Immigration Counseling Service (ICS)

Mission

Our mission is to achieve equity and justice for immigrants and their families by providing accessible services to uphold their legal rights. Through direct engagement, ICS brings immigrant voices and experiences to the decision-making table. We honor and respect the contributions made by immigrants to keep our economy strong and our communities vibrant.

Bottom Line for Portland

Supporting the legal rights of our immigrant neighbors honors the contributions they make to keep our economy strong and our community vibrant and acknowledges their role as essential workers throughout the pandemic. The immigration legal services provided by ICS create immediate access to a host of fundamental human rights—freedom from violence, access to health and education, and the ability to earn a living wage. Without access to services to attain legal status, immigrants and their families are forced to live in society’s shadow, ripe for exploitation and discrimination, and suffering disproportionate harm from poverty, sickness, lack of educational opportunities, and unrelenting fear. 

Quote

“Immigrants and refugees are still struggling to cope with the intense crises of racial injustice, the ongoing pandemic, and the impact of wildfires. Legal services and attaining legal status are the first steps for living in a strong, caring and just community. Help us make sure that dream is extended to our immigrant neighbors.” 

– Frank Garcia, Executive Director

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

ICS strives for equity and justice for immigrants and refugees and has a strong history of serving people who have been marginalized by mainstream society and within their immigrant communities. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are core values that guide our work. We provide bilingual services that are culturally appropriate and work to address the intersectionality of challenges facing immigrant communities.

Incentives

Columbia Bank will donate $500 to ICS if 100 people give by November 30.

Great Notion Brewing will provide $20 gift cards to the first 125 people who give $50 or more to ICS.

Mandos Mundo Entertainment will host a Dia de los Muertos event on October 29-30 and donate a portion of the proceeds to ICS.

Business Partner(s)

Columbia Bank is a Northwest community bank headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, with comprehensive solutions and expertise to meet the evolving needs of businesses and individuals.

Great Notion Brewing (GNB) is a brewery started by three friends and neighbors in Portland, Oregon. GNB offers award-winning hazy, fruit-forward IPAs and culinary-inspired sours & stouts, as well as food delicacies with a Northwest flair. Discover these flavors at these great locations.

Mandos Mundo Entertainment (MME) has provided quality entertainment to the Portland metro area for more than 20 years. MME prides itself on delivering quality entertainment with a cultural specialization and seeks to amplify historical cultural programming and content. From large festivals to private parties, MME supports more than 200 entertainers annually by providing opportunities to perform.

ICS would like to thank our ongoing supporters: CommuniCare, Equity Corps Oregon, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Oregon Immigrant Foundation, Oregon Immigrant & Refugee Funders Collaborative, Oregon Law Foundation, Pride Foundation, and Vera Institute of Justice.