INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
Individual and Family Support Services assist clients with medical, legal, and social challenges. We have on-site resources and connect with other community-based organizations to make sure that every client has the support they need to succeed.
Health and Human Services
We work with partners to provide many on-site services including:
- Health & wellness days (includes free dental cleanings)
- Support for completing job applications
- Recovery of unpaid wages*
- Free AARP tax preparation assistance*
- Assistance with applying for a Drive Only driver’s License *
- Translation services (English-Spanish and Spanish-English)
- Presentations and workshops
- Standby guardianship documents
Referrals to community resources for:
- Medical and mental health services
- Housing and homelessness assistance
- Domestic violence and substance abuse issues
*Please see schedule below
School and Community Engagement
We work with families to address the achievement gap among immigrant children in Stamford Public Schools:
- Homework and Enrichment Club*
- Individual and small group tutoring
- POWER (Parent Organizing Program)
- Summer Reading Program
- Ferguson Library Bookmobile
- Family Nights
- Life skills workshops
*Please see schedule below
Immigration Legal Services
B1C is accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) as a provider of high quality, low cost immigration legal services. We have a staff immigration attorney and a team of staff and volunteer DOJ representatives who have gone through rigorous training and passed an exam to become accredited and qualified to provide immigration counseling.
Services available at B1C include:
We have an on-site immigration lawyer, as well as a team of certified staff and volunteers to help with family-based and victim-based cases:
- General consultations
- Naturalization
- Family Petitions (with Adjustment of Status Applications or consular processing)
- Green Card and Employment Authorization Card renewals
- Temporary Protected Status visas (new and renewal)
- Victim visas (VAWA, U-visa, T-visa)
- Unaccompanied Minors (SIJS) immigration component processing
- Limited court representation (only as part of an application for some form of relief)
- Provisional waivers
Our Immigration Legal Services team also conducts legal clinics, information sessions and educational presentations throughout the community, sometimes in partnership with other organizations.
B1C also provides other types of services, such as ELL and Citizenship classes, translations, notarizations, and wages representation.
Hours and Fees
- Consultations are Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Call for an appointment (203) 674-8585. There is a $40 fee payable in cash or Money Order for the initial consultations.
- If you have already had a consultation and want to start your case, or if you need an appointment on a different day call (203) 674-8585 Ext. 109.
- Depending on the case and the services needed, different fees may apply. Any options and additional services will be discussed in advance.
Understanding Immigrant Rights
Immigration News
Supreme Court deals setback to TPS holders
On June 7th, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Sanchez v. Mayorkas that immigrants who entered the U.S. without inspection and were subsequently granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) cannot qualify for permanent residency without leaving the country. The Court ruled that Adjustment of Status to obtain lawful permanent residency in the U.S. is solely for noncitizens who were inspected at the border and admitted by an immigration officer. Therefore, a majority of the approximate…
Read MoreB1C honors Judge Robert Katzmann, distinguished jurist and founder of Immigrant Justice Corps
Building One Community honors the memory of Judge Robert A. Katzmann, who died this past week. Among his many professional and personal contributions, Judge Katzmann created the Immigrant Justice Corps, a program that enables recent law school graduates to gain in-depth experience in immigration law and represent immigrants that are facing nearly impossible odds for…
Read MoreNew TPS for Haiti authorized
The government announced that Haiti will be redesignated for TPS (Temporary Protected Status) as a result of conditions in the country. Haitians in the U.S. as of May 21, 2021 will be able to apply for TPS for two years and apply for work permits. Haitians currently covered by previous TPS designations will be able…
Read MoreCensus documents the slowdown in population growth
According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. population growth during the last decade was the slowest since the 1930s. From 2010 to 2020 the U.S. population grew by 7.4%, which is the second lowest rate since the U.S. began taking a decennial census in 1790. The lowest rate was during the Great Depression era. Economists…
Read MoreWebinar on Venezuela TPS available online
The webinar on Venezuela TPS is available here. The one-hour conversation with leading immigration attorneys provided a framework for understanding the requirements for TPS, the benefits and risks of applying, and how to prepare the applications. In conjunction with the Connecticut Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Lower Fairfield County Immigration Collaborative,…
Read MoreConsulate Closures
As of April 8th, 2021, 76% of U.S. consulates remain fully or partially closed to visa processing to safeguard against the pandemic. This affects 71% of all visa applicants. While President Biden ended President Trump’s immigrant visa ban, this number of closures essentially continues the ban on legal immigration. According to a February 2021 State…
Read MoreB1C to host webinar on Venezuela TPS
B1C will host a webinar on Venezuela TPS on May 4, 2021. The webinar will provide information on the process and requirements for applying for TPS from immigration attorneys. There will be ample opportunities to ask questions. The webinar will be followed by optional free consultations with immigration attorneys on May 22d. The flyer includes…
Read MoreUnaccompanied Minors
The surge in crossings at the southern border increases the number of unaccompanied minors in Connecticut. In March, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it expected to see the southern border receive more immigrants than in the last 20 years. Most adults will be sent back to their home countries, and only unaccompanied minors…
Read MoreTemporary Protected Status for Venezuela
On March 8, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Venezuelans eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. This new designation allows Venezuelan nationals (and individuals that last resided in Venezuela) currently living in the United States to file for TPS. During the 18-month period, TPS recipients can legally live and work…
Read MoreDream & Promise Act passage in House is a first step toward residency for Dreamers and TPS holders
Enactment remains uncertain The House of Representatives passed the Dream and Promise Act by a vote of 228-197 on March 18. The bill provides a path to residency to about 3 million immigrants. It covers Dreamers – young people who came to the U.S. as children – and holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), most…
Read MoreHelpful Resources
- American Community Survey (ACS) -helps local officials, community leaders and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities. It is the premier source for detailed information about the American people and workforce.
- American Immigration Council - Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.
- CT Students for a Dream
- Domestic Violence Guide: How to Get Help When You Are Scared Of The Consequences
- Economic Policy Institute - Facts About Immigration and the U.S. Economy
- Historical information on immigration - Scholastic
- The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition
- Migration Policy Institute - an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think-tank dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide
- National Immigration Law Center - dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of immigrants with low income.
- New York Immigration Coalition - member organizations that helps foster immigrant community leadership and civic engagement, and puts immigrants at the table in the major public policy debates of the day
- United We Dream - the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation
- Welcoming America - helps communities across the country achieve prosperity by becoming more welcoming toward immigrants and all residents.
