ABOUT THE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:
Why are you encouraging DACA recipients to apply for Advance Parole if USCIS is not accepting applications from DACA recipients anymore?
We are doing this for two main reasons:
- To help in particular those DACA recipients who have urgent humanitarian cases, to pressure DHS to follow the court orders that allows them to grant Advance Parole for "deserving cases" per the San Francisco Federal Court ruling.
- To help DACA recipients with documentable cases, to file for Advance Parole and bring them over to Washington, D.C. in November 2019 to advocate for the full restoration of DACA’s Advance Parole.
Will your organization pay for the application fees?
Contingent on a post-application interview and the availability of funds that we are able to raise, the CMSC may be able to pay for full or a portion of the application fees.
The CMSC is currently raising funds through the end of the summer in order to cover the staff assistance cost and as many of the Advance Parole application fees possible.
If the Advance Parole applications get denied or rejected, will your organization or USCIS refund the money?
The application fees for Advance Parole may be refunded if the application is administratively suspended by USCIS, or they will keep the fees if the application is processed whether it is denied or approved. All applicants must take responsibility for the fees that they pay, it’s at their own risk. The CMSC will not refund any application fees for applications that get denied.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
What are the eligibility requirements to apply for your assistance program?
In order to be considered and accepted into our program, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Have an active DACA status
- Must have no criminal and/or immigration record
- Have an urgent humanitarian need to travel abroad, or an exceptional and urgent academic / employment reason.
- Must be able to pay the $575 I-131 Advance Parole application fee or be committed to help us fundraise to help you pay for those fees.
If I have previously been charged with a felony, misdemeanor, DUI, arrested, have a pending court appearance, order of deportation, or any other criminal and/or immigration record, do I qualify to apply?
No. Unfortunately, if you have been charged with a felony, misdemeanor, DUI, arrested, have a pending court appearance, order of deportation, or any other outstanding criminal record, we will not accept you into our program. Your safety and ability to successfully return to the U.S. is our number one priority.
I live outside of the Los Angeles area, or in another state, do I qualify to apply?
Yes, we encourage applicants from any state in the United States to apply, as long as they have an urgent documentable reason to apply for Advance Parole.
ADVANCE PAROLE APPLICATION PROCESS & TRAVEL SAFETY
What is the application process to be accepted into your program and to move forward with filing for an Advance Parole application?
To be considered for acceptance into our program, applicants must complete a four-step application process which requires the following:
- Step 1: Complete and submit the online application form by JULY 31, 2019
- Step 2: Once your application is submitted, we will send you a confirmation email with instructions to schedule an in-person, Skype or FaceTime interview to discuss your eligibility and reasons to apply, and to determine whether or not you qualify to move forward with our program and application process.
- Step 3: Once you have been accepted into our program, you will be given a timeframe and a set of instructions to fill out your application and gather all supporting documentation.
- Step 4: We will schedule a second in-person, Skype, or FaceTime meeting to go over your application files and to ensure you are ready to mail out your Advance Parole application to USCIS.
What do you mean by “urgent humanitarian need”?
The following qualify as urgent humanitarian needs:
If you if you have a close relative like a dad, mom, sibling, or grandparent who is very ill, in critical health conditions.
If you have a close relative who recently passed away and you need to attend a funeral and/or make mortuary arrangements for them.
Are you also accepting applications for Educational and/or Employment purposes?
Primary we are focusing on humanitarian cases, however, we are open to assist any exceptional employment and/or educational cases that are well documented and urgent.
Are there any risks in applying for and traveling with Advance Parole?
There is no risk in applying for Advance Parole, however, if approved there has always been a disclaimer by the government that they may not readmit you to come back to the U.S. if there are any legal issues with the individual’s record.
The CMSC took a total of 160 DACA recipients to study abroad from 2015 to 2017, and we have never had anyone rejected upon their return. Also, we are aware that TPS holders are currently being granted and traveling with Advance Parole even under the Trump Administration. So, the risk is there, but that’s why we undertake a thorough background check to make sure that our program participants are safe to travel.
Are you providing legal service?
We are providing assistance for the preparation of the I-131 Advance Parole application form, but we are not providing legal services or advice. However, we have legal counsel that can be called upon to provide a legal opinion on any special cases that may have criminal background issues.
Do you help with Advance Parole applications for TPS and/or DED recipients?
No. Our campaign is solely focused on helping DACA recipients apply for Advance Parole. Currently, we are not assisting any other Deferred Action programs like TPS or DED recipients.