CAIR Coalition is the only non-profit organization in the Washington, D.C. area with a legal services program focused exclusively on assisting immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in local jails in Virginia and the western part of Maryland. Detained immigrants served by CAIR Coalition include: long term residents of the United States; asylum seekers, many of whom are survivors of torture; women who are pregnant or have just given birth; and individuals who are seriously physically or mentally ill.
Services include:
- Group legal orientations on the detention and removal process, the rights of detained immigrants and the legal options available to them.
- Consultations with a CAIR Coalition staff member or trained volunteer to discuss the specifics of an individual’s case.
- Assistance in securing legal representation with a pro bono attorney or a CAIR Coalition staff attorney in meritorious cases. These cases may involve protection-based relief (asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture;) Cancellation of Removal for Lawful and for non-Lawful Permanent Residents; U and T visas; Adjustment of Status; Refugee Waivers; and claims to United States citizenship
- Pro Se workshops to teach detained immigrants without attorneys how to apply for various immigration benefits and how to advocate for themselves in Immigration Court.
- Habeas petitions for individuals who are detained indefinitely and are eligible for habeas release under the Supreme Court decision in Zadvydas v. Davis.
- Representation at Credible Fear Interviews for asylum seekers at Dulles and BWI airports.