by Natasha B. | Jun 1, 2023 | Internships & Careers

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: PARALEGAL, REMOVAL DEFENSE TEAM
Catholic Migration Services (“CMS”), an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, provides high quality free legal services, community education, and advocacy for low-income immigrants residing in Brooklyn and Queens, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status. CMS assists individuals with their immigration, housing, and employment legal needs. CMS is committed to “welcoming the stranger in our midst” by serving and working alongside underserved immigrant communities to advance equality and social justice in an ever-changing landscape.
The Paralegal will work in the Brooklyn office with our agency’s Removal Defense team in our Immigration unit to provide direct services and to support the work of the team. Our Removal Defense team provides legal assistance and representation to non-detained individuals in removal proceedings. The paralegal may be encouraged to attend immigration trainings with a view to becoming an accredited representative with the US Department of Justice. This is a unique opportunity for someone passionate about immigrant rights and energized to empower immigrant communities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Conduct screenings, intake, and information collection regarding eligibility for immigration benefits;
- Prepare a variety of immigration applications, affidavits and supporting documents for cases including Asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, Violence Against Women Act, U and T visas, and Cancellation of Removal;
- Retrieve records for clients such as birth certificates, criminal histories, tax records, medical records, etc.;
- Submit filings to USCIS and EOIR;
- Conduct country condition and other factual research;
- Manage caseload and maintain client files in good working order. Maintain and update client and case information in case management database;
- Help with Spanish/English translation of documents, including birth and marriage certificates and oral interpretation, including during psychological evaluations;
- Help clients access social services through referrals and by enrollment assistance;
- Assist in training and onboarding volunteers;
- Communicate regularly and in a timely manner with assigned clients, keeping them informed of case status, answering general questions, and scheduling meetings as needed;
- Participate in CMS staff meetings and case review;
- Attend immigration trainings and keep up to date with all relevant legal updates.
- Participate in Catholic Migration Services functions on evenings and weekends, such as legal clinics, educational events, or workshops held at parishes or community based organizations;
- Copy, scan and otherwise assist in the preparation of client application packages for relief from removal and other immigration benefits; and
- Provide additional support as needed.
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Qualifications:
- Required
- Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree;
- Strong, clear, and effective communication skills;
- Fluency in written and oral Spanish;
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently or as part of a team;
- Excellent organizational and time management skills;
- Meticulous attention to detail;
- Intermediate computer skills.
- Preferred, but not required:
- Prior or related immigration experience;
- Demonstrated interest in public interest work and social justice for underserved populations;
- Demonstrated ability and experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds and who have experienced trauma.
Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy:
Catholic Migration Services values workplace diversity and welcomes applicants and employees of all backgrounds. CMS strives to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. CMS makes all employment decisions without regard to any applicant’s or employee’s protected characteristics, including their race, religion, color, national origin, immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest conviction record, or marital status.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary is on a union scale based on years of experience. The salary range for an immigration paralegal with two to six years of experience is $49,725 to $55,080. CMS offers a very competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, transit benefits, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a 403(b) retirement plan including employer contribution. We offer generous leave policies, including four weeks paid vacation, four paid personal days, fourteen paid holidays and the week off between Christmas and New Year’s Days, inclusive.
Union Representation:
This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW, Local 2325.
Application Instructions:
Applications will be accepted immediately and will be considered on a rolling basis. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, list of two professional references and a writing sample to: Raluca Oncioiu, Managing Attorney at roncioiu@catholicmigration.org. Please include “Removal Defense, Paralegal” in the subject line.
Download this job announcement as a pdf: Paralegal, Removal Defense Team
by Natasha B. | May 12, 2023 | CMS in the News, Immigration, News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2023
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Serves Approximately 7,000 Asylum Seekers
Agency Prepared to Assist New Influx Expected with End of Title 42 Public Health Order
Brooklyn and Queens– Recognizing the plight of asylum seekers traveling through the southern border and their difficulties upon arriving in New York City, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has organized a collective response in both boroughs to welcome and provide essential emergency services to the new arrivals and their families. Since July 2022, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has served approximately 7,000 asylum seekers—and provided a total of 22,000 service units.
