CMS Teams Up with Guatemalan Consulate in Brooklyn

Sunday, January 27, 2013

On Sunday, Catholic Migration Services joined the Guatemalan Consulate of New York for a “mobile consulate” event in the gymnasium of Regina Pacis Church in Borough Park, Brooklyn.

The Guatemalan Consulate hosts “mobile consulate” events to accommodate the needs of Guatemalan communities throughout New York and New Jersey. At Sunday’s event in Brooklyn, Consulate representatives assisted Guatemalan immigrants with applying for and renewing passports. A number of organizations, including CMS, attended the event to offer information about their services.

CitiBank and BanRural were on hand to help people open bank accounts that would enable them to easily send money to relatives living in Guatemala. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) manned a table, where representatives provided information on workers’ rights and workplace safety.

CMS Immigration Counselor and Outreach Specialist Megan Helbling met with Guatemalans with immigration questions and concerns, referring those with potential cases to CMS for consultations. Many potentially qualified for assistance under CMS’ newly-reopened Removal Defense Project.

Last year, Catholic Migration Services entered into a partnership with the Guatemalan Consulate in support of  Línea Laboral, a bilingual workers’ rights hotline operated by CMS. Read more about this strategic partnership here.

Learn more about the Guatemalan Consulate in New York at its official website.