The title says it all, basically. I'm working with a refugee resettlement charity in my town to provide some basic legal and civics information to their staff and clients.
I can't provide them with too many specifics, because that starts to get dangerous: both since the law is complicated and because I don't want to encourage the unauthorized practice of law.
Here're the topics I have so far:
1. General overview/breakdown of state and federal court systems
2. Information regarding key state and federal agencies - what they do and how they interact/overlap with the court system (e.g. EEOC)
3. Recent decisions, trends, and/or debates in immigration law that may impact immigrant and/or refugee communities
4. Recent decisions, trends, and/or debates regarding welfare and benefits programs that may impact immigrant and/or refugee communities
5. Information regarding process for obtaining citizenship
6. Describe basics of criminal and civil litigation, including how the processes differ
- If someone gets arrested or in criminal trouble, what are the steps they should expect? - Are there ways in which a client might become involved with civil litigation (e.g. third-party subpoena)?
- Instructions for obtaining case information (including checking dockets online)
8. Basics of landlord/tenant law (emphasis on practical things, e.g. how evictions happen, what to do if the landlord won't fix something)
Is there anything else that you'd include in a basic "How to America"?
Also, if you have any recommendations for a good host for all this information, I've created a separate thread on that question.
You should help them understand that they basically have no privacy rights or will have to waive them as part of the application. The bar for “real” refugee is really high currently and they need be squeaky clean unless they can afford a high price lawyer. That means they need to create a Facebook profile and only use it for official purposes. Help them understand that that is their brand and the government will look at everything as part of the application. Cross linked databases are a real thing that they should be aware of. Everything they buy everyone they call, every email IM text etc can all be seen by INS as part of the application. Really break it down how much data is logged. From digital to physical location all that stuff is being recorded at any moment, and some or most is being shared.