Immigration Connection site shadowing has proven to be the the fastest and most cost effective way to move people radically forward toward offering this community transforming ministry for immigrants in a local church. -David Drury Founding Board member of The Immigration Alliance, Chief of Staff, The Wesleyan Church
Thank you for leading strong in this area for the denomination. My hope is that more churches not only jump on-board and engage with Immigrant Connection but also embrace the community transformation mindset that both you and Jim possess.- Justin Barnes, Outreach Pastor, Heritage Church
The Immigrant Legal Services Shadowing, Observation, and Legal Experience Program developed by Immigrant Connection is innovative in that the sole purpose of the program is to equip attendees with the hands-on training and experience necessary to offer low cost immigrant legal services. As the legal technical support provider to Immigrant Connection sites, World Relief believes that this program is a great place for people wishing to apply for BIA accreditation to get exposure to necessary legal and program management skills. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a well-structured introduction to the realities of running an immigration legal services ministry. –Courtney Tudi; Managing Attorney Capacity Building
Thanks again, so much, for the excellent training and personal care you gave us last week. Truly, a highlight for us! We came home absolutely full – both of great Mexican food as well as inspiration and gratitude. – Mark Cryderman, Free Methodist Pastor, Detroit
I believe in the Immigrant Connection Shadowing Experiences primarily because our week-long experience is less about observation and fully focused on engaged, active participation.- Zach Szmara, Immigrant Connection Shadowing Director, BIA Rep Immigrant Connection at The Bridge
The shadowing experience with you and your team was excellent, informative and enlightening, we came away armed and ready to roll; I would definitely recommend this model to anyone who would want to do this in the future. -Grace Bassey, National Wesleyan Church, Maryland
Kansas City, Kansas
To register for this shadowing experience at Olathe Wesleyan, please fill out the application form above. After completion of the form an Invoice will be sent to you for the shadowing amount of $600.00. Please keep in mind there is a non-refundable registration charge of $200.00 included in the $600.00 fee.
Other Costs (Lodging, Meals, and Transportation)
In order to receive recognition and accreditation from the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), a site must demonstrate that “it has at its disposal adequate knowledge and experience in immigration law.” 8 CFR §292.2(a)(2). This is accomplished through the individual applying for accreditation. The Board of Immigration Appeals recommends an individual receive between 40-80 hours of experience before applying for partial accreditation. Most IC applicants have had between 40-55 hours of shadowing and have been approved.
A shadowing program is necessary for prospective applicants for recognition and accreditation to gain necessary hands-on experience. The goal of this experience is for a person to work under the supervision and mentorship of a BIA accredited representative or immigration attorney to learn how an immigration legal services program operates on a day-to-day basis.
During a shadowing experience, one will have the opportunity to observe a variety of cases and client interactions. These include, but will not be limited to:
-Intake interview
-Follow up appointment
-Collection and organization of client documents
-Completion of a variety of immigration benefits applications (see list)
-Review of office policies and procedures
-Appointment scheduling and client responsibilities
An observer will have the chance to participate in as many day-to-day activities as possible. Towards the end of the experience, if the mentor feels comfortable, the observer will be allowed to interact with clients. During the experience, the observer will have a number of opportunities to ask questions of and learn from the mentor’s individual experiences. These question/answer sessions should be done so as not to interfere greatly with mentor’s responsibilities and prior commitments.
While it is important for prospective applicants to become familiar with legal procedures and the requirements to apply for various immigration benefits, it is also vital to gain an understanding of program management and successful policies. An observer will have at least one discussion with the program director to learn how the office is run and strategies that may help in setting up a new immigrant legal services program. The program director will feel free to share both positive and negative tips and tricks as well as any documents that may be helpful to setting up a new program.
Immigration forms to be completed and reviewed*
{AR-11, G-28, G-325A, G-639, I-9, I-90, I-130, I-131, I-485, I-601, I-730, I751, I-765, I-821, I-21D, I-864, I864A, I-918, N-400, DS-260 (DS-230)}
*This should not be viewed as an all-inclusive list. As many forms as possible should be reviewed during the shadowing experience
Immigrant Connection Retreat 2015
