Filipino Advocates for Justice envisions a safe, personal, bayanihan transition for Filipino newcomers to the complexities of the American setting. Our community is largely immigrant, with the foreign-born population approximating 65 percent of all Filipinos in the U.S.  Filipinos have the third highest rate of immigration after Mexico and China and, as of 2007, are the largest Asian population in California [2007 American Community Survey].  Some of the main issues facing Filipino newcomers are:

• Loss of immigration status and increased threat of deportation following 9/11 (averaging over 700 deportations annually sine 2002)
• Increasing unemployment, underemployment and financial instability
• Workplace problems related to immigration status and anti-immigrant discrimination
• Family separation and instability
• Lack of health care insurance and access to public benefits
• Intergenerational and Filipino American vs. Philippine-born tensions

Newcomer Empowerment Projects includes:

Naturalization Assistance: which provides assessment of eligibility for naturalization, assistance with filling out and filing of N-400, assistance with interview preparation, following through a successful process and assistance with voter registration.

Family Reunification Assistance: with information on eligibility for family based petitions, filling out and filing of I-130, assistance with Affidavit of Support, Immigrant visa Application and information on consular interview and physical examination.

Access to Public Benefits: provides information on how to navigate public benefits system.

General Information and Referral: provides information on issues that usually confront an immigrant community and referral to accessible, low cost public and private service providers.

Please contact Ed Valladares for inquiries and assistance at (510) 465-9876.