LOS ANGELES – Immigration advocates and leaders are urging members of the community (who have family or will possibly benefit from the proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill) to start preparing documents and saving money, to file the necessary paperwork.
They also advised that the community be cautious of “unscrupulous” groups or people who may ask for an advance or retainer to assist with the filing/documentation process.
Stewart Kwoh, executive director and president of Asian Pacific American Legal Center, recommends: “Go to your trusted non-profit group and receive their information free of charge. Don’t sign up with anybody right now that will charge you money.”
A group of senators known as the Gang of Eight, introduced their bi-partisan immigration bill on Tuesday that provides a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented people in the country and clear the 4.4 million people stuck in the visa backlogs.
Under the legislation, undocumented immigrants applying for “Registered Provisional Immigrant” (RPI) status must show that they have lived in the country and prove “continuous residency” in the US before December 31, 2011, to qualify.
Kwoh said this would require undocumented immigrants to show proof that they have lived in this country prior to the cut-off date.
Documents like bills, rental agreements, and even letters from a local pastor are of utmost importance to prove residency in this process.
“Collect your documents,” he said. “For some people they don’t collect their documents. They throw away their taxes after it’s filed. Don’t do that. Keep your documents, your bills, all of your correspondences for at least [the past] 3 or 4 years; if not 5 years.
“We don’t know what the final bill will look like, or if there will be a bill, and what the cut-off time will be. Most likely, if there is a bill regardless of the cut off date, they are going to want to see continuous residency. That’s why the documents are so important,” he added.
“Don’t leave the country. You may disqualify yourself,” he further advised.
The proposed legislation also requires undocumented immigrants to pay $2,500 in application fees, not including back taxes that may be owed to the government, and other possible charges that may arise during the filing.
That fee may look minute, but when it’s multiplied, the fee adds up, said immigrant leaders.
“We really think this is going to cost those undocumented immigrants anywhere from $3,500 to $5,000 each,” said Aquilina Soriano, executive director of the Pilipino Worker Center (PWC).
“When you think about it, for a family of five [undocumented immigrants], it may cost them $25,000 just in fees alone to file the necessary paperwork.”
Most importantly, Soriano and other immigration leaders are urging community members to be vigilant and not fall for anyone who may say that they could help them file their paperwork for a fee.
“This is only the first step in a long process.”
“This is just a senate bill not a law. Don’t believe anyone when they say they can start the process for you. Don’t give any money up front. Go to your local non-profit first and then you can assess your options,” said Soriano.