As one of the leading social service providers at the New York City Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Center, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has intimately engaged with the City to provide the services the asylum seekers need upon arrival. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens’ programs and affiliates offer asylees limited financial assistance, emergency food and food pantry access, hot meals, clothing, diapers, English as a Second Language classes, access to WIC nutrition programs, NYC ID referrals, workforce development resources and MetroPlusHealth insurance.
For new arrivals with children, in addition to WIC nutrition services, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens also offers resources, information and referrals to Catholic Charities Head Start programs and New York City schools.
“The new arrivals are leaving horrendous situations in their home countries in search of safety, work, and an opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. The parishes are doing an incredible amount of work with us to help them acclimate to New York City and we couldn’t do the work we are doing without them,” said Reverend Monsignor Alfred P. LoPinto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and Affiliated Agencies. With the Title 42 public health order set to end, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, affiliates and parish partners–while at capacity, is prepared to continue providing services as needed.
Catholic Migration Services, Inc., a Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens affiliate, has provided legal services to over 200 new arrivals, participated in multiple legal workshop clinics, and provided training to volunteer legal advocates to help with the surge of new migrants who have entered New York City over the last year.
Recently, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens began offering free Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction worker training workshops at local parishes, ensuring their safety as they prepare to work in the future.
Parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn, particularly those close to shelters where asylees are placed, have opened their doors to make their facilities available for OSHA training, hot meals, clothing drives, and baby showers for new and expectant parents.
About Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens:
For over 124 years, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has been providing quality social services to the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens and currently offers 160-plus programs and services for children, youth, adults, older adults, and those struggling with mental illness. Since 1975, Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Development Corporation, the affordable housing developer of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, has been transforming vacant land and buildings into affordable housing units and transforming the lives of individuals and families, and completed more than 4,567 units with supportive services for seniors, families, veterans and the formerly homeless. Since the pandemic began, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has provided much-needed food packages and services at 60 Catholic Charities parish-based food pantries and has distributed over $12 million in food assistance. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens continues to deliver crucial mental health counseling, housing services, family services, early childhood education, and emergency services. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens continues to deliver crucial mental health counseling, housing services, family services, early childhood education, and emergency services. For more information, please visit https://www.ccbq.org/annual-report-2022/ and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @cathcharitiesBQ or @catholiccharitiesBQ.
by Natasha B. | May 12, 2023 | Immigration, News
As Title 42 Expires, New York Immigrant Advocates Keep Working
By Fisayo Okare
MAY 09, 2023
After three years of using Title 42 to control the number of migrants crossing the border, the policy will finally expire tomorrow.
Title 42’s stated objective was to suspend the “introduction” of certain individuals who have been in “Coronavirus Impacted Areas,” and was used to expel many migrants at the southern border without letting them seek asylum. The federal government ended the national health emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic last month, consequently necessitating the end of Title 42 too.
The number of undocumented migrants crossing the border has recently been estimated at around 7,500 per day. However, U.S. officials expect that number to increase to 13,000 each day as soon as Title 42 ends.
This means that destination or transitory cities that many migrants head to — such as New York City — are likely to see more migrants arrive.
A key question remains: Will New York City be able to provide necessary humanitarian services — shelter, food, and legal assistance — to migrants if there is an increased need?
Organizations Documented spoke to are continuing their work of providing information to migrants, connecting them to resources, and strengthening their ability to represent themselves in court. That includes UnLocal, which provides direct immigration legal representation and education to immigrants.
“We have experience in working with people who are seeking asylum, we have experience in working with people who are looking for humanitarian options for their immigration status,” UnLocal Executive Director Terry Lawson said. “And we are spending a lot of time at UnLocal thinking through Pro Se options with our community partners, and really doing our best in whatever ways we can.”
Community supporters, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys have been helping recently arrived migrants to receive Pro Se assistance in completing and filing their asylum and work authorization applications. The Pro Se Plus Project, which UnLocal and its partners run, trains people to understand the requirements for asylum so that they too can help recently arrived migrants.
