Tag: daca

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AABANY Participates in Health and Community Fair in Sunset Park

On August 24, 2024, AABANY participated in a health and community fair called “Health Empowerment Celebration” organized by RaisingHealth in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. It was their third fair, and it included more than 40 community partners. They provided programs and services, such as free health screenings and resources, food, arts activities, and cultural performances. Kwok Ng (Co-Chair of the Pro Bono and Community Service Committee), May Wong (Co-Chair of Professional Development Committee), and Nandar Winn Kerr (Co-chair of Professional Development Committee) volunteered to provide immigration rights brochures, flyers about the new changes to medical coverage for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, Brooklyn Pro Bono Legal Clinic flyers, and legal referral sheets.

Starting August 1, 2024, DACA recipients are now eligible for subsidized coverage through the Essential Plan. After November 1, 2024, they will be eligible for Qualified Health Plans. For more information, please visit – https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/

On the same day, AABANY also participated in the Immigrant Rights Fair co-organized by Committee of 100 in downtown Flushing. Read that blog post here.

We are honored to have participated at these events, to raise awareness about immigrant rights and health benefits, and to offer resources to those who need valuable and free legal advice and assistance. Thank you to volunteers and our community partners! 

Please join us at these upcoming Pro Bono Clinics:

September 18, 2024 [Manhattan], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, AAFE Community Center, 111 Norfolk Street, NY, NY 10002

October 2, 2024 [Queens], from 6:00 – 8:30pm, One Flushing Community Center, 133-29 41st Ave, 2nd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355

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NAPABA Applauds Supreme Court Ruling on Protecting DREAMers

For Immediate Release: 
Date: June 18, 2020

Contact: Priya Purandare, Executive Director
Email: [email protected]

Today, in a 5-4 landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s decision in 2017 to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) violated federal law in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California. The DACA program, whose beneficiaries are also known as DREAMers, protects eligible undocumented youth from deportation and provides them with work permits. Approximately 650,000 individuals, including more than 16,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), benefit from this program and about 120,000 AAPIs are eligible for DACA. The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) applauds the Court for its decision, which will protect these individuals, many of whom are the sole providers in their families.

“The Court’s decision ensures the protection of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. These DREAMers now know they are currently safe from being suddenly deported from the country in which they grew up, went to school, and now work,” said Bonnie Lee Wolf, President of NAPABA. “There has been strong bipartisan support in Congress to protect DREAMers, who significantly contribute to their communities in the United States. The Court’s decision is not a permanent fix and Congress needs to act. NAPABA remains committed to protecting DREAMers.”

NAPABA’s policy resolution to support the continuation of DACA recipients can be found here and the original resolution to support DACA recipients can be found here. The Supreme Court decision can be found here. 

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Asian Americans Rally in Support of DACA and TPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:

 Jo-Ann Yoo, (212) 344-5878, x217, [email protected]

New York City – October 6, 2017:  Yesterday, the Asian American Federation held a rally at Trump Tower with our member agencies and leading immigrant advocacy groups to speak out in support of Asian American Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, who are being impacted by the dissolution of the DACA program under the Trump administration. Twenty-three organizations and nearly 200 New Yorkers, including Congresswoman Grace Meng, Council Member Margaret Chin, Assemblymember Yuh-line Niou, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, and Comptroller Scott Stringer, joined hands with the Federation to defend the future of our DREAMers.

On the day that marked the deadline to apply for DACA status renewal, organizers mobilized protestors across the pan-Asian community and other immigrant communities to call on Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act as well as extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible immigrants from designated countries. Currently, over 136,000 Asian Americans in the U.S. – and over 13,000 Asian Americans in New York State alone – will be stripped of any protection from deportation (or lose the opportunity to apply for such protection) come March of next year, when the DACA program is scheduled to expire. This will leave a significant number of our young people at immediate risk of losing everything, including being subject to imminent deportation. Moreover, TPS expirations begin in January 2018, leaving approximately 9,000 Nepalis vulnerable to losing their TPS in June and having to return to an unstable home country.

