logo
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Northside Community Meetings
    • Community Calendar
    • Government
    • Features
    • Local Business
    • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
    • Public Safety
    • Sports
  • Arts + Culture
  • Moments
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • News
      • Northside Community Meetings
      • Community Calendar
      • Government
      • Features
      • Local Business
      • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
      • Public Safety
      • Sports
    • Arts + Culture
    • Moments
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Marketplace
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
Northside’s Christian Immigration Advocacy Center setting big goals under new direction
Allegheny Center
admin on
June 14, 2021
Northside’s Christian Immigration Advocacy Center setting big goals under new direction

The organization is now operating under the direction of its original founder, Pastor Glenn Hanna, along with its senior legal staff.

By Ashlee Green

Photo: Rogerio Torres, far right, pictured here with his family, immigrated to the U.S. from Brazil back in 2006. He’s putting his passions for both ministry and law together now as an accredited representative at CIAC. Courtesy of Torres

It may be a small organization, but the Christian Immigration Advocacy Center (CIAC), located in Pittsburgh’s Northside, does big work.

CIAC works with immigrants and refugees throughout Pittsburgh to assist them in getting green cards and visas; filing for U.S. citizenship; and securing family reunification, asylum, and removal defense services. They’re a local organization made up of just one branch, but their services—namely, immigration law—can stretch nationally. 

Rogerio Torres, who worked part-time and remotely for CIAC from his former home in Lexington, Ky., just moved to Pittsburgh to take a full-time position with the organization this spring. An immigrant himself, Torres knows the struggles that many of his clients go through to create new lives for themselves.

“When you think about having a life in a totally different place, there are barriers,” he said, citing language and culture as two of the major ones. Many immigrants, Torres explained, do not have access to government assistance and often come to the U.S. with little to nothing to their names.

Torres himself immigrated to the U.S. from Brazil back in 2006. He came with six pieces of luggage: no furniture, no kitchen utensils. He was working as a lawyer in his home country but his degree was not accepted in the U.S. and he had to start from scratch.

“[You] need to start on the bottom of the ladder and most immigrants will never leave that bottom because they don’t have a chance,” he said.

Rogerio Torres, who worked part-time and remotely for CIAC from his former home in Lexington, Ky., just moved to Pittsburgh to take a full-time position with the organization this spring. An immigrant himself, Torres knows the struggles that many of his clients go through to create new lives for themselves. Courtesy of Torres


Instead of pursuing law school, Torres focused on his faith and worked toward his master’s of divinity. Eventually, he became an accredited representative—a non-attorney legal representative recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals—with the Department of Justice. Now, in his role at CIAC, he’s putting his passions for both ministry and law together. He hopes to be the person he was missing in his life for his clients: Someone to help navigate the often complicated legal system and what’s more, to do it on the cheap. 

CIAC, like many organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, has undergone major structural and staff changes over the past year. They went entirely virtual for a stint and earlier this year, former executive director Ryan Driscoll announced that he was leaving to open his own law firm. The organization is now operating under the direction of its original founder, Pastor Glenn Hanna, along with its three-person senior legal staff.  

“We are working diligently, however we’re still young and small,” Torres said. The organization hopes to one day offer ESL and naturalization classes to help their clientele better prepare for naturalization interviews. They continue to partner with churches and other institutions to accomplish their dream for every immigrant to learn the English language as well as a trade, giving them more tools to succeed in America and eventually call the country their home. 

At this time, Torres said, CIAC has two law student volunteers for the summer, but they’re looking to find more helping hands for administrative tasks.

“If we have more help, we can help more.”

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

Join The Northside Chronicle's weekly newsletter for the latest Northside news, developments, and more. Delivered right to your inbox every Thursday evening.

