What further information must Albert gather as he plans his next steps?

Question

Albert Mendoza was a baccalaureate social work intern at Crime Victims Center, an agency serving crime victims. His client, Carlos Hernandez, was a Mexican immigrant who sought both financial assistance for medical care and counseling for his family after they were assaulted in their home. Carlos was unable to communicate in English, and Albert had difficulty with his limited Spanish language proficiency. Albert began to suspect that Carlos was in the country illegally. He worried that he didn’t know the law about services available to illegal immigrants, specifically the Crime Victim’s Compensation funds. The agency did not have another Spanish-speaking worker, and Albert, a new social work intern, had primary responsibility for the case.

Answer 1

Albert will need to do research on the status of immigrants with and without social security cards, the availability of services in both cases, and the consequences of legal exposure of an undocumented immigrant. He will need to provide that information to his client and help his client make plans for his next steps. He will have an opportunity to share with Carlos what he learns from the supervisor about whether he can get Crime Victims’ Fund assistance and counseling at the agency without a social security card. Additionally, he will be able to advise Carlos that discovery and deportation would mean a 10-year waiting period before Carlos would be considered for legal immigration.