The Dane Sanctuary Coalition has provided rides for many immigrants to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices in Milwaukee, Waukegan, IL, and Chicago, as well as the United States Immigration Court in Chicago since 2019. While there are 54 individuals currently on the email distribution list, some of the persons on the email distribution list have never volunteered because they don't want to drive in Chicago (well, no one does), some persons can't be away from home/Dane County for a full day, some persons are snowbirds, etc. There have been a couple of times in which no one has volunteered to take an individual or a family to their scheduled appointment. So, we are always seeking additional volunteer drivers.
The scheduled appointments typically are for:
- Collection of biometrics, which includes a photograph, fingerprinting, and completion of a form providing identifying information (e.g., color of eyes).
- Security checks. Generally, the security checks are done annually. For recently arrived immigrants, they may have an appointment to remove an ankle monitor once the immigrants have a permanent address.
- Asylum interviews.
- Court hearings to determine if the immigrant/family will be given a deportation order.
- Citizenship interviews.
- Meetings with an immigration attorney to prepare for an asylum interview or immigration court hearing.
There have been a few rides for medical appointments for which our transportation was essential, as well as a couple of rides to consulates in Chicago to obtain identification papers.
The rides to Milwaukee or Waukegan and back generally are completed within six to eight hours. The rides to Chicago and back are full day + events. Dane Sanctuary Coalition is able to provide a $25 reimbursement for rides to Milwaukee or Waukegan and a $65 plus parking reimbursement for rides to Chicago.
When one of the referring agencies have an immigrant/family who has an immigrant/family who have a scheduled appointment with USCIS or Immigration Court, Dan Zimmerman or Dineen Grow, the co-coordinators for the volunteer driver program, sends out an email to the distribution list seeking a volunteer driver for the specific ride. Volunteer drivers only commit to a specific ride based on their availability.
For persons interested in volunteering – A virtual training session will provide further explanation about the role and responsibilities of a volunteer driver, USCIS processes, etc. If you are interested in being a volunteer driver and the training, please send Dan Zimmerman an email message at zimmerman_dan@hotmail.com or call him at his home at 608-241-1158.
