Citing a rising increase in foreign-born residents in Connecticut, the Hartford Public Foundation for Giving has awarded a $160,000 grant for hundreds of Greater Hartford residents to have access to free individualized immigration and employment assistance.
The foundation said Connecticut has the fastest growing and one of the largest populations of foreign-born residents in the country. According to 2014 U.S. Census statistics, Hartford County has an immigrant population of 132,944, of which 63,242 are not U.S. citizens.
The John J. Driscoll United Labor Agency Inc. has been awarded a three-year, $160,860 grant to make sure undocumented immigrants are not subject to exploitation.
United Labor Agency’s Immigration Advocacy and Assistance Program combines legal employment and supportive services that help to simplify the immigration and employment process for local immigrants. Many of these individuals and families are unable to afford a private immigration lawyer, and immigrants representing themselves are generally less successful in seeking permanent residence or citizenship than those with legal counsel.
Those who are unfamiliar with the law can make legal mistakes that could eliminate their chance of obtaining permanent residency and even lead to their deportation. Many immigrant workers, particularly those in low-paying positions, are unaware of labor laws and are at an increased risk of employer violation and discrimination.
United Labor Agency’s Immigration Advocacy and Assistance Program is modeled after a successful program implemented in New Jersey that provides a wide variety of services to support individuals seeking Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals certification or Deferred Action for Parental Accountability.
