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New service to help immigrants

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A new immigration group has been established on Hilton Head Island to help people work through the expensive and complicated process of being granted legal status.

The group, Lowcountry Immigration Services, replaces the Hispanic Office of Legal Assistance, which for 10 years helped area residents navigate the path to legal immigration. St. Francis By the Sea Catholic Church, which oversaw the legal assistance office, shut it down in June and told the staff to vacate, citing only personnel issues.

The move temporarily delayed for a few months the hundreds of cases the staff was handling until a replacement could be established.

The new Lowcountry Immigration Services is an independent, nonprofit organization not officially affiliated with the church. The new group began offering services Wednesday at the former offices of the Hispanic Office of Legal Assistance on Southwood Park Drive. It will use legal assistance from local and Charleston-based general practice and immigration attorneys, the church said.

The church will provide financial support and guidance for the organization as it gets started, but it hopes other community groups will step up to help cover the costs, said the Rev. Mike Oenbrink. The church's director of Catholic charities will serve on the board of directors, he said.

"Right now, we do feel comfortable that we've got the services restored in a way that we've got quality management," he said.

The group reviewed its 1,100 active cases and informed clients they could continue with the new group or find other representation, Oenbrink said. It had put a hold on accepting new cases until last week while the new arrangement was worked out.

The church originally wanted the Catholic Charities of Charleston to take over the duties, but that organization didn't have the necessary staff, Oenbrink said. People handling immigration cases don't have to be lawyers, but they do have to be certified to deal with federal immigration officials.

The church wanted to continue its support of the organization because it fits with the church's mission of helping to unite families and assisting people in need, Oenbrink said.

The office won't focus just on Hispanic residents, but anyone who has a legal right to be in the country through marriage, refugee status or other means, he said.

"It's amazing how expensive this type of work is," he said. "It just really is a service to allow them to have the services at a reduced cost."

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