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COVID-19 Office Closure – A Letter from Veena Iyer
Posted on Mar 16 2020
Dear Community,
We are facing an indescribably difficult time as a community, as a country, and as a world with the spread of COVID-19. There are many uncertainties, unknowns, and concerns right now. What has been and will always remain certain, however, is that our top priority as an organization is the health and well-being of our staff, our clients, and our community.
After much careful consideration, we have decided to close ILCM’s physical offices and have all staff work from home starting Wednesday, March 18 through Tuesday, March 31 at a minimum. We did not come to this decision lightly.
USCIS and the immigration courts remain open, although on a limited basis, and their schedules are subject to change at any time. Some deadlines, interviews, and hearings are still scheduled and some will be rescheduled. Technology to facilitate client interactions is ubiquitous, but it is not easily accessible for large segments of our community. However, I am convinced that closing our physical offices is necessary to protect the health of our clients, our staff, and our community, and to enable us to continue serve immigrant and refugee communities in the short and long term.
What does this mean as a practical matter?
- ILCM’s phone lines will remain open. You can continue to reach us at (651) 641-1011.
- ILCM’s intake will remain open. Please consult our webpage for intake hours, phone numbers, and priorities.
- ILCM will continue to provide advice, counsel, and representation, but will do so primarily via phone and videoconference.
- ILCM will continue to represent clients before USCIS and at immigration court hearings, but we will be working to postpone/continue as many interviews and hearings as possible.
- ILCM will continue to be available to mentor and support pro bono attorneys.
- ILCM will continue to inform the community of developments in immigration law and to advocate for a fair and humane immigration system, but will not be conducting in-person outreach or advocacy until April 15 at a minimum.
- To the extent that ILCM has any in-person interactions with members of the public during this pandemic, they will follow the CDC’s guidelines regarding social distancing which, at this time means that they will remain at least 6 feet away from others and will discontinue any interaction in which the other person does not follow the CDC’s guidelines.
Over the next few days, we will be focusing on readying staff to be able to continue to serve our clients and the community while working from home. Our staff is working tirelessly to put these plans in place. But we know there will be hiccups along the way. Also, our leadership has made these decisions based on the current guidance of public health experts and public officials. As we have seen, that guidance can change within hours, as will the practices of USCIS and the immigration courts, all of which we are constantly monitoring. We are therefore prepared to—and anticipate having to—modify our plans and protocols quickly to ensure we are protecting the health of our staff, our clients, and the community. We will continue to keep you informed of developments in our operations through our website, social media, and through emails.
We ask for your patience, compassion, and support—and extend our own—during this unprecedented time. As I have said to our staff and board and as I will repeat here, in this moment of great uncertainty, I find myself giving thanks multiple times per day for the things I can count on—my family, my friends, and the ILCM community.
With hope and determination,
Veena Iyer
Executive Director