THIS IS WHO ARE WE 

The name is Immigrant Resources of N.C.

But as William Shakespeare so eloquently wondered in Romeo and Juliet: "What's in a name?"

Truthfully, the organization does much more than provide resources for immigrant individuals. And to say its reach goes further than just North Carolina would be an understatement – the nonprofit has helped people in a dozen or more states as far west as California.

We provides immigration services unavailable in most pockets of North Carolina. Unfortunately, agencies like the Immigrant Resources are scarce throughout the Southeast, leaving an underserved and vulnerable immigrant population at even greater risk.

 That's why Faith B,  Immigrant Resources of N.C.'s Founder & CEO, has made it her life's work to ensure immigrants of all backgrounds and nationalities get the support they deserve to become successful, legal residents of the United States. Since 2001, Faith has helped thousands of families obtain their permanent legal status and U.S. citizenship.

 Faith wears many hats. (And they should all come with a strap because she still works at a break-neck speed even after seven decades on Earth.)

And she is impressive.

 Acting in leadership, she answers phones in Spanish and relays information in a mix of English and Spanish. She is an expert on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petitions and family-based immigration benefits. She has counseled thousands of clients to obtain immigration relief and is constantly learning about the ever-changing immigration landscape in the United States.

"My team is very important to me because they do so much for this organization," Faith says.

 Immigrant Resources of N.C. started its 501c3 in 2021 after years of operating under the Hispanic Ministry umbrella. Originally, the organization helped just the Hispanic community. But today, the nonprofit works with clients from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Taiwan, Pakistan, Germany, Afghanistan, and more.

 The organization provides legal services and emotional literacy services to all immigrants. They are involved with the legal processes of immigration and local courts, and they even represent clients in interviews with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Essentially, they work as the buffer between their clients and the United States Government, ensuring all the legal and ethical boxes have been checked for citizenship.

 And as United States immigration numbers have increased since the 1970s, Faith finds herself busier by the day.

"There has been a tsunami of asylum requests lately. Did you hear about the problems at the border? Well, they're here now, and it's a mess," Faith says. "I am trying to clean things up and get people where they're supposed to be. But because we're not lawyers, we can't represent them in court – the most we can do for asylees is to submit their asylum request and help them once they qualify for their work permit."

Since becoming Founder/CEO in 2021, Faith has worked diligently to turn her organization into a regional hotspot for immigrants seeking asylum and citizenship. And her clients appreciate her efforts, as alternative immigration options are limited in this part of the country.  "We're not the only ones in Southeast North Carolina doing what we do," Faith says. "There are several organizations in Raleigh, but we are the only ones answering the phone and answering questions. I think people really appreciate that. So, it's us, and we do our best with what we have."