A small but very active group of immigrants took the chance to ask all the questions they had about their rights without having to pay an attorney’s consultation. Immigration attorney Amy Wax, a partner in the law firm of Wax & Kenney, P.C., who has been exclusively practicing immigration law since 2000, has volunteered for an admission-free presentation, which took place Jan. 25 at the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers’ (MAPS’) headquarters, in Cambridge.
Amy Wax
During two and a half hours, Wax, who lived in Brazil for six month and speaks perfect Brazilian Portuguese, pointed out some of the most usual immigrants’ concerns, regarding legalization, visas, taxes, deportation, citizenship and other main issues.
“Talking to a group of people is always an interesting experience because what one person asks can also be the same question someone else has,” said Wax. “Most of them want to know how they can qualify for a Green Card.”
Dalva Miller, a Brazilian immigrant, was one of the most motivated at the presentation and asked as may questions as she could. She’s been living in the US with her American husband for five years.
Dalva Miller and other attendees
“Information is very important for me,” she said. “I want to be an American citizen because I love this country, but I can’t leave my home country behind. I have my kids there, but here I have my life.
Ester de Carvalho, American citizen born in Cape Verde, also asked many questions, but not for personal interest. She works at a non-profit agency that helps domestic violence survivors and thought the presentation was a good opportunity to learn more about how she could help her clients.
“There were a few things that I didn’t know, questions that some other people asked as well that I had never thought about,” she told. “I also asked a few questions for which I did know the answer, but I thought it would be important for the other attendees to listen.”
The presentation was promoted by the National Lawyers Guild’s Street Law Clinic do MAPS will be planning soon another round of presentations open to the public, regardless of legal status. For more information or to put your name on the waiting list for an upcoming event, please call (617) 834-8678 or email Renan Leahy at rleahy@maps-inc.org.