Decades after its founding, CARECEN’s services to the community seem more critical than ever
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After waiting a decade back home in El Salvador, “M” was excited when her visa was finally approved. But after arriving in Washington, D.C., in 2007, she found life in a new country challenging until she discovered the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), a nonprofit serving Latine immigrants in the capital since 1981.
“They take care of me and I have learned a lot,” says M, who spoke to Hola Cultura on condition of anonymity to protect her privacy. Now she gives CARECEN’s phone number to family and friends in need.
Stories like M’s are common at CARECEN. For over four decades, the organization has remained a haven for Latine families seeking better opportunities in D.C. Originally founded to support refugees fleeing U.S.-backed civil wars in Central America, the organization’s mission is more relevant than ever in 2025, as immigration policies are evolving and the media’s depiction of immigrants becomes more hostile.
(Photos courtesy of CARECEN)
Executive director Abel Núñez, who has led the organization since 2013, says CARECEN’s role as a service provider and advocate for those navigating immigration challenges has only grown more urgent since the Trump administration took office in January.
“For us, it has always been important to be part of the advocacy, because if we don’t change the underlying policies, we are not going to change anything,” Núñez says. CARECEN has increased its local and national efforts in recent months, organizing community forums, lobbying city council members and even suing the Trump administration to protect immigrant rights.
Though the Trump Administration seeks mass deportations and has ramped up anti-immigrant rhetoric to heights not seen in recent history, Núñez is steadfast in defense of his community. He points to evidence that immigrants contribute more than they take from society, providing nearly one in every six tax dollars and $2.1 trillion in economic output, far exceeding their share of the population.
CARECEN also provides critical services — including legal aid, citizenship support, and housing initiatives — serving thousands of individuals annually, though not without growing external challenges. In December, the organization opened a new office in Maryland to meet increasing demand. Just a few months later, the Trump administration froze the federal grant funding from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that helped finance CARECEN’s citizenship program. Despite this setback, CARECEN has continued to expand.
“From its inception, CARECEN saw the work of advocacy and social services as a continuum,” Núñez says.
Among CARECEN’s core initiatives is its Legal Services Program, which provides low-cost legal assistance on immigration matters.
“We try to assess their case, explaining that it is important to remain calm, that there’s no need to panic, and that they are part of a community,” explains Claudia Sanchez, a paralegal on CARECEN’s legal team. “They have rights, too — even as immigrants, even if they were not born in this country. The U.S. Constitution recognizes that.”
In addition to providing legal services for immigrants facing deportation, a large part of CARACEN’s work is helping immigrants on the path to citizenship through civics courses, mock interviews and one-on-one tutoring provided by volunteers.
“Volunteers contribute significantly to building applicant confidence and reducing anxiety,” says Edgar Grijalva, the coordinator of CARECEN’s citizenship program.
In 2000, CARECEN added a housing program in response to a growing crisis among Latine tenants facing displacement. As more Latine families received eviction notices and needed to know their rights, many turned to CARECEN.
Anabell Martinez, CARECEN’s housing director, explains that the organization helps new arrivals find their footing and navigate systems that are often unfamiliar and inaccessible. “Our job is to integrate,” she says.
Martinez says her clients frequently have misconceptions about finding housing when they first arrive in the U.S., often without credit history or knowledge of the U.S. credit system. Without both, securing safe and reliable housing can be difficult, particularly in D.C., where the cost of living ranked 12th among all cities nationwide, according to the Council for Community and Economic Research’s Cost of Living Index for the first quarter of 2025.
Martinez’s clients often find themselves living in single units with multiple people and are frequently exploited by landlords due to language barriers. Even when affordable housing options exist, she says, “Latinos are often the last to access them.”
Like M, many clients who first come to CARECEN with a particular need continue working with the organization to meet other demands and personal goals.
Take “L,” a daycare assistant from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. legally for decades. However, when she began applying for citizenship, her struggle to learn English became an obstacle. After receiving housing assistance, she stayed with CARECEN and enrolled in English classes, finding that they gave her support and structure.
“English has been the most difficult,” says L, who highly recommends the service. “You have to be consistent about attending classes.”
While CARECEN has evolved to meet the challenges facing Latine immigrants like M and L, Núñez says the work remains the same: supporting his community and shining a light on all the ways immigrants make America great.
“You hurt them, you hurt all of us,” Núñez says.
– Story by Marina Caraballo
– Copy edited by Samantha Gomez and Kami Waller
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