A Mother’s Strength, A Community’s Support

This month, we were reminded of the power of compassion, teamwork, and resilience through the story of Claudia*, a devoted single mother and a hardworking member of our community. Claudia had arrived in the United States years ago as a child and became a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, allowing her to remain in the country, work, and support her family. But her status had hit a roadblock: government bureaucracy.

Claudia applied to renew her DACA status last year by herself. However, she never received follow up information from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the government agency tasked with processing renewals. If she didn’t renew before the one-year mark, her case would revert to an initial application, risking not only her status but also her future ability to stay in the country. At the same time, she was caring full-time for her young child and facing wage theft from her employer.

Within 24 hours of Claudia’s first phone call to ICS, our team met with Claudia in person and submitted an expedited renewal request. ICS also discovered that USCIS had cashed Claudia’s payment for the renewal last year, despite claiming to have no record of the request. ICS made sure that Claudia did not have to pay a single penny more for legal help or the application and covered all costs thanks to the generous support of the ICS community.

This story is a testament to what we can achieve when we come together to support those in need. Claudia’s courage and love for her child inspire us all, and we’re honored to stand beside her on this journey.

*Note: Names and details in this story have been altered to protect the client’s identity.