The Survivor Services in Immigration Law Program (SSIL) is a Harris County Community Services Department county-wide program aimed to assist with the provision of legal representation for indigent immigrant adults, children, and families who are survivors of crime residing in Harris County.
The U.S. Immigration Code and other federal statutes provide multiple avenues for survivors of crime to attain legal status or other immigration relief. While multiple avenues exist for noncitizens to receive status, many victims of crime cannot afford representation. Commissioners Court authorized the allocation of $500,000 for the Program in an effort to offer some relief to victims of crime.
The nonprofit legal service providers participating in this Program were selected by a multi-agency taskforce. The selected nonprofit legal service providers will provide direct legal representation to indigent noncitizen Harris County residents who are survivors of crime, providing relief to the impediments faced by noncitizen survivors of crime in Harris County.
How can community members access the program?
Contact the organizations directly. The SSIL partners are nonprofits with valid 501(c)3 status, with a record of providing high-quality legal representation to immigrants facing removal. Partners include:
● BakerRipley: (346) 867-3871
● Catholic Charities Cabrini Center: (713) 595-4100
● Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project: (713) 561-3059 or community@ghirp.org
● Tahirih Justice Center, (survivors of gender-based violence only) (713) 496-0100
Eligibility
To qualify for legal representation under the Program, the applicant must:
I. Be a survivor of crime
II. Be a resident of Harris County, Texas (lived in Harris County at least 30 days prior to detention).
III. Earn less than 80% of the median family income for the Greater Houston Area.
For more information about the program and how to access services:
SSIL_ FAQ.pdf | SSIL FAQ Spanish.pdf
Data Transparency
Reports will be published here quarterly and annually.