Sara Came to Learn a Way to Love the Immigrant

One afternoon, I received a phone call asking if I would be interested in taking a course on immigration law as the first step towards receiving accreditation as a Board of Immigration Appeals representative. The deadline to register was the next day. Of course I said yes. CIR had  arranged for Immigrant Hope to teach the 40 hour class in one week to those interested in learning how to reach out to the immigrant communities around us in a more helpful manner. The class was naturally very intense and very eye­-opening. The ins and outs of our country’s immigration 
laws can be confusing and very detail­oriented.

I am so grateful to CIR for the opportunity to enhance my skills for my calling by God to reach out and help the immigrant communities living here. God has given CIR the ability to see what the needs of the immigrant community are and the desire to meet those needs. The training CIR provided through the immigration law class and the shadowing hours is just one way they show that God loves the immigrant.

Thankfully after taking the class and passing an exam, the next requirement is to shadow an immigration lawyer or accredited BIA representative. CIR gave me a place to do hands­on learning and gain valuable experience so that when I am working as a BIA representative, I won’t be starting without an understanding of what to expect. CIR allowed me to see how their staff handled client inquiries, interviews, and paperwork. I was expected to fill in paperwork, handle jail visit and client interviews, and return calls, for a variety of cases and circumstances. One of the most important lessons I took away from my time as an intern at CIR was that I will need to have lawyers and others that I can ask for help because no two cases will be exactly alike. Each person is uniquely created by God and so is each of their stories.
- Sara Lamkin 

Thanks to your contribution, this is possible!