About Us

What We Do

Catholic Migration Services is a not-for-profit legal service provider committed to promoting justice and compassion. Established in 1971, we are one of the oldest and most respected legal services providers in New York City. We provide free legal services, tenant organizing services and community legal education to low-income New Yorkers regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status. By offering these services, we seek to advance equality and social justice for all, including the most marginalized.

We offer free assistance for immigrants, tenants and workers across three practice units, with offices in Brooklyn and Queens. Our Immigration Unit is comprised of four legal teams: Removal Defense, Affirmative, Naturalization, and the Pro Se Plus Project. Our Housing Unit includes a legal team and tenant organizers. Our Employment Unit provides assistance to workers on a variety of workplace issues.

Our compassionate, diverse, and highly qualified staff is comprised of attorneys, paralegals and other support staff, many of whom are bilingual and come from the very communities we serve. Our team works tirelessly to provide our clients with services and advocacy to protect their rights, keep families together and keep our New York City communities intact. We publish a quarterly newsletter which highlights inspiring stories of our clients and staff.

As an affiliate of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and the Diocese of Brooklyn, we regularly receive referrals from Catholic Charities’ social services programs. We maintain close relationships with churches throughout the Diocese where we frequently host community events and workshops. We also collaborate with other legal service organizations and Pro Bono corporate partners, with whom we hold community legal clinics and Know Your Rights presentations.

We are supported by grants from government, religious and private foundations, as well as the generosity of individual supporters. As a 501(c)3 organization, all individual donations are tax-deductible.

Mission

Catholic Migration Services is focused on “welcoming the stranger in our midst,” by being committed to empowering underserved immigrant communities regardless of religion or ethnicity. We provide high quality legal services, education, and advocacy to immigrants to advance equality and social justice in a changing and diverse population.