by Natasha B. | Jun 3, 2020 | News, Press Releases and Statements
The brutal, senseless, and inhumane killing of George Floyd was heart-breaking, sickening, and outrageous. No human being deserves what happened to him. The families of George Floyd and all our black and brown brothers and sisters who have violently lost their lives are in our thoughts and prayers.
Sadly, racism is not a thing of the past in our nation. The treating of individuals as less than human is unacceptable. The human dignity of every single person must be respected. Racial inequality remains ever present in wealth, housing, employment, our immigration system, and enforcement of the law. Never has this division been so starkly apparent than in the last few months. Communities of color and immigrants have been disproportionately impacted by the devastation of the Covid-19 virus. Black and immigrant communities have been epicenters of infections and death in New York City. In the resulting economic devastation, these communities struggle to pay rent and pay for basic necessities, including many immigrants, who are excluded from federal relief packages. Catholic Migration Services stands in solidarity with our black and brown brothers and sisters. We remain firm in our commitment to respecting the human dignity of all. We must all work together t end the cycle of hatred, and to end the cycle of racism.
by Natasha B. | May 12, 2020 | CMS in the News, Workers' Rights
En un articulo en Nuestra Voz, el periódico hispano de la Diocesis de Brooklyn- informaron a la comunidad sobre los servicios que Catholic Migration Services siguen de brindar para trabajadores en medio de la pandemia del coronavirus.
De otro lado, Servicios Católicos de Migración reconoce el gran impacto que esta pandemia ha tenido entre los trabajadores, y aunque sus oficinas están cerradas, continúan brindando servicios legales de lunes a viernes de 9:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. a trabajadores inmigrantes y de bajos salarios a través de su línea de atención (877) 525-2267, donde puede solicitar ser atendido por un abogado que hable español.
Lea la historia completa en Nuestra Voz: Caridades Católicas da respuesta exprés a una crisis inesperada
by Natasha B. | May 8, 2020 | CMS in the News, News, Workers' Rights
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently appointed Magdalena Barbosa, Managing Attorney with the Workers’ Rights Program at Catholic Migration Services to one of the City’s new sector advisory councils that will advise the City of New York on how to reopen from the COVID-19 crisis. Magda was appointed to the new advisory council on labor and workforce development alongside a group of distinguished individuals in New York City.
Media Coverage
Read the full story in AMNY: Mayor announces more sector advisory councils to help reopening and recovery from COVID-19 pandemic
Read the full press release from the Office of the Mayor: Mayor de Blasio Appoints Members to Sector Advisory Councils
by Natasha B. | May 8, 2020 | CMS in the News, Legal Services, News, Tenant Advocacy
As hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers lose their jobs or part of their income due to the pandemic, Catholic Migration Services is assisting tenants who are thinking of going on a “rent strike” – refusing to pay rent. As of May 1st, more than 50 buildings with 1,000 tenants are on rent strike — the largest rent strike in nearly 100 years. These tenants are asking the government of New York State to cancel rent for those who cannot pay, cancel mortgages for small landlords, and cancel utility payments, in order to prevent mass displacement and evictions once New York’s eviction moratorium is lifted. In some cases, tenants may also be demanding that their landlords make urgently needed repairs and maintain their buildings adequately to prevent the spread of the virus.
In a recent article in the Wired, Agustin Pérez, a tenant leader working with Catholic Migration Services shares his experience after recently losing his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with two young children and a wife on maternity leave, he is doing everything he can to keep his family healthy and safe.
To learn more about the history and purpose of rent strikes, and what you can do as a tenant, visit
www.rightotcounselnyc.org and see images from the @RTCNYC @HOUSINGFORALLNY
*Catholic Migration Services advises any tenant considering a rent strike to try to speak with an attorney before striking. If you would like help organizing a rent strike in your building, contact Amy Collado at (347) 472-3500, extension 1021. You may obtain free legal advice about going on rent strike by calling Andrew Lehrer at (347) 472-3500, extension 1026.
by Natasha B. | May 2, 2020 | CMS in the News, Immigration, Legal Services, News
On April 29, 2020 Legal Services NYC and Catholic Migration Services as an organizational plaintiff – filed a lawsuit before the Southern District of New York against the Executive Office for Immigration Review, AKA “immigration court” (EOIR) challenging the EOIR’s requirement that all litigants with cases currently pending before it continue to meet previously established filing deadlines even in the face of a global pandemic.
What this means practically is that if a legal worker practicing before the immigration court had a filing due at any time during this COVID-19 pandemic and gubernatorial shelter-in-place, they are still required to meet that deadline or risk running afoul of a court order and more importantly causing potentially irreparable harm to their clients and their case. This case seeks to force the agency to enjoin the enforcement of all immigration court deadlines until 45 days after all shelter in place orders are lifted.
Read the full press release from Legal Services NYC: Legal Services NYC Sues NYC Immigration Courts for Refusing to Postpone Filing Deadlines Amid COVID-19, Putting Countless Lives at Risk
Click here to download the full complaint.
