by changer | Oct 3, 2013 | News
Thursday October 3, 2013
CMS and the Queens Housing Collation were featured in a video which outlines how the plans for the redevelopment of Willets Point excludes a legal guarantee for affordable housing and for the group relocation of the 250 auto mechanical businesses that have been in the area for over 15 years. The Queens Housing Coalition and CMS are drawing attention to the workers and residents of the Willets Point community who deserve a voice in the redevelopment of their community.
In 2008 city officials and local community advocates agreed upon a plan to redevelop the area into a new mix used area. The plan offered benefits to the community such as a new school, a community center and it promised to relocate the workers displaced by the project. This (more…)
by changer | Sep 30, 2013 | News
Monday September 30, 2013
On Wednesday evening on September 26th the Queens Housing Coalition and Catholic Migration Services gathered with community members for the first meeting of the fall at St. Sebastian Parish. The gathering set a much energized tone for the upcoming year. Ivan Contreras, QHC coordinator spoke about the upcoming actions and the latest news on the plans for redevelopment of the Willets Point area. The emphasis of the discussion was the idea that affordable housing needed to be a non –negotiable factor in the plans for Willets Point. There were approximately 90 people present as strategies and ideas were exchanged. (more…)
by changer | Sep 18, 2013 | News
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Catholic Migration services is pleased to partner with The New Americans Campaign. This is a multi-state campaign to help legally qualified aspiring citizens navigate the path to becoming new Americans. Their major points of success are breaking down the barriers that people face during the naturalization process.
Take four minutes to see and hear about the the work that the New Americans Campaign undertakes and the difference that they have made.
Look out for a special feature of one of our very own immigration attorneys Sharone Schwartz-Kaufman.
Click here to see the video.
by changer | Aug 23, 2013 | News
At a recent event to kick-off Labor Rights Week hosted by the Mexican Consulate in New York, CMS Staff Attorney Alice Davis spoke about the success of our work on behalf immigrant laborers who suffer workplace abuses. In 2009, CMS initiated its Immigrant Workers Rights Program and launched Linea Laboral, a toll free workers’ rights hotline sponsored in part by the Mexican Consulate. The program has grown to include partnerships with multiple consulates of Latin American countries as well the New York State and United States Departments of Labor. Together, we have helped to recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages for immigrant laborers. Labor Rights Week is intended to raise awareness of workers’ rights and encourage immigrant workers to report wage theft and other legal violations.
by changer | Aug 2, 2013 | News
The Spring/Summer issue of the American Bar Association’s Dialogue Magazine features the work of CMS’ Immigrant Tenant Advocacy Program in its Grantee Spotlight section. Click here to read the full article.
by changer | Jul 30, 2013 | News
CMS legal staff recently assisted more than 100 El Salvadoran families to apply for renewal of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). In collaboration with Centro Hispano Cuzcatlan, CMS made a coordinated effort to provide easily accessible legal counseling and representation to eligible individuals in Jamaica, Queens. This service is very significant to the El Salvadoran immigrant community because TPS provides lawful status and employment authorization in the United States. This form of immigration relief was first made available to El Salvadoran nationals present in the United States in the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that occurred in El Salvador in 2001. It has since been extended but all beneficiaries of TPS are required to apply for renewal of their status.
This project was supervised by CMS Immigration Operations Manager Frederick Stefani and conducted by six CMS staff members, including attorneys and immigration counselors, plus two volunteers.
