On Wednesday, November 26, 2014 CMS held the Queens Tenant Monthly Meeting at St. Sebastian Parish Center in Woodside. We invited several organizations including Catholic Charities, JASA, and the Queens Library to provide attendees with information on their services. (more…)
On November 12th CMS staff Marisol Canales and Rebecca Rybaltowski attended The Annual Immigration Town Hall Meeting hosted by Councilman Rafael Espinal of District 37 in collaboration with Catholic Charities. This meeting served to discuss various issues affecting the immigrant community. There were presentations on citizenship from CUNY Citizenship Now, from the Department of Consumer Affairs on the New Paid Sick Leave Law, and a discussion from the 83 Precinct police station in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Ms. Canales served as a member of the panel and discussed the resources CMS provides and common issues that the people we serve face.
On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a new policy that will provide an opportunity for certain undocumented immigrants in the United States to apply for a limited form of immigration legal relief. It is estimated that at least tens of thousands of people within the Diocese of Brooklyn will be eligible to apply this new benefit which will include employment authorization and protection from deportation.
In furtherance of our mission to “Welcome the Stranger”, the Diocese of Brooklyn aims to provide reliable information and legal assistance to parishioners and other immigrants in response to the President’s announcement. Catholic Migration Services (CMS) will spearhead our Diocesan-wide effort to bring accessible and affordable services to eligible immigrants under this program.
A dedicated hotline has been established at CMS to provide up to date information on this topic. All interested individuals are encouraged to call the hotline at 347-979-9360.
Please be aware that the United States government has not yet established procedures for individuals to get relief under this new program. Therefore, it is important that immigrants beware of advertisements or solicitations which promise legal assistance.
Additionally CMS will conduct a special information session on Administrative Immigration Relief at St. Sebastian’s Parish Center located at 39-60 57th St. Woodside, Queens on December 6th at 1:00 PM. All interested Individuals are encouraged to attend.
For more information about CMS, please contact our Brooklyn office at 718-236-3000 or the Queens office at 347-472-3500. You can also visit Catholic Migration Services.
CMS is hosting a free Citizenship Application Assistance Workshop on Saturday, December 6th at Our Lady of the Angelus in Rego Park, Queens.
If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident interested in applying for U.S. citizenship, please call (646) 597-8797 for more information and how to register for this event.
When: Saturday, December 6th, 2014
Time: 11:30 am – 5:30 pm
Where: Our Lady of the Angelus
63-63 98th Street
Rego Park, NY 11374
(take M or R Train to 63 Dr – Rego Park)
You will need to bring the following information and documents:
For more information on our citizenship services, please call Zachary Shultz, the
CMS Naturalization Coordinator, in our Brooklyn office at 718 236-3000.
On November 14, CMS staff Kenny Minaya and Quetzalli Rocha attended a press conference where Mayor Bill de Blasio signed legislation that will protect the rights of immigrants in NYC.
Mayor de Blasio met with members of the community in front of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Corona. He signed legislation that will limit New York City’s cooperation with the federal agency Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under this legislation NYC will now only acknowledge ICE detainers for residents who have been convicted of a serious crime or have a federal warrant out for their arrest. In addition, this law will eliminate ICE presence on Rikers Island Correctional Facility.
Mayor de Blasio discussed that this new law will protect all immigrants in NYC as well as protect the safety of the general public. Immigrants will feel secure under the law to approach and work with police officers in reporting crimes without fear of deportation.
Mayor de Blasio addressed the potential for executive action by President Barack Obama but that a more comprehensive immigration reform must be passed by congress to see lasting improvements. Speaker for the New York City council, Melissa Mark-Viverito, spoke in regards to the importance of cities and states acting in place of the federal government and creating their own legislation to improve the lives of immigrants in their community and to enact the change they want to see on a national level.
Council member Julissa Ferreras discussed the importance of signing this piece of legislation at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish where thousands of immigrant families attend service each week.
Speaker of the NYC council Melissa Mark-Viverito speaks to the significance of this legislation leading the way to national immigration reform. Ms. Mark-Viverito introduced this legislation along with other council members.
