Immigration Organizations Prepare for Trump's Deportation Plan

With Trump preparing to take office as president of the United States in January, many things remain uncertain, while fears and anxieties rise within LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. Oasis Legal Services has taken steps to ensure that community members obtain immigration relief (or at least obtain a bit more protection) prior to Trump taking office. 

Several organizations have stepped up to support immigrant rights in the Central Valley. An estimated 60,000 undocumented LGBTQ+ immigrants reside in California, with 10,000 in the Central Valley of California. Our team is taking action to support our community right now, and will file as many asylum applications and work permits as we can for qualifying LGBTQ+ immigrants before January 17. 

Director of Programs & Advocacy, Rachel Kafele, was recently interviewed by ABC30 News - KFSN Fresno and Central Valley News, to highlight what Oasis is doing in the moment to protect queer and trans asylum seekers:

"We are helping all the clients who we have done intake or initial interviews, for we want to make sure that we help them file for asylum as soon as possible in case that right goes away," said Rachel Kafele, Oasis Director of Programs & Advocacy. "So we are having emergency clinics to make sure everyone that we've spoken to, and we know qualifies for asylum, has a chance to do so."

Other organizations, such as the United Farm Workers Foundation have begun hosting DACA Renewals & Naturalization Workshops across the Central Valley. 

As promises of raids and mass deportations take form, Oasis and other immigrant rights advocates are racing against the clock to serve our vulnerable community members before time runs out.