Good ol' Waukegan takes care of the immigrants. There are several points in this article that really beg for comments. I wonder if I went to the next meeting if I'd be allowed to stay or...


Workshops help immigrants form protection plan in case detained

September 26, 2007
By RYAN PAGELOW rpagelow@scn1.com

To help prepare immigrants for the worst if a relative is detained by immigration officials, separate workshops were held last week at a North Chicago church and the Belvidere Mall in Waukegan to inform immigrants of their rights.

About 25 people attended an Immigrant Protection Plan workshop at Queen of Peace Church in North Chicago organized by Instituto del Progreso Latino and Holy Family Parish. The workshops come after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials worked with police to detain 58 immigrants who had prior convictions and after the city of Waukegan applied for a federal program that would train police to initiate deportation proceedings for violent criminals earlier this summer.

"Overall people are worried," said Jackie Herrera Giron, director of legalization at the Instituto del Progreso Latino. "Does this alleviate the fear? I think a little bit. Now they can plan. They can look at the options and plan for the worst. I think if anything, people got their concerns addressed."

During the workshop, the presenters also informed people about who qualifies to apply for legal residency and citizenship.

Presenters also helped families come up with a plan in case a relative is detained. For example, in an age of cellphones, it's important to memorize the landline of someone you could call in case you are detained because many cellphone service providers do not allow incoming collect calls from detention centers.

The workshop also discussed "no-match letters" which the federal government sends to employers of employees who had a name that did not match their Social Security Number. The program has been temporarily stalled. Under the program employers would be given 30 days to provide the appropriate documents that confirm that an employee's name and Social Security Number match. The employer could face a fine if the employee with the "mismatch" continues to work for the company.

The possibility of "no-match letters" being sent out has frightened a lot of mixed-status families where one or more members of the family are undocumented and the rest are legal permanent residents or U.S. citizens.

The workshop also discussed what undocumented immigrants can do to prove that they have lived in United States to prepare for the possibility of a future comprehensive immigration reform. Getting an Individual Tax Identification Number and paying taxes is one way. It's important to start collecting any documents with your name and date on it such as payments to a landlord or bank statements, Herrera said.

Another separate workshop on immigrant rights was held at the Belvidere Mall in Waukegan last Thursday for about 50 people.

"The best protection is to be proactive," said Armando Cano of the consulate's Departamento de Protección, who was one of the speakers.

A second series of workshops on immigrant rights will start on Oct. 4 at the Queen of Peace Church, located at 910 14th Street in North Chicago from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and continue on Oct. 5 and 6. The event is organized by the Instituto del Progreso Latino and Holy Family Parish.

To register or for more information call Carmen Patlan at (847) 623-0118 or Jackie Herrera Giron at (70 652-7711 Ext. 1.

What you should do if you're detained by immigration officials:

-- Do not lie. You can give your true name.

-- You do not have to allow authorities to enter your home unless they have a warrant signed by a judge that allows them entry.

-- Tell ICE if you have children at home that need adult care.

-- You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer any questions until you have spoken with your attorney. This right applies to everyone regardless of immigration status.

-- Do not sign anything until you've spoken with your attorney.

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