The strong turnout at the Asian. American. Dreamer. Rally made it clear to the Trump administration and Congress that the Asian community and other immigrant communities will not stand silently by the sidelines while our family members, friends, colleagues, and neighbors are under threat of losing their civil liberties. DACA beneficiaries have made vital social and economic contributions to the only country they call home, and their removal from our systems will not only tear apart families but also lead to a national economic decline of $433.4 billion over the next decade. Similarly, TPS recipients undergird a significant portion of our workforce in domestic and personal care services, whose exodus would leave many of these industries unable to fill the demand for services.

Jo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation, said, “We have never been a country that punishes children for their parents’ decisions or turns our back on those who most need our help. The President has rescinded on his promise to protect our vulnerable young people by passing the buck to Congress. Now, Congress must make the moral decision of passing a clean DREAM Act to provide the future generation with an opportunity to live out the lives they were promised.”

Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Queens) said, “DACA has allowed approximately 800,000 DREAMers to come out of the shadows and contribute to our country. The President’s decision to end the program is inhumane and openly abandons American values. I will keep up the fight in Congress to pass legislation that would allow DREAMers to remain in the United States, and I continue to stand with all these hard-working young people who know America as their only home.”

“President Trump’s cruel decision to end DACA and threaten the Temporary Protected Status program is an affront to who we are as Americans,” said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “It doesn’t make us safer, it doesn’t make our economy stronger, and it goes against everything the Statue of Liberty represents. I will continue to fight for our incredible DREAMers and TPS recipients, including the thousands of Asian New Yorkers who will be directly harmed if these protections are taken away from them, and I urge all of my colleagues in the Senate to do the right thing and join me in this fight.”

Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) said, “DREAMers bring new talents and skills to our economy, and they are contributing to every facet of American life. Without DACA, these young people are forced to live in the shadows. Congress must do the right thing and immediately pass a clean DREAM Act.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “The 30,000 Dreamers in this city are our friends, family, and neighbors – and New Yorkers through and through. I urge Congress to act quickly and pass the DREAM Act so these cherished members of our community can stay in the only home they have ever known. In the meantime, free, confidential legal help is available to residents by calling 311 and asking for ActionNYC.”

“Much like today’s DACA recipients, I was once a young immigrant who came to this country in the hope of forging a better life,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. “We cannot and must not deny this generation of Dreamers the same opportunity. I join our community in calling on Congress today to act to pass a clean Dream Act.”

“Many in our immigrant communities feel threatened by the Trump Administration’s efforts to destroy protections for Dreamers,” said Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. “We cannot stand by and let the lives of undocumented young people be destroyed in order to appeal to those who believe that our diversity is a liability. We must band together and push back against anti-immigrant measures in order to demonstrate to the Trump Administration that our diversity is in fact our country’s greatest asset.”

Assemblyman Ron Kim said, “We need to stand up for those who were brought here as children and have grown up in this country. They have made lives for themselves here. Their success is our success, and we cannot abandon them now.”

“Our message to Trump and Congress is simple: DACA needs to stay, and New York’s Asian American community stands firmly behind Dreamers,“ said Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou. “Immigrants contribute immensely to our communities, and it is critical that we prevent thousands of young Americans, including Asian American Dreamers, from being pushed into the shadows. I will continue to stand by our Dreamers, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and Asian American advocates to protect immigrant communities across New York State.”

“It is critical that we stand with our communities and join together in speaking out against hate. That is why I strongly support the urgent call to pass the DREAM Act, legislation that will protect Asian American DREAMers and immigrant communities in New York and across the country,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D,WF-Fresh Meadows).

“We are a country built by immigrants, a culture made richer by immigrants, and a community held together by immigrants. Congress must find the moral courage to stand up to the bigotry and xenophobia of this administration and reinstate DACA immediately,” said Public Advocate Letitia James.

“The President’s decision to end DACA without permanent legislative relief is as cruel as it gets. As the renewal date sunsets, I am proud to stand with an unprecedented coalition of pan-Asian leaders to urge Congress to do the right thing and pass a clean DREAM Act immediately,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer.

