Kc Asylum Clinic

Afghan Legal Services Project - After the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, approximately 76,000 Afghans were evacuated and brought to the United States. Primarily, these individuals were given parole status that allowed them to remain in the United States only temporarily. In May 2022, the Missouri Office of Refugee Administration designated ACKC to serve as legal services coordinator for the resettlement agencies serving Afghan evacuees in western Missouri, which resettled about 850 Afghan evacuees who needed legal help filing for Asylum or Special Immigrant Visas. ACKC has assisted over 65 families to apply to remain safely in the United States and continues to assist them in their journey to citizenship.

Other Immigration Legal Services - Currently, ACKC takes in as many of these cases as capacity allows and will typically at least provide initial consultations and referrals for those ACKC does not have capacity to represent. ACKC is working to expand our reach to serve more community-based cases by seeking community-based funding for more direct representation to do these sorts of cases, as well as increase the number of humanitarian cases it does such as filing visas for victims of a crime, or survivors of human trafficking. ACKCs primary focus area are its work with unaccompanied minors as well as Afghan clients resettled in Missouri. ACKC recognizes, however, the immense need for pro bono legal support with many other local populations, including asylum seekers from places like Venezuela, Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua. There is also a high need for survivor-based representation for survivors of a crime or human trafficking. ACKC is actively developing a pro bono placement project to expand its impact as well. Through the Afghan Legal Services Project, ACKC set the foundation for training non-immigration specialists in immigration law to enable them to take on cases with mentorship. ACKC is actively starting to place defensive asylum cases with attorneys. That work includes development of a resource site online, as well as offering CLEs and other training directly to attorneys willing to help with the vast need. Additionally, ACKC works with community groups serving migrants and refugees in the Kansas City area who seek to bring accurate and timely legal information to the people they serve. The professionals at ACKC are often asked to do presentations or workshops to increase awareness of immigration-related issues and advocacy.