Ayuda provides language access services to 100 area nonprofits. One of those nonprofits recently described the importance of Ayuda’s Community Legal Interpreter Bank in helping a client:
“Janelle* is an 18 year-old client from El Salvador. She had been working with another attorney and then I became successor counsel on her pending state court custody matter and any future filings to USCIS.
I used Ayuda Language Services on two occasions that were vital to the success of Janelle’s state court case and to seeking asylum relief on her behalf.
Through an Ayuda interpreter, I was able to prepare Janelle and her father to testify in the state court proceeding and we were able to obtain the necessary predicate orders to file for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status with USCIS.
I also used Ayuda services to effectuate a very quick filing of an I-589 Application for Asylum. The interpreter was incredibly important in assisting me to get the facts regarding why Janelle left El Salvador and make a strong argument for a claim to asylum on her application.
Janelle is currently scheduled for an asylum interview at the end of February and the availability of Ayuda services is continuing to allow me to adequately prepare this client for that important step in the process.
Ayuda interpreters have always been prompt, efficient, and accurate in the work with my clients and have helped to make the clients feel at ease during difficult conversations by giving them the opportunity to communicate in their native language.