Immigration attorneys said there’s an increase of migrants trickling into the mid-state as they’ve seen an uptick in calls and walk-in appointments.
“So helping people with asylum, helping people who are the victims of trafficking, victims of serious crime, children who are abused abandoned or neglected by their parents,” said attorney Allen King, At Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors .
They’re getting 30 to 50 calls a week too which is more than usual. They noted that in 2023 they added on 150 additional clients.
“If you’re seeking asylum, we have clients who’ve been waiting since 2016, and as more people seek asylum, that wait time is only going to get longer,” King said.
In some cases, Allen said they’re coming to Tennessee to work or meet up with relatives. Executive director Tessa Lemos Del Pino said they have 1,300 open cases.
“The immigration system is a long and complicated process, and it’s not as simple as some people think you can’t just get in line, and the number of options available to people are very limited, the number of Visas that are granted on a yearly basis are limited,” Del Pino said.