“I stand in solidarity with the thousands of Asian American DACA recipients whose lives are being negatively impacted by the Trump administration’s dissolution of DACA,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Elmhurst, Jackson Heights). “DACA is a humane program that has helped thousands of immigrant New Yorkers earn a living and provide for their families. President Trump’s DACA phase-out is heartless and reckless. It flies in the face of all that this country stands for. Congress must immediately pass a comprehensive DREAM Act that will fix our broken immigration system once and for all. As a Council Member representing one of the largest Asian American populations in New York, I will do all that I can to defend DACA’s future and advocate for comprehensive immigration reform.”

Council Member Rory Lancman said, “Donald Trump’s decision to end the DACA program is cruel, callous, and goes against the basic values that make our country great. DACA recipients, thousands of whom live in New York City, contribute greatly to our economy and our communities. These incredible young people should be permitted to continue their pursuit of the American Dream, instead of being forced back to a country they barely know. I am proud to stand with the DREAMers and will work every day to support our immigrant communities.”

“We will not stand by silently while the Trump Administration risks the well-being of immigrant New York, including the one million Asian American immigrants that call New York home,” said Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “We are proud to join our partners at the Asian American Federation to defend DACA and TPS, and to protect the people who truly make America great.”

Margaret Fung, executive director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), said “Since the inception of the DACA program in 2012, AALDEF has worked closely with undocumented AAPI youth to screen for DACA eligibility and to provide them with pro bono representation in filing their DACA applications. As a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans, we are calling on Congress to move forward legislation that will protect DACA recipients and other undocumented young immigrants, as well as a long-term legislative fix for the rest of the approximately 11 million undocumented individuals living in the United States.”

“Tearing apart the lives and families of young people – who are just trying to better themselves in America – will be the only accomplishment of ending DACA,” said Christopher Kui, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality. “We all have an obligation to hold up the ideals of our country and in no way does that include deporting the American Dream.”

“The effort to dissolve DACA is yet another example of this administration’s misguided policies that are destroying our country rather than ‘making it great’! Immigrants are built into the very fabric of America, and without immigrants, America would fall apart – economically, socially and politically,” said Annetta Seecharran, executive director of Chhaya Community Development Corporation.

“Chinese immigrants, regardless of their status, have been making significant contributions to this country since the 1800s. We stand with everyone here today to defend DACA and support a ‘clean’ DREAM Act,” said Mae Lee, executive director of the Chinese Progressive Association.

“The Chinese-American Planning Council stands united with our Dreamers and allies in urging Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act and protections inclusive of all immigrants. As the nation’s largest Asian American social services organization, we are committed to providing a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals of all backgrounds,” said Wayne Ho, executive director of the Chinese-American Planning Council.

Kavita Mehra, executive director of Sakhi for South Asian Women said, “Sakhi for South Asian Women firmly opposes President Trump’s decision to end the DACA program. We stand with our immigrant community, remain committed to serving all survivors that walk through our doors regardless of immigration status, and believe that all people are worthy of living with dignity, respect, and opportunity.”

Robina Niaz, executive director of Turning Point for Women and Families, said, “At Turning Point for Women and Families, we work actively with immigrant and Muslim families on a daily basis. We are deeply concerned that educational and employment opportunities and other protection programs currently available to DACA recipients are being threatened. We stand united in the fight against the elimination of DACA and fully support our immigrant sisters and brothers. We call on Congress to protect immigrants’ right to life without fear of deportation and prevent families from being torn apart.”

Rally Co-Sponsors: Adhikaar, Alliance of South Asian American Labor, Arab American Association of New York, Asian American Arts Alliance, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Americans for Equality, Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Chinese-American Planning Council, Chinese Progressive Association, Council of People’s Organization, Desis Rising Up and Moving, Japanese American Association of New York, Japanese American Social Services, Inc., Korean American Family Service Center, Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, MinKwon Center for Community Action, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, New York Immigration Coalition, OCA-NY, Sakhi for South Asian Women, Turning Point for Women and Families, University Settlement

The Asian American Federation works to raise the influence and well-being of the pan-Asian American community through research, policy advocacy, public awareness, and organizational development.  Established in 1989, AAF supports over 40 Asian American community service agencies, which work to meet the critical needs of the fastest-growing population in New York City.  For more information, please visit www.aafederation.org.

