Brian Sipe, former quarterback of the Cleveland Browns and 1980 league MVP, recently joined the board of North County Immigration and Citizenship Center, where his daughter, attorney Morgan Principi, directs legal services.
“Immigration is important to our country,” says Sipe, who competed in the 1961 Little League World Series for El Cajon, played football for Grossmont High School, and then starred at San Diego State under head coach Don Coryell. “Growing up in San Diego and working around the construction trades got me interested in immigration and the citizenship process.”
North County Immigration and Citizenship Center (NCICC) provides pro-bono and low-bono legal services and education to hard-working immigrants in North County San Diego. Utilizing local volunteers and grassroots funding from individual donors, the City of Solana Beach and Coastal Community Foundation’s Solana Fund, the agency helps permanent residents navigate the complex legal and cultural pathways to citizenship.
“A lot of immigrants are intimidated by the naturalization process,” says Principi. “At NCICC, we work hard to build a trusting personal relationship with each client, which creates community connections and results in our near-perfect approval record with USCIS.”
Sipe and Principi have a close father-daughter relationship. They love debating politics and law, and they share a commitment to improving the lives of their most vulnerable North County neighbors.
“North County has been my home for over 45 years,” says Sipe, who currently lives in Del Mar. “I moved here from East County to be near the ocean and surfing and was blessed to have the rest of my family join me.”
“My husband and I love raising our four children here,” says Principi, who lives in Solana Beach. “We want our neighbors from around the world who have overcome so many challenges to get the same opportunity.”
To find out how you can help aspiring citizens, visit northcountycitizenship.org. All contributions are tax deductible.