Justice shouldn't depend on a bank balance: Esteban's family reunification petition

Esteban is facing a family reunification petition. The hearing is scheduled for December, and the filing fees and the lawyer's retainer come to $250. Three legal-aid offices have said their waiting lists are longer than the deadline. Esteban has all the paperwork ready, and a caseworker at a local immigrant rights clinic has confirmed that the case is valid. If the deadline is missed Esteban could lose the right to stay with the family and the job. The children were born here and this is the only home they know. The money goes to the immigration attorney's trust account and the court filing office. I'll upload receipts with sensitive details removed. Where the $250 goes: • Filing and biometrics fees: $160 • Certified translations and document copies: $25 • Court-appointed interpreter and travel: $65 Thanks for reading all this. - Lorena