“We want people to have access to information, and teach them what to do when you are in court,” Lawson said. This includes how to fill out an I-589 asylum application form. “So that we take away some of the mystery around it, which is really scary for people, and so we feel like people are as equipped as they can be going in, knowing that it’s going to be very hard for them to get a lawyer.”
As Texas Governor Greg Abbott began sending migrants that had crossed the Texas-Mexico border to New York City last summer, mutual aid groups and nonprofit organizations stepped up to help them access food, clothing, legal services, and other assistance.
The City administration also stepped up its efforts to help migrants by setting up a dedicated team as well as humanitarian relief centers to house them. Now, those services may need to meet a growing demand in the coming weeks.
To create more space in the City for migrants who might arrive, Mayor Eric Adams has said migrants who are already in the City and are willing to head to other neighboring communities like the Hudson Valley will be transported there.
Officials in the region haven’t embraced the idea. Two days ago, Rockland County even declared a state of emergency for 30 days and barred the City administration from sending migrants to its communities.
“Sending busloads of people to this county that does not have the infrastructure to care for them will only compound that issue tenfold while straining support systems that are already at a breaking point,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day in a statement.
Adams has said only single adult men will be sent to the Hudson Valley for up to four months, as the City is trying to create more space for new migrants.
Andrew Heinrich, executive director and supervising attorney at Project Rosseau, offered representation on Monday to someone who only got to New York last week on a bus from Texas. On average, between 40 to 50 families visit Project Rousseau weekly to use their immigration screening services.
“I evaluated their case and we offered them representation that quickly,” he said. “So that’s the only way we’re going to be able to stay ahead of the curve here.”
Read the original story in Documented: As Title 42 Expires, New York Immigrant Advocates Keep Working
by Natasha B. | Apr 18, 2023 | Internships & Careers

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: IMMIGRATION PARALEGAL
Catholic Migration Services is an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, provides high quality free legal services, community education, and advocacy for low-income immigrants residing in Brooklyn and Queens, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status. CMS assists individuals with their immigration, housing, and employment legal needs. CMS is committed to “welcoming the stranger in our midst” by serving and working alongside underserved immigrant communities to advance equality and social justice in an ever-changing landscape.
The Immigration Paralegal will work with our immigration program’s Affirmative Team, and will provide direct services to immigrants seeking to obtain immigration benefits, including but not limited to green card renewals, adjustment of status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS), religious visas, family reunification, employment authorization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), visas for victims of crime and trafficking, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), etc. The Immigration Paralegal’s work will include intake, outreach, information and referral, and application assistance. The Immigration Paralegal is encouraged to attend immigration trainings with a view to becoming an accredited representative with the US Department of Justice. This is a unique opportunity for someone passionate about immigrant rights and energized to empower immigrant communities.
The Immigration Paralegal will be based in our Sunnyside, Queens office. Currently, CMS staff work a hybrid schedule of three days in the office and two days at home.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Conduct pre-screenings, intake and assess eligibility for immigration benefits, under the supervision of a CMS Supervising Attorney or DOJ Accredited Representative;
- Prepare and submit applications to U.S.C.I.S. on behalf of clients, and follow-up with clients throughout the application process, under the supervision of a CMS Supervising Attorney or DOJ Accredited Representative;
- Copy, scan and otherwise assist in the preparation of client application packages for relief from removal and other immigration benefits;
- Retrieve records for clients such as birth certificates, criminal histories, tax records, medical records, etc.;
- Provide staff of the immigration department with translation and interpretation assistance;
- Manage caseload and maintain client files in good working order. Maintain and update case list and client and case information in case management database;
- Assist clients with access and enrollment in social services benefits;
- Communicate regularly and in a timely manner with assigned clients, keeping them informed of case status;
- Participate in CMS staff meetings and case review;
- Attend immigration trainings, including for the purpose of pursuing accreditation with the U.S. Department of Justice; keep up to date with all relevant legal updates.
