Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Immigrants Reach Citizenship Dream With This Clinic's Help
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 7 years ago on
July 19, 2018

Share

It’s a place where new Americans, or at least those who want to become Americans, go for help.
It’s the New American Legal Clinic, a service of San Joaquin College of Law. The program offers non-citizens, who are legally residing in the United States, with help navigating through the naturalization process. The clinic provides its services at no cost.


“People don’t always know that there are these free legal services available, where you can actually have your case reviewed by an attorney.” —NALC’s Gregory Olson
“We process over 400 naturalization cases a year,” says NALC Director & Professor of Law Gregory Olson. “We are really focused on trying to help legal permanent residents, here legally in the United States.”
Olson wants more people to know that his team is looking for more clients to help.
“People don’t always know that there are these free legal services available, where you can actually have your case reviewed by an attorney,” Olson said. “There’s a lot of need here in the Valley. One of the difficult things is getting our message out that we’re here and able to help people.”

Rosie’s Story

Rosie Oganesyan sought NALC’s services last year to finally realize her dream to take the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America.
Oganesyan legally immigrated to America with her family from Armenia in 1980 when she was 12 years old. She mistakenly thought she would become a citizen when her parents took the oath years later. That didn’t happen, but her desire to become an American never left.

“Thanks to (NALC), I became a citizen. I’m very proud to be a citizen.”Rosie Oganesyan
Even if it took her 37 years.
“I told my husband I wanted to become United States citizen. And he said ‘Why you rushing? You will become a United States citizen,” Rosie said.
But, Rosie said, life happened. She raised children, worked as a baker, and finally, in 2017 decided it was time.
“I called San Joaquin College of Law. I came to the office and the staff, they helped me.”

NALC Helps Future Attorneys, Too

NALC provides free services to low-income immigrants. It is funded through a six-figure grant from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service and the California Dept. of Social Services.
Olson says NALC provides a great training ground for the future attorneys learning at SJCL.
“Hopefully, (SJCL) students are able to open up their own shop or go straight into a law firm that does immigration law, and have an extra step ahead of someone who didn’t take an immigration clinic while in law school.”
Spending time with NALC is a perfect fit for SJCL student Vaughan Rios.
“My husband is an immigrant. I also lived overseas for about five years. I felt a unique connection to that topic,” Rios said. It helps, she adds that she is fluent in Spanish. “It is a great opportunity to put some law school skills, along with my language skills and some personal experience as well.”

Legal Advice

Olson said it’s important to go through the complicated legal process with an attorney.
“We are here to help (new immigrants) so they can get the services that they need to make sure that they’re not sending an application in that is going to be ineffective or possibly even get them into trouble getting into immigration court,” Olson said.
It’s a great chance for Rios to put her learning into action.
“We absolutely research. We look into their particular case; advise them on what the next step is; have them come in and fill out paperwork or bring in documentation that’s required,” she said.
Olson notes that NALC handles mainly naturalization cases. It is rare for them to handle deportation or criminal matters for a practical reason: proximity. Such cases are heard either in the Bay Area or Southern California. NALC will refer those cases out to other attorneys.

Worth the Wait

It took her a while, but Oganesyan is happy she took her oath.
“I’m very grateful because now I can vote and I can have my say. Everything that I want to say, I can say it,” she said. “Thanks to (NALC), I became a citizen. I’m very proud to be a citizen.”
To reach NALC:
Phone: 559-326-1553
Address:
San Joaquin College of Law
901 5th Street,
Clovis, CA 93612
Website

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Newsom Wants to Bypass Trump Tariffs With Direct CA Trade Deals

DON'T MISS

Markets Plunge With S&P 500 Down 6% and Dow Down 2,200 After China Retaliates

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Searching for Missing 12-Year-Old Girl

DON'T MISS

Madera Community College Unveils New Multicultural and Veterans Center

DON'T MISS

Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way

DON'T MISS

Saturday’s Spring Fest to Showcase Free, Low-Cost Activities for Fresno Kids

DON'T MISS

LA County Reaches $4 Billion Agreement to Settle Sexual Abuse Claims at Juvenile Facilities

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Deadly Marijuana DUI Crash

DON'T MISS

Judge Says US Must Return Maryland Man Who Was Mistakenly Deported to El Salvador Prison

DON'T MISS

These Fresno First-Graders Are Topping Their Peers in Reading

UP NEXT

Madera Community College Unveils New Multicultural and Veterans Center

UP NEXT

Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way

UP NEXT

Saturday’s Spring Fest to Showcase Free, Low-Cost Activities for Fresno Kids

UP NEXT

LA County Reaches $4 Billion Agreement to Settle Sexual Abuse Claims at Juvenile Facilities

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Deadly Marijuana DUI Crash

UP NEXT

Fresno Burial Ceremony to Honor Five Abandoned Babies Set for Saturday

UP NEXT

Camalah Saleh Cruises to Win in Stormy Fresno State Student Elections

UP NEXT

If ex-Bitwise CEOs Behave in Prison, How Much Less Time Will They Serve?

UP NEXT

Staged Crashes and Insurance Fraud: Is Your California Commute a Target?

UP NEXT

Fight Over Phonics: Will CA Require the ‘Science of Reading’ in K-12 Schools?

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Madera Community College Unveils New Multicultural and Veterans Center

7 hours ago

Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way

7 hours ago

Saturday’s Spring Fest to Showcase Free, Low-Cost Activities for Fresno Kids

7 hours ago

LA County Reaches $4 Billion Agreement to Settle Sexual Abuse Claims at Juvenile Facilities

8 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Deadly Marijuana DUI Crash

8 hours ago

Judge Says US Must Return Maryland Man Who Was Mistakenly Deported to El Salvador Prison

8 hours ago

These Fresno First-Graders Are Topping Their Peers in Reading

9 hours ago

Fresno Burial Ceremony to Honor Five Abandoned Babies Set for Saturday

9 hours ago

Visalia Man Arrested for Soliciting Sex From Minor in Kingsburg

10 hours ago

Camalah Saleh Cruises to Win in Stormy Fresno State Student Elections

11 hours ago

Newsom Wants to Bypass Trump Tariffs With Direct CA Trade Deals

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday asked exporting countries worldwide to spare California their retaliatory tariffs, saying he plans to pursue dir...

6 hours ago

6 hours ago

Newsom Wants to Bypass Trump Tariffs With Direct CA Trade Deals

Specialist Anthony Matesic works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, April 4, 2025. (AP/Richard Drew)
6 hours ago

Markets Plunge With S&P 500 Down 6% and Dow Down 2,200 After China Retaliates

Fresno police are searching for Unique Hernandez, 12, last seen on Friday, April 4, 2025, near Inyo Street and Maple Avenue, wearing all black clothing and carrying a black backpack. (Fresno PD)
6 hours ago

Fresno Police Searching for Missing 12-Year-Old Girl

7 hours ago

Madera Community College Unveils New Multicultural and Veterans Center

7 hours ago

Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way

7 hours ago

Saturday’s Spring Fest to Showcase Free, Low-Cost Activities for Fresno Kids

8 hours ago

LA County Reaches $4 Billion Agreement to Settle Sexual Abuse Claims at Juvenile Facilities

Antonio de Jesus Orozco Montes Deoca, 30, was sentenced on Friday, March 4, 2025, to 14 years and 8 months in prison for a deadly marijuana DUI crash in 2022 that killed one woman and injured four others. (GV Wire Composite)
8 hours ago

Fresno Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Deadly Marijuana DUI Crash

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend