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CIRCLE is dedicated to protecting the rights of immigrants and their families. We provide services to all noncitizens including members of the York community as well as those in BICE custody at York County Prison.
Services to Detainees at York County Prison--Over six hundred people are held at York County Prison, in the custody of the BICE (Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, formerly known as the INS or Immigration and Naturalization Service). Some are asylum seekers who have committed no crime and are fleeing persecution because of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion. Others are individuals who have been convicted of a crime in the US and were either never sentenced to any jail time or who have already completed their criminal sentences.
CIRCLE can help with legal assistance, arrange for pen pals and visitors and help with release planning and integration into the community.
Asylum seekers, who have fled persecution in their home country, are an especially vulnerable group and require special attention. Many have been tortured and have lost members of their immediate family. These people need our help in dealing with the grief and fear in their lives, reconnecting with surviving family members and preparing evidence for their hearings before an immigration judge.
We provide speakers on the topics of immigration policies and their impact in the workplace and on family life, particularly in light of the events of September 11th .
For Community Members , we provide informational presentations, individual consultations, assistance with filing paperwork, assistance in resolving immigration related unfair labor practices, and legalizing status in the US.
How You Can Help
We always need volunteers to serve in a variety of capacities including attending immigration hearings, researching country conditions and case law, writing letters, visiting those in detention, accompanying clients to medical appointments, the Social Security Office, PennDOT, job searching, answering phones, photocopying, filing, data entry, and web design.
We also need professionals who are willing to donate their time to conduct physical and psychological examinations, provide legal services, counseling services and job placement assistance.
We welcome donations of money, phone cards, office supplies, magazines and toiletries (we especially love the hotel soaps, shampoos and lotions).
Please join us!
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