Immigration Status Assistance
The Challenge…
A single 34-year-old woman who arrived in the United States more than a year ago from Haiti, was referred from St. Joseph Homeless Shelter in Hyannis to the Immigration Resource Center (IRC), a program of Community Action Committee of Cape Cod & Islands, is looking to stay and work. She speaks Haitian-Creole and Spanish.
The Solution…
The woman called CACCI and was transferred to a Spanish speaking case worker who invited her to one of their Saturday free clinics for new migrants. The woman was assisted with applying for a work authorization and started her asylum application.
Upon intake at the clinic, it was discovered that she had not yet applied for SNAP benefits that she was eligible for based on her Temporary Protected Immigration Status. CACCI’s Spanish speaking SNAP benefits Enrollment Specialist assisted her and she was approved for SNAP. She was able to use this benefit verification letter to waive the application fee with Citizenship and Immigration Services. Her applications for work permit and asylum were completed.