- Participate in Catholic Migration Services functions on evenings and weekends, such as legal clinics, educational events, or workshops held at parishes or community based organizations; andProvide additional support as needed.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required;
- Prior or related immigration experience preferred;
- Demonstrated commitment to public interest work preferred;
- Excellent writing, communication and analytical skills;
- Fluency in a second language required; fluency in written and oral Spanish or Haitian Creole strongly preferred;
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills;
- Basic computer skills;
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently; and
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy:
Catholic Migration Services values workplace diversity and welcomes applicants and employees of all backgrounds. CMS strives to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. CMS makes all employment decisions without regard to any applicant’s or employee’s protected characteristics, including their race, religion, color, national origin, immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest conviction record, or marital status.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary is on a union scale based on years of experience. The salary range for an immigration paralegal with two to seven years of experience is $49,725 to $56,355. CMS offers a very competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, transit benefits, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a 403(b) retirement plan including employer contribution. We offer generous leave policies, including four weeks paid vacation, four paid personal days, fourteen paid holidays and the week off between Christmas and New Year’s Days, inclusive.
Union Representation:
This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW, Local 2325.
Application Instructions:
Applications will be accepted immediately and will be considered on a rolling basis. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and a list of two professional references to Raluca Oncioiu, Immigration Managing Attorney at roncioiu@catholicmigration.org.
Download this job announcement as a pdf: Immigration Paralegal
by Natasha B. | Apr 17, 2023 | CMS in the News, News
April 11, 2023
By Univision 41 Nueva York

Por Univision 41 Nueva York
Tras una batalla legal y decenas de denuncias, inquilinos de un edificio en Jackson Heights en Queens lograron una victoria en la corte, y el dueño de los apartamentos comenzó con reparaciones.
El mes pasado los inquilinos, en su mayoría de origen hispano, habían denunciado a Univision 41 el abandono en el que se encontraba este complejo ubicado en la 34th Road.
Moho, roedores, elevadores sin funcionar, ventanas con daños eran parte de la lista de problemas con los que convivían a diario.
Los afectados se unieron con la organización Catholic Migration Services para demandar al rentero en la corte civil de Queens.
El juez le dio un ultimátum a los dueños reparar los desperfectos y le dio como plazo hasta el 31 de mayo para terminar.
La remodelación ya inició, pero en caso de no terminarse, se le impondrá una multa al rentero.
“(Si no cumple) los inquilinos pueden demandar al dueño y entonces el juez va a decir que el dueño necesita pagar una multa”, indicó Bryan Fotino de la asociación Catholic Migration Services.
Fidel Portales tenía dos años con moho en el baño de su apartamento, además de problemas con una ventana.
Ambos problemas ya fueron solucionados.
“Si no era por ellos (la Catholic Migration Services) esto no va padelante”, agradeció Portales.
by Natasha B. | Apr 5, 2023 | CMS in the News, News
April 3, 2023
By Ethan Marshall

Photo by Ethan Marshall, Jackson Heights Post
Tenants of the Jackson Heights apartment building at 94-16 34th Road were joined by representatives from the Right to Counsel NYC Coalition (RTCNYC) and Catholic Migration Services on April 3 for a rally demanding safer living conditions and a statewide right to counsel.
The rally outside the Queens Housing Court in Jamaica marked the second held by the tenants in just over a month.
With the building’s tenants being predominantly low-and-middle-income people of Hispanic descent, they held the rally to bring attention to the poor living conditions that has put the health and safety of the building’s residents for the last 30 years. Additionally, they are uplifting their case to call for the passage of legislation-Statewide Right to Counsel (A1493-Joyner/S2721-May) for all New York state residents in any type of case that could result in eviction.
When the tenants and landlord met at their Feb. 27 court appearance, an agreement was ultimately reached to arrange access for maintenance to complete the repairs. However, the landlord’s workers frequently didn’t show up on certain access dates, according to the tenants. This has led to unresolved repairs, including insufficient heat and a malfunctioning elevator.
