Media coverage confuses CASA/GAL programs with immigrant advocacy group

NEWS

Contact: August Aldebot-Green, augustg@nationalcasagal.org, 206.774.7238

Recent news coverage of immigration advocacy has confused the National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children and its state and local programs with an unaffiliated organization that works with immigrant and Latino communities, primarily in Maryland and neighboring states. The coverage attributes “court appointed special advocates” for immigration-related protests and related advocacy, when that work should have been attributed to an organization called CASA de Maryland and known in recent years simply as “CASA,” “I am CASA” or “Somos CASA.”

The National CASA/GAL Association supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy on behalf of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. In our advocacy for the best interests of children, we work with children in family or juvenile court systems, not in immigration court.