We Are Casa details legal, language, health and tax help for Montgomery County immigrants

Pablo Blanc, director of immigrant integration programs at We Are Casa, told listeners on the Spanish-language broadcast that the nonprofit operates five program areas offering legal services (immigration, housing and employment), adult and youth education, health navigation, and economic-development support.

Blanc said We Are Casa will help residents analyze immigration and criminal histories, complete naturalization and green-card applications, and provide practice interviews for the naturalization exam. "Durante todo el año, y tenemos también actividades en algunos sábados," he said, noting some weekend sessions to accommodate working residents.

The organization also helps people find medical care without insurance and assists with applications for food and housing benefits. Blanc provided a health-line phone number on air and said We Are Casa maintains offices in the county, including a location in Rockville and a central office in the Maryland area.

Blanc and the host also encouraged residents to file taxes to access benefits such as the earned-income tax credit (EITC) and the child tax credit (CTC); Blanc said courts have intervened in a contested data-sharing practice between the IRS and immigration authorities and that litigation on that matter remains pending.

Why it matters: The services are aimed at reducing errors on immigration filings, increasing access to health care and benefits, and helping residents prepare for naturalization. We Are Casa emphasized the importance of using licensed immigration attorneys and avoiding fraudulent providers.

How to reach We Are Casa: listeners were directed to the organization's website and to the health hotline number aired during the program.