According to one of the tenants, Wanda Martinez, in her 30 years living at the building, she’s seen it change from owner to owner without any of the violations being addressed. She credits the Catholic Migration Services for helping the tenants organize and get the case to court.
“The first time [we were here] we established dates of access so that they can come in and start the repairs,” Martinez said. “They showed up to some, but didn’t show up to others, so we’re back here to negotiate. We’re going to give the [landlord] one more time to do what they have to do before we approach the judge and let them see that there is no good faith and that we may have to present a court case.”
Martinez said that the feedback she has received from the Catholic Migration Services attorney representing them, as well as the willingness of tenants to discuss their problems, has led her to determine April 3 as being an ultimatum date for the landlord.
According to Catholic Migration Services attorney Sarah Hainbach, there has been an agreement to a May 31 deadline of getting the building’s issues fixed. If the issues are not resolved by then, the tenants would sue the landlord.
“The landlord and the tenants agreed to a settlement today,” Hainbach said. “They agreed to all the repairs being completed by May 31, 2023. We’re hoping that’s what happens.”

Photo by Ethan Marshall, Jackson Heights Post
“Our thing is to get our repairs done, to have a good quality of life and not to be at a war with the owner,” Martinez said. “We understand that it’s his property, but we live in it and we deserve a good quality of life.”
In addition to repair issues like a lack of heat and hot water and the failure to address the building’s broken elevator in a timely manner, other factors leading to the tenants’ legal action include the failure to address mold and pests in the building. Additionally, the landlord attempted to pressure tenants to sign illegal leases without offering them new correct leases as well as harassing them by showing up at tenant association meetings and banging on their doors without warning.
A representative from the office of Assembly member Jessica González-Rojas was also on hand to read a statement she provided. In the statement, González-Rojas voiced her support for the tenants.
“No one should have to experience harassment at home,” Assemblymember González-Rojas said in her statement. “It is outrageous that the landlord has not provided the tenants with the renewal leases and that the repairs are not being completed since [the workers] are failing to show up on the dates arranged. Everyone deserves dignified housing and it’s clear that the tenants are not receiving that from the landlord. I urge the landlord to correct these issues immediately and stand and will continue to stand with the tenants of 94-16 34th Rd. until the repairs and needs are met.”
According to Catholic Migration Services Tenant Organizer Bryan Fotino, the landlord will be held accountable for doing the bare minimum in getting the repairs done before the deadline. If the work is not done by May 31, he said they plan to file a lawsuit against the landlord in contempt.

Photo by Ethan Marshall, Jackson Heights Post
“We are also out here in support of statewide right to counsel,” Fotino said. “We have been up in Albany working with state legislators to support this statewide right to counsel legislation. It would not only expand right to counsel throughout New York State, but it would also cover affirmative cases. Tenants who have repair issues will now have a lawyer who can support them as they’re filing their cases to sue their landlord. It’s been very important for the tenants to have the support of CMS legal team, helping them file out paperwork, helping them magnify their voices, helping answer questions about their rights. What this law would do is expand that for everyone.”
by Natasha B. | Mar 3, 2023 | CMS in the News, News, Tenant Advocacy

Por Univision 41 Nueva York
Inquilinos se unieron para exigir soluciones a las constantes problemáticas en sus viviendas, en las que deben lidiar con la presencia de ratones, cucarachas y la falta de mantenimiento. Además, aseguran que el elevador del edificio presenta fallas, lo que afecta a los adultos mayores y personas con problemas de movilidad. El caso llegó hasta la corte y un juez le impuso un mes de plazo al casero para que complete las reparaciones.
Vea la entrevista por Univision 41 Nueva York: “Queremos calidad de vida”: inquilinos denuncian las malas condiciones que viven en un edificio en Nueva York
by Natasha B. | Feb 28, 2023 | CMS in the News, News
February 27, 2023
By Carlotta Mohamed
A group of tenants residing in a Jackson Heights building rallied outside of the Queens Civil Court in Jamaica on Monday, Feb. 27, after taking on their landlord in a group repairs case after years of living in alleged unacceptable conditions. (Photo: Right to Counsel Coalition)
A group of tenants residing in a Jackson Heights building rallied outside of the Queens Civil Court in Jamaica on Monday, Feb. 27, after taking on their landlord in a group repairs case after years of living in alleged unacceptable conditions. They also highlighted the importance of passing legislation that will guarantee representation for tenants in courts across New York State.
