Immigration policies are changing rapidly, creating new rules for immigrants to comply with and different obligations for them to meet. Immigrant children and families navigating the immigration system often face these challenges alone, but they don’t have to. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, in partnership with the Governor's Office for Community Initiatives, is hosting a free, in-person training for volunteer attorneys on Immigration Consults and Family Safety Planning on Friday, June 27, 2025, at the Lanham Hall Auditorium at Prince George's Community College.
This two-part training will prepare volunteers to provide brief immigration consultations and assist families in creating family safety plans in case of a potential detention or deportation. Beginners are welcome, and no immigration law background is necessary.
Volunteer attorneys can choose to attend the AM session, the PM session, or both!
AM SESSION (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM): Interviewing and Giving Brief Advice to Immigrant Children and Families Attendees will learn to:
- Use trauma-informed techniques when interviewing children and survivors of violence
- Understand eligibility for humanitarian protections (SIJS, Asylum, T-Status, U-Status)
- Navigate immigration court basics for beginners
- Conduct effective immigration consults and advise families on their rights and obligations
PM SESSION (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM): Helping Parents and Caregivers Plan for a Potential Deportation Attendees will learn to:
- Draft standby guardianships and financial powers of attorney
- Advise families on their rights and obligations when stopped or detained by ICE
- Define adverse immigration actions and how to respond
- Guide parents in selecting guardians and activating their plans
Register to either attend live or receive the webcast to watch on your own time here: probonomd.org/helping-immigrants. Please also help us spread the word and share with your networks! The goal is to train attorneys to help support our immigrant communities.