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NAPABA Condemns the President’s Decision to End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program

For Immediate Release
Sept. 5, 2017                                                 

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) condemns President Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), a program that protects eligible undocumented youth from deportation and provides them with work permits. Approximately 800,000 individuals, including over 30,000 Asian Pacific Americans, benefitted from the program.

“Ending protections for some of the most vulnerable in the immigrant community is a step back from progress. President Trump’s decision means that hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their families now face an uncertain future,” said NAPABA President Cyndie M. Chang. “DACA protected undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children from being suddenly deported from the country in which they grew up, went to school, and now work. There is bipartisan support for the protection of these young individuals.

“The Administration’s decision and their enforcement priorities underscore the need for Congress to enact meaningful immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship,” continued President Chang. “We urge Congress to take a first step and protect these youth by passing the bipartisan DREAM Act, sponsored by Senators Graham and Durbin. We stand with our immigrant communities, and urge our elected officials to do the same.”

The end of DACA will hurt every industry and community. Individuals protected by DACA are an integral part of the America’s present and future. They contribute to the American economy and to our rich and diverse culture. The Cato Institute estimates this decision will cost the United States $60 billion to deport 800,000 students and workers, and result in a loss of $280 billion in economic growth over the next 10 years.

NAPABA stands firmly in support of immigrant communities. Congress must stand with the immigrant community, uphold American values of diversity, acceptance, and inclusion, and work to protect DACA recipients.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at202-775-9555 or [email protected].

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An Open Letter from the MinKwon Center

An Open Letter from the MinKwon Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
November 18, 2016                       

For more information, contact:

James Hong

718.460.5600
[email protected]

Dear Friends, Allies and Community,

For decades, the MinKwon Center has fought for those oppressed and marginalized in society.  Today, our mission to empower our community takes on an unprecedented urgency.

  • Legal services and consultation for immigrants regarding their status will continue.  If you are undocumented, contact us immediately to see if you are eligible for a visa or other form of relief.  This includes anyone currently with DACA.
  • DACA recipients with expirations in the next 6 months should contact us immediately, to process a renewal.  We have begun offering additional clinic days to process these applications.
  • We are preparing know-your-rights workshops on protecting yourself when approached by immigration enforcement officials.
  • The Asian American Dreamers Collective, our undocumented young adult group, is convening special meetings and events for Dreamers to share a space of grief, pain and to respond together.
  • MinKwon is strategizing with our allies in the non-profit, government and philanthropic world on how to respond to a federal government hostile to immigrants in a way not seen in generations.

We are here to help, assist and empower the community.  As an organization committed to immigrants, the MinKwon Center is renewed in its sense of mission to serve the urgent needs of the vulnerable, and to give a voice to the undocumented, low-income, limited English proficient, and Asian Americans who are now at even greater risk.
 
This is not a time to stay silent, nor to accept what is happening to our family members, friends, neighbors, or co-workers.  It is a time for action, and we invite you to join us.
 
Contact us if you have questions, need assistance or would like to volunteer.  Our number is 718-460-5600.

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Press Release: NAPABA Disappointed in Outcome of Immigration Case Heard by the U.S. Supreme Court

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is disappointed by the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s split decision announced today in United States v. Texas. The court did not reach a decision in a challenge to the President’s executive action on immigration, including the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The split outcome leaves in place the Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit’s decision to block implementation of the programs.

“We are disappointed in the decision of the Supreme Court to not make a clear statement on the Fifth Circuit’s decision to enjoin the implementation of these important immigration policies. The outcome leaves over four million undocumented immigrants living in the shadow of deportation,” said NAPABA President Jin Y. Hwang. “Today’s result underscores the importance of Congress taking swift action to pass comprehensive immigration reform.”