The tenants, who are predominantly low-income people and Latino immigrants from Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras, are receiving support from the The Right to Counsel NYC Coalition (RTCNYC) and Catholic Migration Services’ legal and organizing teams in their case.
In Monday’s hearing, the tenants of the building, located at 94-16 34th Rd., and the landlord agreed on a settlement that will allow the city Housing Preservation Department (HPD) to inspect the building. The tenants agreed to grant access to the landlord to make the repairs. The next court date will be held on Monday, April 3, when any outstanding violations will be reviewed.
Following the court hearing, Tenant Association Leader Wanda Martinez said she was under duress to leave her apartment because of safety issues. She even spoke about one tenant who self-evicted due to the landlord’s failure to maintain secure premises.
Prior to being connected with Catholic Migration Services, Martinez said she felt afraid to stand up to her landlord. She wasn’t fully aware of her rights as a tenant.
“Personally, Sarah Hainbach, staff attorney at Catholic Migration Services, made all the difference,” Martinez said. “She informed us of our rights and removed fear from the equation, so we felt comfortable standing up for our wellbeing.”
In their case against the landlord, the tenants say the building continues to be severely undermaintained, even though the tenants have been paying rent. Over the years, there have been numerous power outages in individual units. Tearing up the walls to work on the wiring left dust flying around apartments for over a year, leading multiple tenants to develop asthma and other health complications. There have also been problems with the elevator, rodents, and heat.
On Feb. 23, one tenant was without heat for over 11 hours, according to their Heat Seek device. For some of the tenants in the building, it has been nearly impossible to reach their super for maintenance or cleaning needs, and the tenants have resorted to maintaining the building themselves.
There have also been security issues that the landlord has failed to address. There have been numerous reports of people who don’t live in the building (and weren’t invited as guests) getting inside the building, and the mailboxes, which were once broken into, have still not been repaired.
“They’re paying the rent. They’re upholding their end of the bargain, and all they want is safe living conditions,” said Bryan Fotino, an organizer with Catholic Migration Services.
The tenants of 94-16 34th Rd. are not alone in facing unacceptable living conditions.
In 2021, New Yorkers in approximately 8% of privately owned rental units in New York City suffered under serious housing code violations–HPD’s “class C” violations that are “immediately hazardous” and violate a tenant’s legal right to safe and livable conditions.
Landlords, code enforcement, city agencies and politicians allow these conditions to persist along racial lines: more than twice as many Black and Latinx New Yorkers live in units with three or more maintenance deficiencies than Asian or white New Yorkers, according to the Equity NYC Report.
The Jackson Heights tenants uplifted their case to highlight the importance of passing legislation, Statewide Right to Counsel (A1493-Joyner/S2721-May), that will address the imbalance of power between landlords and tenants in New York State’s housing courts by establishing the Right to Counsel for all New Yorkers in all types of cases that could result in eviction–including affirmative repairs cases.
The legislation was introduced by Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner (D-Bronx) and Senator Rachel May (D-Syracuse).
Under the proposed Statewide Right To Counsel bill, tenants across New York State would have the right to an attorney if their landlord violates their right to a liveable home. Many tenants, often uncounted in official eviction statistics, self-evict each year because of threats to their health and safety they experience at home. Without an attorney, a tenant’s legal right to seek justice in these cases is unattainable.
Read the original story in The Jackson Heights Post: ‘Housing is a human right’: Jackson Heights tenants rally against landlord for alleged poor living conditions and management negligence
by Natasha B. | Jan 28, 2023 | Immigration, News, Press Releases and Statements, Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
UPDATE AS OF: Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Peze la pou tradui nan Kreyol Ayisyen
What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?
