Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar (D-16th) said his district office in Lyons will host free Mexican document assistance later this month.
The service will be available Monday, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 7833 Ogden Ave. It launched briefly last week as a pilot program.
The program is open to community members who need help with Mexican documentation, including amending or issuing birth certificates without traveling to Mexico, obtaining records for families unable to travel, and gathering documents children need to apply for Mexican nationality.
“The Mexican community has contributed so much to the culture and economy of our county and nation,” Aguilar said. “We as elected officials owe it to this community to support them, to help them travel between Mexico and the United States, and to ensure that this process is legal and safe. I strongly encourage interested constituents to attend these workshops.”
Martha Margarita Pinon Cerda, a representative from the organization GEINCAFA, will provide the services free of charge. She works with Mexican Americans to fix errors in paperwork so they can apply for Mexican citizenship.
Aguilar said his office has fielded many calls for help in recent weeks.
“It’s important for paperwork to be in order in various situations and with this, it can all be done right here,” he said.
He added that he has seen first-hand how vital proper documentation can be.
Aguilar said he recently spent hours at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview to assist with the release of a person taken into custody without proper documentation.
“I brought the necessary paperwork there that I received from the family. I was there on that Friday for more than five hours and wasn’t successful in doing so at that point. That person was there until being released the following Monday. Proper documentation is so important, and we want to help with that.”
For more information, visit the commissioner’s district office in Lyons during service hours, call 312-603-4735, or email commissionerfrankjaguilar@gmail.com.