'Protect Our Ohana' Campaign

The Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center at the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii assists children and families in difficult situations. The following stories are examples of the clients we help and the type of cases you can help to protect our ohana.  

If you choose to adopt a client, we will provide you with a profile of the client’s case that you funded.  Due to confidentiality of ongoing cases, we cannot provide you specific identifying details.  However, after the cl ient’s case is closed, we will provide you with a detailed narrative of the client’s plight and a thank you letter from the client you helped.

A Child To Love
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status

John is six. He laughs, plays, and loves like any other child.  But John is not like any other child. John has a neurological disorder, is wheel-chair bound, and was abandoned by his parents.  John’s foster family wanted to help him become a U.S. citizen. The Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center was able to obtain lawful permanent resident for John.  He will be able to become a U.S. citizen in five years. 

Can I Go To School, Mom?
Right to Education

This question was asked by a boy when he arrived in Hawaii. He wanted to be like any other child, go to school, learn, and make friends. However, when his mother tried to enroll him in a public middle school, she was informed her son could not enroll because he was undocumented. Two years passed before his mother came to us for assistance. The Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center immediately intervened and with the assistance of the Attorney General, was able to enroll this child in school. This boy is now grateful to be able to go to school and is thriving.

A Life Without Mom
Family Unification

Molly’s and Sofi’s mother represented everything to them – happiness, sadness, fulfillment, despair, and everything in-between.  Although their mother, Elsie, had tried to shelter the young girls from the hardships of their previous life, the girls suffered from severe depression and needed continuous psychological treatment.  Elsie’s husband suffered from chronic health problems and needed constant care himself. The girls were still quite young when Elsie, who was out of status, returned to her home country to see to her ailing mother. Unbeknownst to Elsie, she was barred from becoming a legal permanent resident because she left the country before she obtained legal status. The Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center helped Elsie obtain her green card, thus preventing immigration from putting her in removal proceedings. If separated, the family would have suffered extreme hardship. Today, the family is grateful and thrilled to be together.