* indicates required
Related Posts
Observatory Hill’s Pride Project not your average educational institution
Arts + Culture, Education, Features, Observatory Hill
Observatory Hill’s Pride Project not your average educational institution
Pride Project, Inc. isn’t structured around cut-and-dry goods and services: It aims to fill in the gaps of what a traditional education can prov...
July 19, 2022
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
Education, North Shore
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
There were close to 3,000 candidates for graduation. By Ashlee Green Photos: Gene J. Puskar for CCAC The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) ...
July 14, 2022
On the Scene: Fishing Rod Foundation Co.’s ‘Kentucky Derby’ themed fundraiser
Observatory Hill, Photo Gallery
On the Scene: Fishing Rod Foundation Co.’s ‘Kentucky Derby’ themed fundraiser
[tecnavia_gallery slug='on-the-scene-fishing-rod-foundation-co-s-kentucky-derby-themed-fundraiser-gallery' view='carousel'] A fascinator hat competiti...
June 21, 2022
Makeshift community bike repair project building steam in Pittsburgh’s Northside
Allegheny Commons, Allegheny West, Features, Trails + Travel, Transportation + Infrastructure
Makeshift community bike repair project building steam in Pittsburgh’s Northside
Free Ride, but for Northsiders. By Ashlee Green Photo: Catch Makeshift at the Northside Farmers' Market on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. Courtesy of Makesh...
June 21, 2022
Northside Business Briefs: June 2022
Allegheny City Central, Briefs, Historic Deutschtown, Local Business, Spring Garden
Northside Business Briefs: June 2022
Stay up-to-date on what’s coming, going, and changing in the Northside business community with The Northside Chronicle’s monthly Northside...
June 2, 2022
Little House Big Art joins two local artists for ‘Spring Hill Pigeon Project’
Arts + Culture, Spring Hill
Little House Big Art joins two local artists for ‘Spring Hill Pigeon Project’
[tecnavia_gallery slug='little-house-big-art-joins-two-local-artists-for-spring-hill-pigeon-project-gallery' view='carousel'] The ceramic pigeons made...
May 16, 2022
e-Edition
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Northside Neighborhoods
Northside Guides
FORMS + SUBMISSIONS
Events Letters to the Editor News Tips
POLL
MOST READ
Real Estate Transfers Sept. 10 to Sept. 16
Real Estate, Real estate transfers
Real Estate Transfers Sept. 10 to Sept. 16
September 19, 2023
Allegheny City Central JTM Invests LLC to ART Image America LLC at 1327 Reddour St. for $200,000. Brighton Heights Steven Scotti to Jason Conn at 3524...
this is a test
Northside Steelers: mighty mites lose to East End in triple overtime
Editor Picks, Features...
Northside Steelers: mighty mites lose to East End in triple overtime
September 18, 2023
By Peyton Celesti | Sports Writer PERRY HILLTOP — Opening day of Northside Youth Athletic Association (NSYAA) football was filled with energy in the s...
this is a test
PREVIEW: Pumpkinfest is back!
Allegheny Commons, Editor Picks...
PREVIEW: Pumpkinfest is back!
September 15, 2023
By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor On Oct. 12, 2019, the 28th Annual Northside Pumpkinfest took place at Allegheny Commons Park, the same as it ever had...
this is a test
Public luncheon to honor lives of Germanic culture club members
Sponsored Content
Public luncheon to honor lives of Germanic culture club members
September 14, 2023
By Ed Graf The Alliance of Germanic Societies of Pittsburgh is part of the rich tapestry of our city’s ethnic groups from the waves of immigration in ...
this is a test
Join The All of Us Pennsylvania Research Program
Sponsored Content
Join The All of Us Pennsylvania Research Program
September 14, 2023
Sponsored Content We’re all different. But when we visit the doctor, our treatments are often the same. The All of Us Research Program thinks one day ...
this is a test
Neighborhood Community Development Fund
Northside Leadership Conference
Donate

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

* indicates required

The Northside Chronicle

thenorthsidechronicle.com
Phone: (412) 321-3919
Email: editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com

About Us

Stay tuned with us

Copyright Northside Chronicle. All rights reserved.