One of AIS's core goals is strengthening immigrant families by obtaining immigrant visas to reunite loved ones and helping family members in our community gain legal status. The strain of family separation is obvious; Facetime and video calls are not the same as being together!

But being in a "mixed status" family - where one or more members lack legal status - also takes a toll on everyone, including children. Studies have found that children in mixed-status families have worse physical health and exhibit higher levels of stress than children in families where everyone has US citizen status. Helping families overcome this challenge is vital to the health of our communities.

This summer AIS staff celebrated with clients granted long-awaited legal permanent residence and met newly-arrived clients whose coming has made a family circle complete. Thank you for helping these families unite!

Exactly three years after welcoming Matthew Clayton to AIS as a paralegal, we wished him success as he left to begin law school. In addition to coordinating DACA services and working with clients seeking citizenship and family-based immigration benefits, Matthew was a key presence in our Tuesday food distribution program. (Matthew is pictu6red above with staff and food program volunteers.)

His years at AIS and engagement with the community strengthened his commitment to a career in immigration law. He is missed by clients and colleagues alike, but we know he'll be doing great things for immigrant communities in the future!