Immigrant Legal Services

Our legal staff prepares and submits immigration applications to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) individuals and families as well as provides direct legal representation in immigration and court proceedings.

Our work focuses on helping immigrants who have survived persecution, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or other violent crimes obtain lawful immigration status under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA).

El Pueblo Offers the Following Immigrant Legal Services:

  • Family-based petitions
  • Legal Permanent Residency Card renewals and replacements
  • Adjustment of Status
  • Consular Processing
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
  • Employment authorization 
  • Freedom of Information Act requests
  • Naturalization/Citizenship
  • Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
  • T visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
  • U Visa

Scheduling Appointments

Biloxi – Open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday for appointments. Please call (228) 436-398 to make an appointment for legal consultation.

Forest – Open 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday for appointments. Please call (601) 564-7148 to make an appointment for legal consultation.

Please call first to schedule an appointment because we are not generally able to take walk-ins. However, if you are in an emergency situation involving the threat of immediate violence, we will attend to you immediately. You may also schedule an appointment by emailing info@elpueblo-ms.org.

Our office is recognized and accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) to provide immigration services, and we have two BIA-Accredited representatives and an immigration attorney on staff. We are a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project’s Community of Practice (NIWAP), ASISTA Immigrant Assistance and the Gulf Coast Immigrant Advocate Network (GCIAN). 

The majority of our cases are humanitarian-based, and we prioritize helping immigrant survivors who have faced persecution, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, or other violent crimes, to obtain lawful immigration status. Our legal staff provides limited direct legal representation in immigration court proceedings and submits immigration applications to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for those who qualify for an immigration benefit under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) based on their status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking, and who cooperated with law enforcement; a victim of battery or extreme cruelty by a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident spouse or parent; or a child who has suffered abuse, abandonment, or neglect by one or both parents. Additionally, at El Pueblo, we believe all people should be treated justly, with respect and dignity. Detained immigrants with mental health issues face insurmountable barriers without the appropriate representation and assistance, and through generous funding from ACACIA, we provide this extremely vulnerable group with legal representation.