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ILCM Opens New Office in Northwest Minnesota
Posted on May 05 2016
ILCM’s new office location in Moorhead, Minnesota
ILCM is excited to announce the opening of a new office in Moorhead, Minnesota, and the addition of Martha Castañon to ILCM’s legal team at this office. This expansion is made possible by funding from the Blandin Foundation and the State of Minnesota Office of Justice Programs. Martha brings more than 35 years of experience in immigration law to ILCM. As a life-long member of the Moorhead community, Martha has witnessed the changing demographics of Moorhead as immigrant groups arrived: During the 1970s, the area saw the growth of the Latino community, and in the 1980s, increases in Hmong, Vietnamese, and Cambodian populations. Over the years, Bosnian, Somali, and Kurdish populations in Moorhead have also expanded as these groups were granted refugee status and resettled in Minnesota.
ILCM’s new Moorhead office location increases access to comprehensive immigration legal services for low-income immigrants and refugees across Northwest Minnesota, especially as these groups seek legal assistance with citizenship, DACA, immigration relief for victims of violence, and family reunification. The office is also an important resource for the community as new immigration programs are announced, as geographic limitations often prevent immigrants in rural areas from accessing accurate information.
As a legal staff member of ILCM, Martha enjoys her work because she witnesses her clients’ ability to participate more fully in their communities, particularly as they gain access to worker’s permits, driver’s licenses, and social security numbers. These gains are life-changing for the immigrants and refugees of northwest counties, and their advancements directly improve local-level governments and communities, as well as the broader state of Minnesota.