The Borromeo Legal Project is an all-volunteer organization. Our volunteers are not compensated in any way for their work. We do our work in the spirit of service to others. Many of our volunteers are Roman Catholic, but all are welcome to take part in our work.

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The Borromeo Legal Project was founded in 2008 by the late Fr. Gerry Creedon, who was, at that time, Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Arlington, Virginia. Fr. Creedon called together leaders in the field of immigration from the Arlington community to  see if there was a need that his Parish could fill.  As a result of this meeting, and subsequent gatherings,  the Borromeo Legal Project came to be.  Laymen and laywomen at St. Charles, including Philip M. Keating, also contributed important organizational and financial backing to the new organization. Although Fr. Creedon passed away in 2017, his legacy lives on in the work that is being done by the Borromeo Legal Project. 

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It is our belief that helping lawful permanent residents become U.S. Citizens is a meaningful way in which the St. Charles Borromeo Church community can show its support for our immigrant neighbors. Barriers to naturalization can include one or more of the following: lack of awareness of the requirements; insufficient fluency in English; inability to afford the $725 application fee to the Department of Homeland Security, lack of access to competent legal advice; and lack of familiarity with the mechanics of filing immigration applications. We are here to help applicants overcome all of those barriers.

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Our program is not for everyone. To qualify, applicants must meet the government's eligibility requirements for naturalization, and must complete a one-page application explaining why they want to become U.S. citizens. We also ensure that our donated funds and volunteer resources are directed to applicants of limited means.