CARECEN was founded in 1983 by Salvadoran refugees and other human rights activists who worked to secure legal status for the thousands of Central Americans fleeing civil war. Today, CARECEN’s mission is to promote the human and civil rights of Central Americans and all immigrant communities through legal and educational services, and by advocating and organizing to transform immigration and education policies. Our legal program provides direct legal representation to thousands of clients each year seeking family-based immigration assistance, citizenship, asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), VAWA, T and U visas, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Temporary Protected Status, NACARA, and other relief, both affirmatively and in immigration court. In addition to direct representation, CARECEN engages in advocacy at the local and national levels on the issues of immigration reform, combating notario fraud, and advocating for the legal and non-legal needs of the Pico-Union community of Los Angeles.