Immigrants face major hurdles in signing up to new Obama plan

PAPERWORK HELP

Formal legal advice is not always needed to process immigration applications and many people will likely file on their own, but some, especially those who lack English language or literacy skills, will need help from people with at least some legal training to fill out the paperwork.

Good legal representation can make a huge difference in some of the tougher cases, said Chief Judge Robert Katzmann of the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in a speech on Wednesday in New York.

For immigrants who can't afford to pay for legal help, cities with big immigrant populations are already gearing up to help immigrants potentially eligible under Obama's plan.

New York City, for example, is getting ready by talking to private foundations about providing fund for legal aid and outreach. The city spent $18 million over two years on subway ads and other measures to help implement DACA.

"The plan to act may come from the federal level, but ultimately the responsibility falls on cities to step up and ensure the successful implementation of the program," said New York City's Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs Nisha Agarwal.

Chicago is also planning to spread the word about legal services by sending information home with public school children.