- Temporary Protected Status is an immigration status available to some people from countries the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated as “unsafe to return to” for various reasons, such as civil war, political unrest, natural disaster, etc.
- TPS is a temporary immigration status that may be renewed for as long as the TPS designation is in place. A TPS designation may be made for 6, 12 or 18 months at a time. Nationals of the country designated for TPS must register during that time.
- At least 60 days before the expiration of the TPS designation, DHS must decide whether to extend or terminate the designation, based on conditions in that particular country. If TPS is extended, those who were granted TPS must re-register under that extension. Some countries have been designated for TPS for decades.
- DHS may re-designate a country for TPS based on new events that make that country unsafe to return to.
- If you are granted TPS, you:
- May not be deported from the United States;
- Can obtain an employment authorization card and a Social Security number;
- Can obtain permission to travel abroad and return to the United States.
- To be eligible for TPS, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a national of the designated country (or a person without nationality who last habitually resided in that country);
- Have been continuously physically present in the United States since a specified date;
- Have continuously maintained a residence in the United States since a specified date;
- File during the initial registration or re-registration period.
Has Haiti been designated for TPS?
- Haiti was originally designated for TPS after the January 10, 2010 earthquake and redesignated on May 19, 2011. Haitian nationals who were continuously physically present in the United States since January 12, 2011 were eligible to apply. This original designation and redesignation have been extended for years. On November 10, 2022, it was announced that Haitians granted TPS under the original designation and the May 19, 2011 redesignation, and who have timely re-registered under every subsequent extension, will have their TPS status automatically extended through June 30, 2024.
- Haiti was redesignated for TPS on August 3, 2021 for 18 months, until February 3, 2023. Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 29, 2021 are eligible to apply and must do so before February 3, 2023. On December 5, 2022, DHS announced that this designation will be extended for 18 months, until August 3, 2024. Those granted TPS under the 2021 designation must re-register from January 26 to March 27, 2023 in order to maintain TPS and work authorization.
- On December 5, 2022, DHS also announced that Haiti will be redesignated for TPS for 18 months, until August 3, 2024. Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022 are eligible to apply from January 26, 2023 through August 3, 2024.
When can I apply for TPS?
- If you have been granted TPS status under the 2011 designation and have maintained that status, you do not have to re-register for TPS because it has been automatically extended through June 30, 2024. However, as that designation was sought to be terminated by the Trump Administration and that termination is being litigated in court, you may want to register under the 2021 or the 2022 redesignations, which are not subject to litigation. To register under the 2021 redesignation, you must prove that you have been continuously residing in the United States since July 29, 2021 and you must apply before February 3, 2023. To register under the 2022 redesignation, you must prove that you have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022 and you must apply between January 26, 2023 and August 3, 2024.
- If you have been granted TPS under the 2021 redesignation, you will have to re-register for TPS during a 60 day period, from January 26 through March 27, 2023 in order to extend your TPS and work permit to August 3, 2024.
- Work permits with the expiration date of February 3, 2023 are automatically extended through February 3, 2024.
- If your initial application for TPS under the 2021 redesignation is still pending on February 3, 2023, you do not need to file another application to re-register.
- If you have continuously resided in the United States since November 6, 2022, you can register for TPS from January 26, 2023 until August 3, 2024 under the 2022 redesignation.
How do I apply?
We recommend consulting a lawyer to determine if you are eligible to apply for TPS and to learn more about what documents you need to include in your application.
For more information about TPS and referrals to free legal service providers, you can call the New Americans Hotline at (800) 566-7636, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
For additional information, you can also contact Action NYC at (800) 354-0365 – Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. – to connect with City-funded, free and safe immigration legal help.
Download this update as a PDF: Immigration Update Pertaining to Haiti and Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
About Catholic Migration Services: For over 50 years, Catholic Migration Services, a not-for-profit legal services provider affiliated with Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, has been providing quality legal services to low-income individuals in New York City in the areas of immigration, housing, and employment laws. For more information, please visit www.catholicmigration.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CMSBQ.
by Natasha B. | Jan 5, 2023 | Immigration, News, Press Releases and Statements, Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
UPDATE AS OF: Monday, January 1, 2023
What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?
