UM Crisis

On this page the Hispanic Issues Section will maintain a listing of trainings and volunteer opportunities around the state regarding the unaccompanied minor crisis.  If you have a training or volunteer opportunity you would like to see on this page, or any other comments, please email us!

The State Bar of Texas has created a comprehensive resource page that is also going to be updated constantly, and contains additional resources and information about training and volunteer opportunities, as well as information regarding the organizations, firms and individuals working together to address this crisis.  The Hispanic Issues Section applauds the State Bar and its leaders for their tremendous commitment and assistance.  See the State Bar of Texas resource page here.

Trey Apffel, President of the State Bar of Texas, addressed this crisis in the opinion page of the October 2014 Texas Bar Journal.  See President Apffel’s note here.  

In addition, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court has called on attorneys to volunteer to assist in this crisis.  See the video here.

• American Gateways and Volunteer Legal Services – August 20 Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Training – Video
• Harris County Attorney’s Office – July 31 Unaccompanied Minors Seminar (Online Video, CLE Credit Available) – Video and Materials
• The American Bar Association’s Commission on Immigration and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid have prepared a helpful presentation on the distinction between “notaries” in Texas and the United States and “notarios publicos” in Mexico, which includes information on how to file complaints to combat notario fraud.  View the presentation.
• Hispanic Issues Section Chair Benny Agosto, Jr. recently gave an interview with Univision 45 in Houston to discuss notario fraud.  View the video (Spanish).
• The TYLA and ProBAR Unaccompanied Children’s Project has created a “Know Your Rights” video for unaccompanied minors.  View the video (Spanish).

View upcoming training and volunteer opportunities by area of the state.

Statewide / Nationwide

• Training Opportunities:
  • Texas – Poverty Law Section – State Court Proceedings for SIJS Predicate Filings – Friday, November 7, Noon – Event Concluded
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  • Texas – American Immigration Laywers Association – Services to Families at Karnes Detention Center – Survey / Sign Up
  • Texas – Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Pro Bono Immigration Referral Network – All Types of Cases – Sign Up
  • Texas – State Bar of Texas Volunteer Signup Form – Sign Up
  • Nationwide – ProBAR Children’s Project – Immigrant Children’s Assistance Project – Screening and Removal Cases – More Info

Border Area / Rio Grande Valley

• Training Opportunities:
  • Hidalgo County Bar Association – Accompanying Minors to Immigration Court Training – Thursday, October 16, 1:30PM – UTPA McAllen – Event Concluded
• Next Volunteer Opportunity: Coming soon!

Austin

• Training Opportunities:
  • Austin Lawyers Guild – Training Regarding Karnes Residential Center – Monday, April 20, 8AM – at UT Law School (Eidmann Courtroom) – More Info
  • American Gateways – Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Training – Wednesday, August 20, 11AM – at McGinnis Lochridge – Event Concluded
  • Bernardo Kohler Center and Wilson Sonsini – Representing Minors in SIJS Cases – Tuesday, August 5, Noon – at Wilson Sonsini Austin – Event Concluded
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  • Bernardo Kohler Center – Need Attorneys Ad Litem for SIJS Cases – Contact
  • American Gateways – Need Attorneys for SIJS Cases, Asylum and U Visa Cases – Contact
• Item Donations Needed – Circle of Health International Requests Supplies for Rio Grande Valley – More Information – Contact

Dallas / Fort Worth

• Training / Informational Opportunities:
  • Dallas HBA – Representing Unaccompanied Children in Dallas Courts – Friday, October 3, 8AM or 1PM – Belo Mansion – Info – Event Concluded
  • Dallas HBA – Intro to Immigration Court Practices and SIJS Cases – Thursday, August 28, Noon – Belo Mansion – Info – Event Concluded
  • Human Rights Initiative of North Texas – Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Training – Friday, August 1, Noon – Perkins Coie – Event Concluded
  • Human Rights Initiative of North Texas – Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Training – Thursday, July 31, Noon – HRI Offices – Event Concluded
  • Dallas Bar Association – Info Session on Unaccompanied Refugee Minors – Wednesday, July 30, 6PM – Belo Mansion – Event Concluded
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  • Catholic Charities Dallas – Need Attorney and Spanish-Speaking Non-Attorney Volunteers – Contact – Volunteer Orientation Schedule
• Central resource page for Dallas/Fort Worth

El Paso

• Next Training Opportunity: Coming soon!
• Next Volunteer Opportunity: Coming soon!

Houston

• Training Opportunities:
  • Catholic Charities – Unaccompanied Minors Immigration Relief – Thursday, October 23, Noon – South Texas College of Law – Event Concluded
  • UH Law Center – Unaccompanied Children and Asylum Workshop – Friday, October 3, 8AM – UH Law Center – Event Concluded
  • Thomas More Society – Unaccompanied Children Lunch Event/CLE – Friday, September 26, 11:30AM – 1st Court of Appeals Courtroom – Event Concluded
  • KIND and Human Rights First – Introduction to Representing Unaccompanied Minors – Monday, August 25, 1PM – K&L Gates – Event Concluded
  • HBA Houston and Catholic Charities – Unaccompanied Minors CLE – Friday, August 15, Noon – South Texas College of Law – Event Concluded
  • Seminar – Rights of Unaccompanied Children – Thursday, July 31, 1PM – Houston Community College Southwest – Event Concluded – Video Available
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  • Catholic Charities – Need for Attorney and Non-Attorney Volunteers – Contact

San Antonio

• Training Opportunities:
  • ABA GPSolo, NAPABA – Unaccompanied Children in Immigration – Saturday, October 25, 8AM – San Antonio Hilton – Event Concluded
  • CLE Training – SIJS Training (free to volunteers) – Wednesday, August 13, 1PM – Cox & Smith – Flyer – Event Concluded
  • MABA-San Antonio Meeting, Tuesday, August 12 (Presentations by RAICES and Catholic Charities) – Event Concluded
• Volunteer Opportunities:
  • RAICES – Pro Bono Immigration and Family Law Attorneys Needed at Lackland AFB – More Info – Contact
• Item Donations Needed – Baptist Child and Family Services Requests Various Items – See List – Contact

Visit the website of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to learn how to donate to projects statewide.

• American Bar Association Letter Regarding Family Detention to Secretary of Homeland Security – Dated March 26, 2015
• American Bar Association Letter Regarding Crisis to Joe Biden – Dated October 20, 2014
• Anti-Defamation League (Houston) – Press Release on Unaccompanied Minors – August 27, 2014 – Photo from Meeting
• The Texas Tribune – August 22, 2014 – featuring Benny Agosto, Jr. and Jackie Watson