The lower court in this case temporarily blocked the implementation of the expanded DACA and DAPA programs, which affected an estimated 4.9 million undocumented and vulnerable immigrants, including approximately 1.3 million Asian Pacific Americans. Under these programs, eligible applicants would not be a priority for deportation and could apply for a temporary work authorization. The original DACA program remains unaffected and more than 100,000 Asian Pacific Americans remain eligible for that program.

NAPABA, along with a diverse coalition of 325 immigration, civil rights, labor, and social service groups, including the National Immigration Law Center, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in this case to urge the Court to lift the injunction that has blocked the President’s executive action on immigration from moving forward. View the brief here.

For more information, the media may contact Brett Schuster, NAPABA communications manager, at 202-775-9555 or [email protected].

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Valuing Our Undocumented Heritage: Stories from the Margins Past & Present

Monday, April 18th from 6 to 8 PM

CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue, Rooms 9205 & 9206
New York, NY 10016

Event Description:
This live storytelling event offers a historical perspective on immigration reform told firsthand by formerly undocumented New Yorkers, as well as expert commentary on the historical roots of immigration policy.

Stories told by recipients of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) will link past and present and speak to the conditions that undocumented Americans face today. Through sharing and connecting these stories, we will create a fuller picture of whose contributions are valued in our society and celebrate the social, cultural and civic contributions of current and formerly undocumented residents to New York City.

The event will include a screening of a short video from Documented cIRCA ’86: Immigration Reform Turns Thirty, a multimedia oral history and public engagement project that celebrates the lives and accomplishments of immigrants who were offered a pathway to legalization through the 1986 IRCA program.

Panelists include:
Stedroy Cleghorne, IRCA recipient, Visual Artist & Professor, FIT
Mouhamed Kaba, West African DACAmented New Yorker
Azadeh Khalili, IRCA recipient, Executive Director of NYC Mayor’s Commission on Gender Equity
Peter Kwong, Distinguished Professor, Urban Affairs & Planning, Hunter College

Co-sponsored by:
Documented cIRCA 86: Immigration Reform Turns Thirty * Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs * CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies * NYC Department of Records and Information Services * Make the Road NY * New York Immigration Coalition

MORE INFO VISIT: www.artivista.org/documented-circa86

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PRESS RELEASE: NAPABA Calls on the Justice Department to Appeal Fifth Circuit Decision on DAPA and expanded DACA

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For Immediate Release
Nov. 12, 2015

For More Information, Contact:
Brett Schuster, Communications Manager
[email protected], 202-775-9555

NAPABA Calls on the Justice Department to Appeal Fifth Circuit Decision on DAPA and expanded DACA

WASHINGTON — The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is deeply disappointed with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Texas v. United States to continue to place on hold President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiatives. This decision prevents deportation relief to an estimated 4.9 million undocumented immigrants, of which an estimated 1.3 million are Asian Pacific American immigrants.

“The Fifth Circuit’s decision leaves millions of families in limbo and at risk of continuing to be torn apart,” said Jin Hwang, president of NAPABA. “NAPABA urges the U.S. Department of Justice to appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court so that implementation of these programs can move forward and families can receive needed relief. This decision highlights the need of Congress to pass legislation to address the problems in the immigration system.”  

This lawsuit was filed in December 2014 and blocks the implementation of temporary deferred action programs. Of the 1.3 million undocumented Asian Pacific Americans, an estimated 400,000 will benefit from this temporary relief. Supporting the need for comprehensive immigration reform has long been a priority for NAPABA.

_______________________________________________________________________

The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) is the national association of Asian Pacific American attorneys, judges, law professors, and law students. NAPABA represents the interests of approximately 50,000 attorneys and approximately 75 national, state, and local Asian Pacific American bar associations. Its members include solo practitioners, large firm lawyers, corporate counsel, legal services and non-profit attorneys, and lawyers serving at all levels of government.

NAPABA continues to be a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian Pacific American communities. Through its national network of committees and affiliates, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of color in the legal profession.

To learn more about NAPABA, visit www.napaba.org, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@NAPABA).

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DACA & DAPA Trainings – Be Sure You’re Ready to Help!

Registration is now open!