- Temporary Protected Status is an immigration status available to some people from countries the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated as “unsafe to return to” for various reasons, such as civil war, political unrest, natural disaster, etc.
- TPS is a temporary immigration status that may be renewed for as long as the TPS designation is in place. A TPS designation may be made for 6, 12 or 18 months at a time. Nationals of the country designated for TPS must register during that time.
- At least 60 days before the expiration of the TPS designation, DHS must decide whether to extend or terminate the designation, based on conditions in that particular country. If TPS is extended, those who were granted TPS must re-register under that extension. Some countries have been designated for TPS for decades.
- DHS may re-designate a country for TPS based on new events that make that country unsafe to return to.
- If you are granted TPS, you:
- May not be deported from the United States;
- Can obtain an employment authorization card and a Social Security number;
- Can obtain permission to travel abroad and return to the United States.
- To be eligible for TPS, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a national of the designated country (or a person without nationality who last habitually resided in that country);
- Have been continuously physically present in the United States since a specified date;
- Have continuously maintained a residence in the United States since a specified date;
- File during the initial registration or re-registration period.
Has Haiti been designated for TPS?
- Haiti was originally designated for TPS after the January 10, 2010 earthquake and redesignated on May 19, 2011. Haitian nationals who were continuously physically present in the United States since January 12, 2011 were eligible to apply. This original designation and redesignation have been extended for years. On November 10, 2022, it was announced that Haitians granted TPS under the original designation and the May 19, 2011 redesignation, and who have timely re-registered under every subsequent extension, will have their TPS status automatically extended through June 30, 2024.
- Haiti was redesignated for TPS on August 3, 2021 for 18 months, until February 3, 2023. Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since July 29, 2021 are eligible to apply and must do so before February 3, 2023. On December 5, 2022, DHS announced that this designation will be extended for 18 months, until August 3, 2024. The re-registration period has not been announced yet.
- On December 5, 2022, DHS also announced that Haiti will be redesignated for TPS for 18 months, until August 3, 2024. Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022 are eligible to apply and must do so before August 3, 2024.
When can I apply for TPS?
- If you have been granted TPS status under the 2011 designation and have maintained that status, you do not have to re-register for TPS because it has been automatically extended through June 30, 2024. However, as that designation was sought to be terminated by the Trump Administration and that termination is being litigated in court, you may want to register under the 2021 or the 2022 redesignations, which are not subject to litigation. To register under the 2021 redesignation, you must prove that you have been continuously residing in the United States since July 29, 2021 and you must apply before February 3, 2023. To register under the 2022 redesignation, you must prove that you have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022 and you must apply before August 3, 2024 – this registration process has not started yet.
- If you have been granted TPS under the 2021 redesignation, you will have to re-register under the extension announced on December 5, 2022. That re-registration period has not started yet.
- If you have NOT been granted TPS under previous designations and you have continuously resided in the United states since November 6, 2022, you can register when the registration period is announced and until August 3, 2024. That registration period has not started yet.
- To confirm the start of these registration and re-registration processes, please call the New York State New Americans Hotline – a hotline that provides free information and referrals on immigration matters – at 800-566-7636, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
How do I apply?
We recommend consulting a lawyer to determine if you are eligible to apply for TPS and to learn more about what documents you need to include in your application.
For more information about TPS and referrals to free legal service providers, you can call the New Americans Hotline at (800) 566-7636, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
For additional information, you can also contact Action NYC at (800) 354-0365 – Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. – to connect with City-funded, free and safe immigration legal help.
Download this update as a PDF: Immigration Update Pertaining to Haiti and Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
About Catholic Migration Services: For over 50 years, Catholic Migration Services, a not-for-profit legal services provider affiliated with Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, has been providing quality legal services to low-income individuals in New York City in the areas of immigration, housing, and employment laws. For more information, please visit www.catholicmigration.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @CMSBQ.