In 2021, Arizona became an arrival point for thousands of Latin American asylum seekers (LAAS) who were released from federal immigration custody into temporary shelters (American Immigration Council, 2021). Many arrived after long and difficult journeys with urgent medical, legal, and social service needs. 

As service providers, you may have seen firsthand how hard it can be for these families to get the services they need. Barriers like unclear information, language differences, cultural challenges, and frequent moves make it difficult to connect them to care. Many also feel unsure or fearful about using formal systems.

The ALAS (Apoyo for Latin American Asylum Seekers) project responded by training Community Health Workers (CHWs) to provide culturally responsive COVID-19 testing, education, and service referrals (Marsiglia et al., submitted). Through this project, service providers like you became trusted bridges between asylum seekers and the systems. Along the way, CHWs helped us to see broader systemic challenges.