local immigrants their rights and responsibilities, we give presentations at a number of venues in the area, including community health and social service agencies, immigrants' rights groups, churches, schools, women's shelters, and community events. We also sponsor legal clinics to assist community members with various immigration issues. For individual clients, we specialize in the following immigration issues: U visa applications and VAWA self-petitions T visa applications Removal defense (all forms of immigration relief, including asylum) ICE raids defense and community education SIJS Petitions DACA Applications Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests State or federal criminal background checks Work permit renewals Our immigration team also provides life-changing assistance to survivors of domestic violence and victims of other crimes who are without immigration papers, helping clients apply for and obtain relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and through U Visa relief. These programs help our clients secure a change in immigration status, enabling them to take important steps toward eliminating violence and fear for their lives and the lives of their children. Handouts in Spanish are available on a variety of topics. Most of our full-time staff members speak Spanish.