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The Catholic Church in the United States
recommends that people living here without documentation obtain valid
proof of their identity. Such documentation might include:
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An expired or un-expired valid
passport from the foreign national’s home country.
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An original birth certificate or
a certified copy from the foreign national’s home country.
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Other valid photo identification issued
by the home country, such as a matricula consular or other
documents issued by any federal, state, or local government of the
United States. (NOTE: Because an undocumented foreign
national runs the risk of being placed in removal (i.e., “deportation”)
proceedings if s/he comes to the attention of the U.S. government,
the Catholic Church recommends that undocumented foreign nationals
first seek advice from a licensed immigration attorney or a
BIA-recognized agency before approaching a government agency to seek
documentation of identification).
BEWARE of people or
agencies that offer to get immigration “papers” or “identification” for
foreign nationals. They might be obtaining fake identification
documents and if the foreign national uses those documents they might
end up being deported! Obtain photo identification only through lawful
methods, such as through the foreign national’s home government.
BEWARE OF NOTARIOS AND IMMIGRATION
CONSULTANTS who offer help filing
applications with the government. Many of these consultants have taken
advantage of undocumented immigrants by filing applications on behalf of
undocumented foreign nationals without verifying whether the individual
is actually eligible for the immigration benefit.
Congress has not yet passed any law that
authorizes the legalization of undocumented people!! If
a person offers to file an application for legalization on behalf of an
undocumented foreign national, they may be putting that foreign national
in danger of deportation!!
We strongly
suggest foreign nationals seek legal assistance only from a
Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) recognized
non-profit organization such as Catholic Charities or from a licensed
attorney.
August 3, 2005
DISCLAIMER: This handout is not legal advice. It is for educational and
informational purposes only. If you know of someone who needs legal
advice, advise him or her to consult either a licensed immigration
attorney or an
accredited representative from a
Board of
Immigration Appeals (BIA) recognized agency.
An undocumented foreign
national should not seek legal advice from a notario or an “immigration
consultant” who is not accredited by the BIA. |
