Justice for Our Neighbors

   United Methodist Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) clinics offer legal assistance to poor immigrants in more remote areas or underserved metropolitan areas. Clinics are operating in 15 locations from Mississippi to Wisconsin, Texas to New York's Chinatown, and many places in between. Poor immigrants are often reluctant to seek help–either they are afraid or can't afford to pay for legal assistance. The United Methodist JFON clinics offer a safe place for immigrants to seek free legal counsel.

   JFON clinics are staffed by local volunteer attorneys and by local church volunteers. The non-legal volunteers are trained to interview immigrants and help them fill out immigration forms. The volunteers are under legal supervision, and an attorney signs off on every form. By using trained volunteers, JFON clinics are able to serve many more clients. This model has been so successful that the Immigration Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association proposed that the Association adopt the UMC model.

   In the last few months anxious immigrants have overwhelmed the JFON clinics because the 245(i) provision of the Immigration Law was extended to the end of April, offering qualified immigrants the opportunity to obtain green cards without leaving the country. Like most immigration law, this provision is complex and JFON clinics have held many special information sessions for legal staff, volunteers and immigrants. The clinics have spent many hours advising immigrants and assisting those who qualify.

   The number of JFON clinics is growing as this innovative program of UMCOR's Refugee Ministries reaches out to serve more and more "strangers within our midst"–strangers who are our neighbors.

   For further information about Justice for Our Neighbors call UMCOR's Refugee Ministries at (212) 870-3805.

   Checks may be placed in United Methodist church offering plates or sent directly to UMCOR at 475 Riverside Drive, Room 330, New York, N.Y. 10115. Call (800) 554-8583 to make a credit card donation.

Photo: Volunteers work with immigrants at a Justice for Our Neighbors clinic at the Whitfield UMC, Sioux City, Iowa.