Kansas Immigration Coalition Offers Free Legal Help for Families

(KANSAS) The Kansas Immigration Coalition is keeping its promise to provide free legal help to immigrant families as the 2025 legislative year reshapes the landscape. As of August 15, 2025, the nonprofit network continues to run legal clinics, education sessions, and referrals across the state, answering rising demand from parents, students, and workers who face tougher state rules and shifting federal enforcement.

While not a law firm, the Kansas Immigration Coalition partners with local attorneys and nonprofit agencies to deliver direct help or place families with pro bono counsel for removal defense, DACA renewals, family reunification, and asylum. According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, community-based legal education remains central to how groups like KIC reach mixed-status households and keep families informed.

Services and recent events

KIC’s service model blends live legal aid events, small-group workshops, and one-on-one referrals. The Coalition highlights “Know Your Rights” training so people understand what to do if they meet police or federal officers, and how to protect their children if a parent is detained.

The group helps families move through immigration court steps and prepare key documents that can protect children and property during emergencies. KIC’s clinics often triage cases, then connect people to free or low-cost legal help for longer matters.

On January 26, 2025, KIC hosted a public event with immigration attorney Sarah Balderas of Balderas Legal Group, where families received free help creating Powers of Attorney. The session drew parents who wanted to name a trusted adult for childcare in case of arrest or medical emergency — a need community groups say has grown as enforcement pressures rise.

Common referrals from KIC clinics include:
– Removal defense in immigration court
– DACA renewals and related work permit filings
– Family-based cases aimed at reunifying spouses and children
– Asylum claims for people who fear returning home

For DACA recipients, timely renewals remain a core task. Families who need to file DACA renewals can review instructions for Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on the official U.S. site at: https://www.uscis.gov/i-821d. KIC staff and partner lawyers guide applicants on timing, evidence, and common mistakes that can delay work authorization.

The Coalition also counsels families on safety planning and school issues for teens who age into adulthood while in mixed-status homes.

Safety and consumer protections

The organization stresses that its clinics are free and warns against paying unlicensed representatives. KIC encourages families to:
– Ask for written contracts and receipts from any paid representative
– Report notario fraud to trusted community groups or state authorities
– Bring a friend, ask for language support, or request a private space during consultations if they feel unsafe seeking help

Important: Never pay someone who claims to be a lawyer but cannot show a license.

Policy backdrop and human impact

Kansas lawmakers advanced bills in 2025 that increase state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and limit some public benefits for people who lack legal status. Advocacy groups say these measures increase fear, even among U.S. citizen children in mixed-status families.

The ACLU of Kansas has challenged what it calls unlawful detention and discriminatory proposals, while continuing to assist immigrant students and families through policy work and litigation.

One early 2025 case drew wide attention: a Kansas City DACA recipient was deported despite holding a valid status and later returned to reunite with family after legal intervention. Advocates cited the case as a warning that errors can happen and urged families to:
– Keep copies of all approvals
– Renew on time
– Seek trusted legal help before deadlines pass

KIC used the incident to push out rapid guidance in workshops, explaining steps families can take to lower risk during travel and daily life.

Federal enforcement rules are also in flux. The rescinding of prior Department of Homeland Security guidance that limited arrests near “sensitive locations” such as schools and churches alarmed many parents, pastors, and school leaders in Kansas.

In response, KIC and allied groups scaled up outreach, teaching parents:
– How to prepare emergency documents
– How to respond to home or workplace visits
– When to ask for a lawyer

Community meetings have focused on safety for children during school hours, transport to medical appointments, and how to confirm the identity of officers at the door.

Despite these pressures, legal advocates say families can still win relief in court or through agency processes if they act early, keep records, and follow filing rules. KIC and its partners track local jail cooperation practices, fee changes, and court backlogs, then share that information in simple, plain-language sessions across the state.

Key takeaway: The goal is to turn fear into planning so people know where to go for help before a crisis.

How to get help now

KIC outlines a short path for families who need help this month:

1. Contact KIC through its website or social channels for the next clinic date. Staff can direct you to a local session or set a quick intake call.
2. Attend a free workshop or live Q&A with licensed immigration attorneys. Bring all paperwork you have, including prior work permits, court letters, and government notices. Ask for language support if you need it.
3. Request a referral for free or low-cost legal representation if your case requires court appearances, complex filings, or appeals. KIC partners with nonprofit legal offices and pro bono lawyers for longer cases.
4. Get help with paperwork. Clinics often assist with Powers of Attorney, fee waivers, change-of-address forms, and immigration filings that keep cases on track. Ask about safety planning for children and property.
5. Join community education programs so you can stay current on policy shifts, school policies, and local police practices. KIC updates materials as laws change.

KIC says clinics welcome first-time visitors, including people who have avoided help out of fear. Organizers note that meeting early with a lawyer can prevent mistakes that lead to missed hearings or lost work permits.

• Families with DACA should check renewal windows.
• Those with old removal orders should not skip sessions out of fear — intake staff can still map next steps and connect families with counsel.

Advocates point out that steady, local legal help can offset the impact of stricter state measures. Workshops guide people on how to speak with schools, landlords, and employers, and how to request records needed for cases.

Benefits of planning ahead include:
– Keeping kids in school
– Maintaining jobs
– Attending court on time

KIC reports growing interest from churches and small towns that want evening sessions and bilingual materials for parents who work long shifts.

Looking ahead

KIC plans to expand its schedule as demand grows and to deepen partnerships with national networks so more families can find low-cost or free counsel. Organizers expect new bills and federal moves to keep shaping daily life in Kansas, so they are preparing extra clinic dates and more mobile events outside major metro areas.

Community groups say the model — free clinics, clear teaching, and rapid referrals — helps families stay calm and take the next right step.

For families seeking help, the Kansas Immigration Coalition remains a first stop for free legal help and practical tools that protect children and keep cases on track. The ACLU of Kansas continues separate litigation and policy work that affects schools and local enforcement rules. Together, these efforts give immigrant families a path to real answers and lawful options during fast change across the state.