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About Cabrini Center

En Español

The St. Frances Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance (Cabrini Center) is dedicated to providing high-quality legal services to individuals who would otherwise not be able to obtain legal representation. All services of the Cabrini Center are provided without regard to race or religion. Charges for services vary, with some provided at no charge and others provided for a minimal fee.

Cabrini Center was created as a separate non-profit organization in 1978. In 1986, the Cabrini Center became a program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which saw within the program an opportunity to “welcome the sojourner” and address the needs of immigrants and refugees. The Cabrini Center is the largest of the three Houston-based non-profit agencies accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals to represent individuals in immigration legal matters.

Cabrini Center’s activities include outreach, legal assessment and counseling, legal representation, and advocacy. In 2011, Cabrini Center:

Conducted 161 outreach sessions called charlas to inform 14,746 individuals of available immigration benefits and legal rights;
Assisted 457 individuals seeking legal permanent residency;
Assisted 1,836 individuals with family visa and adjustment of status applications;
Assisted 195 individuals with citizenship applications;
Filed 71 Violence Against Women Act self-petitions;
Collaborated with law enforcement to help 292 individuals apply for U and T visas;
Assisted 113 adult clients with asylum and deportation claims;
Represented 969 unaccompanied minors with asylum and deportation claims;
Reached 657 juveniles through 137 know-your-rights presentations.

Read about the types of cases handled by Cabrini.

Read about how to become a client of Cabrini Center

Learn how to volunteer for Cabrini Center.

Donate to Cabrini Center.

Staff Members

Cabrini Center accomplishes its work with a staff of nine attorneys, three accredited representatives, one business manager, eleven caseworkers, one outreach coordinator, and two support staff:

Wafa Abdin - Legal Director

Toni Alvarenga-Watkins - Senior Accredited Representative

Sandra Cortinas - Legal Caseworker

Elise DeBroeck - Staff Attorney

Tatyana Delgado - Staff Attorney

Erin Felton - Legal Caseworker

Alyssa Firkus - Outreach Coordinator

Jenny Golac - VAWA Coordinator, Accredited Representative

Jenny Hernandez - Administrative Assistant

Laura Jacobson - Staff Attorney

Ryan Knapp - Legal Caseworker, Jesuit Volunteer

Rebecca Koford - Staff Attorney

Erin K. Langley - Business Manager

Mayra Lopez - Legal Caseworker

Joseph Lorenz - Legal Caseworker

Aimee Maldonado - Staff Attorney

Maria Mitchell - Pro Bono Coordinator, Staff Attorney

Griselda Morales - Intake Operations Assistant

Trinity Nguyen - Legal Caseworker

Monica Palacios - Legal Caseworker

Sarah Richardson - Legal Caseworker, Jesuit Volunteer

Mauricio Romero - Legal Caseworker

Sister Veronica Schueler - Staff Attorney

Rosa Valdes - Accredited Representative

Daisy Yanez - Legal Caseworker

Austra Zapata - Legal Caseworker

Kristin Zipple-Shedd - Staff Attorney

Catholic Charities...providing help, creating hope.

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