What We Do
We Assist People With:
DACA renewals
Work permits
Applications for naturalization (citizenship)
Family-based petitions
Immigration relief for victims of crime
Asylum applications
Consultations on other immigration-related legal matters
Northern Arizona Immigration Legal Services (NAILS)
We envision a community that supports the human and legal rights of all people, regardless of where they were born.
Values of Our NAILS Program:
We believe strongly in equal access to justice for everyone, without regard to their ability to pay.
We commit to providing high-quality legal services and maintaining high ethical standards.
We uphold our nonprofit’s fiscal and legal responsibilities to our donors, clients, volunteers, and community.
We recognize the dignity of each individual.
We aspire to treat people with acceptance and respect and to respond with empathy and compassion in all of our interactions.
– or contact us at:
NAILS Message Line: (928) 440 – 5513
Who We Serve
Most people we work with have lived in Northern Arizona for years — working, paying taxes, and raising their children here. Many have low-paying service jobs in hotels and restaurants associated with the tourism industry. Others work in construction, health care, and retail.
Many live in mixed-status families, with some members being undocumented while others are citizens. Despite their long-term residency here, they remain vulnerable to threats of deportation that can tear their families apart. These crucial members of our community deserve access to legal services even if they cannot afford to pay.
Our Service Area
Most organizations providing immigration legal services are in metropolitan areas. Our work in rural northern Arizona, primarily Coconino and Yavapai counties, involves very different challenges.
Our service area is large, but sparsely populated. Coconino County is the second largest county in the contiguous United States. Coconino and Yavapai counties together are 26,744 square miles but have a combined population of less than 400,000.
We are far from more populous southern Arizona. There are no immigration courts or detention facilities in northern Arizona. Immigration court in Phoenix is a 5-hour round trip from Flagstaff, and the Eloy detention center is a 7-hour round trip away. To have equal access to justice, our clients need legal support where they live, which is exactly why Northern Arizona Immigration Legal Services exists.
Our Stories...
A 4 part series on the support that Northern Immigration Legal Services gives individuals experiencing immigration legal needs in Flagstaff, Arizona. Each short story was carefully crafted to help keep the identity of the individuals sharing their stories private. These short documentary films were created by Amy S. Martin and Taylor Miller.
Our Volunteers' Perspectives
“I’ve learned just how much our clients want to be full legal citizens and not have to live with constant dread: Even when you’re having a great day, you could still get deported that day. Most people don’t understand the impact that has on everyday life.”
– Jessie K. Finch, Previous Board Member and Volunteer
“I admire our clients’ resilience. Many have had a family member deported, or some other hard situation, and they’re still trying to make life work …. They’re the same as anybody else. They’re just trying to live and work and raise their kids.”
– Emilia Ravetta, Volunteer
“I wish people understood better that migrants are fleeing all sorts of danger, like gang violence and environmental catastrophes. Immigrants deserve human rights. Just a basic right to be in a place where they are safe and can thrive.”
– Holly Jackson, Volunteer
“I think about the shared humanity of our work. Perhaps what we do helps move our city, our state, maybe even our nation, toward being just a little more caring. A little more of a community.”
– Richard Davis, Previous Board Member and Volunteer
People come here for many reasons.
They leave their homes because of violence, political instability, and environmental disasters. They come here to escape poverty, join family members, and seek economic and personal opportunities.
They face difficult challenges.
They are confronted with notoriously complex and arbitrary immigration laws. They face overburdened court systems with years-long delays before their cases are considered. And they face exorbitant costs and penalties that can tear families apart.
We help overcome those challenges.
We provide pro bono legal services to members of our community who cannot afford a private attorney for their immigration cases. So they can live here safely and with dignity — and contribute to our community. Because everyone should have equal access to justice and due process of law.
Make a Difference
You can donate specifically for this program. Every dollar you give improves the lives of the immigrants we serve.
If you’re interested in volunteering for NAILS, click here:
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