A judge in Texas may have delayed the implementation of Administrative Relief, but he hasn’t stopped it! We need to continue preparing our communities so that when the court injunction is lifted, as many people can be ready to apply for expanded DACA or DAPA as possible.

The time is now to learn how to be fully prepared – to engage in outreach, respond to questions, and to learn how to pre-screen for eligibility and prepare cases for legal review. Since community groups are the trusted first point of contact for many immigrant New Yorkers, it is our aim to empower you with the tools and trainings needed to make sure you are ready for Administrative Relief.

To that end, we have developed a series of trainings for community partners. We encourage you to select a training that best suits your organization’s capacity and ability to work on Administrative Relief (specifically expanded DACA and DAPA):

Community Ambassador Training (3 hour training):
This is the ideal training for partners looking for a basic understanding of what President Obama’s November Executive Actions means and for instruction on how to educate our immigrant communities through public education, workshops and referrals. This training will teach groups how to answer basic questions on Administrative Relief, offer informational workshops, and help direct community members to local Community Navigators and legal service providers. We will discuss the difference between administrative relief and immigration reform, the substance of DACA and DAPA, and ways to prepare today.

Examples of participating organizations may be small CBOs that may not want to participate as full Community Navigators, or may be large social service agencies not set-up to provide immigration services but that interact with immigrants daily.

Upcoming Ambassador Trainings:

  • Rockland County: April 17th from 2pm to 5pm at the Rockland County BOCES Conference Center (65 Parrott Rd., Bldg. 10, West Nyack, NY)
  • New York City, Brooklyn: April 21st from 9am to 12pm at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Main Branch, (10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY)
  • New York City, Manhattan: May 5th from 9am to 12pm – Location TBD
  • Westchester County: May 8th from 10am to 1pm at the White Plains Public Library (100 Martine Ave, White Plains, NY)
  • Suffolk County: Tentatively May 22nd in Central Islip.
  • Nassau County: Tentatively June 12th in Garden City.

Community Navigator Training (full day training):

This is the ideal training for partners seeking to engage more deeply by conducting pre-screenings and referrals as well as by assisting in case preparation and document collection. This workshop will cover the basic track’s content but will also include an in-depth exploration of what role “community navigators” or non-attorneys can play in administrative relief preparation, the benefits of seeking BIA recognition and accreditation, and what requirements we expect for expanded DACA and DAPA. Groups will leave able to conduct basic eligibility pre-screenings, make direct referrals to legal providers, and help community members collect documents to submit with their application.

Examples of Participating organizations may be small to medium-sized CBOs looking to take a more active role in preparing communities for administrative relief, or organizations with limited legal capacity looking to play an expanded role in administrative relief that stresses community preparedness.

Upcoming Navigator Trainings:

  • New York City, Manhattan (& via livestream): April 1st from 9am to 5pm at New York Law School (185 W. Broadway, New York, NY)
  • Westchester County: May 19th from 9am to 5pm at Neighbors Link (27 Columbus Ave, Mount Kisco, NY)
  • Dutchess County: June 5th from 9am to 5pm at Catholic Charities Community Services Office for New Americans (218 Church St. Poughkeepsie, NY)
  • Suffolk County: Tentatively July 10th

We are currently planning our calendar for further trainings later this Spring, including more outside of New York City.

All trainings will include access to a Community Provider Toolkit, and ongoing technical assistance and training opportunities from the NYIC.

Visit www.Ready4Relief.org for future dates, locations, resources and additional information.

Beyond our partnerships for these trainings, all workshops and materials will be jointly conducted and released by the New York Immigrant Assistance Consortium, a partnership of immigrant-serving providers, community-based non-profits, state and local government agencies, and other stakeholders jointly convened by the New York State Office of New Americans and the New York Immigration Coalition. The aim of the Consortium is to ensure a coordinated strategy to reach, educate, and assist every New Yorker eligible for administrative relief. For more information about NYIAC and Administrative Relief please visitwww.Ready4Relief.org.

Should you have any questions, particularly around which training might be most ideal for your organization, please contact:Betsy Plum at [email protected] or (212) 627-2227, x240.

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