Family Reunification Unit
The mission of the Family Reunification Unit is to reunify families by providing free and low-cost legal services in the area of family-based immigration. Under the immigration laws, United States citizens and lawful permanent residents may petition for certain close family members so that the family member may become a lawful permanent resident, which results in the ability to live and work in the United States. However, because of the preference categories and quota system that govern family-based immigration, many United States citizens and lawful permanent residents face waits of up to fifteen years in order to be able to obtain permanent resident status for their family members. Many of these families are forced to remain separated during this long period of time. The Family Reunification Unit strives to find ways in which to reunify these families as quickly as possible by assisting clients with the various applications related to the complex area of family-based immigration and by providing the most efficient service possible so as to avoid any further delays in the reunification of families. The services provided by the Family Reunification Unit include initial client intake and consultation, preparation of all family-based immigration forms and applications, representation at interviews before the Citizenship & Immigration Service, preparation for interviews with the United States consulate abroad, applications for employment authorization, petitions for widows and orphans, applications for Family Unity benefits and applications for adjustment of status for eligible family members, including undocumented family members living within the United States.