Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (LIA) has introduced two programs aimed at increasing accessibility to legal services for asylum seekers and immigrants in West Michigan.
“Our ability to provide expedited and high-quality consultations to new clients is critical to meeting the need for immigration legal services in Ottawa, Kent, and surrounding counties,” said Sarah Yore-Van Oosterhout, LIA’s founder, managing attorney, and advocacy director.
The new Asylum Phone Triage and New Client Hotline will enable LIA to intake, process, and create action plans for new clients more efficiently and at no initial cost. The nonprofit aims to reduce wait times and provide urgent, factual information about immigration status and options.
The phone intakes involve 30-minute appointments between staff, interns, or volunteers from LIA’s Mobile Immigration Clinic Program (MICP) and immigrants, asylum seekers, or refugees. These sessions collect necessary information for attorneys to assess potential clients' immigration needs. Intakes are free for West Michigan residents, allowing MICP staff to quickly determine the next steps for more clients each week.
Already having impact
The Asylum Phone Triage is designed for new clients seeking asylum in the U.S. New arrivals who have been in the country for less than 12 months will be screened for asylum eligibility. LIA’s legal team makes recommendations weekly. Clients can schedule their phone triage by calling 616-298-8984.
The New Client Hotline screens for eligibility for all LIA legal services. This safe, confidential, and free hotline invites immigrants and asylum seekers to discuss their circumstances with experienced legal representatives. The hotline operates on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Calls are answered on a first-come, first-served basis. Interested clients can call 616-221-5542.
“These services are already making an impact in our community. In our first week, we served 10 clients through Asylum Phone Triage and processed 21 clients through the New Client Hotline,” said Maggie Haveman-Gould, LIA’s program director.
For more information about Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates and its services, visit
lia-michigan.org/legal-services..
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