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 eplum@nyic.org or (212) 627-2227, x240.

AALDEF DACA/DAPA Training on Feb. 26, 2015

AALDEF seeks pro bono attorneys to represent eligible people who qualify under the expanded DACA and the new DAPA programs. Attorneys must attend an AALDEF training in order to take a case.

Training Date: February 26th at 6:30 pm
Location: Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson, NYC
RSVP to jlei@aaldef.org. Light dinner will be provided.

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A significant number of Asian immigrants are among an estimated 300,000 additional undocumented individuals who may benefit from an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, for which applications will be accepted starting on February 18, 2015.  DACA offers temporary relief from the threat of deportation to young people and allows them to obtain employment authorization. Last November, the Obama administration announced the expansion of DACA and the creation of a new deferred action program known as DAPA for parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, which will begin in May 2015. For many, this will be the first opportunity to legally work and live in this country.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is seeking pro bono counsel to represent eligible people who qualify under these deferred action programs. No prior legal experience is required, but pro bono counsel will be required to attend a training prior to taking a case. These cases would help support the work of RAISE,  a pan-Asian undocumented youth-led group affiliated with AALDEF.

If you are interested in taking a DACA/DAPA case through AALDEF, please join us for the training on:

Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 6:30pm
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
One New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004

To register for the training, please email jlei@aaldef.org. Light dinner will be provided.

Co-sponsored by:

Fried Frank Attorney of Color Affinity Group
Asian American Bar Association of New York  
Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York
Muslim Bar Association of New York  
South Asian Bar Association of New York
Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association of New Jersey

Preparing for Deferred Action: Special Training on Thursday, Jan. 29

The Manhattan Family Justice Center is hosting a special training on the recent executive actions on immigration. Please see details below.

Thursday, Jan. 29th 2-4 pm
Preparing for Deferred Action
Facilitated by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs & NY Legal Assistance Group

Topics will include:

  • Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA)
  • Expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
  • NYC response, city-wide resources and referral networks

Location:

NYC Family Justice Center, Manhattan
80 Centre Street, 5th Floor Training Room
New York, NY 10013

Please e-mail SarahF@fjcnyc.org ASAP to reserve a spot. Space is limited.

Chance to Fulfill Pro Bono Requirements – MinKwon Center Naturalization and DACA Renewal Clinics

The MinKwon Center will be hosting several Naturalization and DACA Renewal Clinics this fall and they have recently added some new clinic dates. The new clinic dates are indicated with asterisks below. These clinics are great opportunities to assist low-income community members with immigration law forms. Each clinic will be held at the MinKwon Center’s office in Flushing, Queens (a few blocks from the 7 train stop). 

No prior experience is necessary, and training will be provided on the day of each clinic. The Center keeps a log of all volunteer hours and they’re glad to certify your pro bono hours for the NY bar admission requirement. If you’re interested in volunteering, please read the following clinic descriptions and sign up using the links below:

Naturalization Clinics –

The Center will be helping eligible LPRs complete their applications to become naturalized U.S. citizens. They are searching for assistance from attorneys, students and interpreters. Korean and/or Chinese language ability is especially helpful. Please sign up here to join for a Naturalization Clinic on any of the following dates:

  • Friday, September 26
  • Friday, October 10*
  • Saturday, October 18*
  • Saturday, November 8*
  • Friday, November 21*
  • Friday, December 5*

DACA Renewal Clinics –

The Center will be helping undocumented youth complete their applications to renew their DACA status. Successful applicants will receive an additional two years of protection against deportation and renewed work permits. They are searching for assistance from attorneys, students and interpreters. No foreign language ability is required. Please sign up here to join for a DACA Renewal Clinic on any of the following dates:

  • Friday, September 12
  • Saturday, September 13
  • Friday, September 19
  • Friday, October 3*
  • Friday, October 17*
  • Friday, October 31*
  • Friday, November 7*
  • Friday, November 14*
  • Friday, December 12*
  • Friday, December 19*

Please see below the contact information of the MinKwon Center:

MinKwon Center for Community Action (formerly YKASEC)
136-19 41st Ave. 3rd Fl. Flushing, NY 11355
Tel.718.460.5600 ext. 204 | Fax.718.445.0032 

From NYIC: GOT DACA? IT’S TIME TO RENEW!

  • Everyone MUST renew!
  • Send during the 5th month before your DACA expires
  • Remember to use the NEW Form I-821D
  • Don’t forget the Form I-765 and Form I-765WS
  • Renewing your DACA will cost $465

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Join the New York Immigration Coalition and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for an informational session in Manhattan!

When:

June 26th, 2014 – 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Where:

Community Church of New York

40 East 35th Street (between Madison and Park) New York, New York 10016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 17, 2014 

Contact: Yang Chen, Executive Director, (718) 228-7206

ASIAN AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK HELPS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AS DEFERRED ACTION GUIDELINES ARE RENEWED

NEW YORK – June 17, 2014 – The Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) is proud to announce that along with the MinKwon Center and the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (“KALAGNY”), we will be working to provide Asian American communities with free legal assistance in compliance with the renewed guidelines and application forms for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”).

Since 2012, DACA has provided temporary protection from deportation and temporary employment authorization for undocumented individuals who came to the United States before their 16th birthday, have continuously resided in the United States, and have met specific educational requirements. While not providing a direct path to citizenship, DACA provides temporary protection and allows these individuals to apply for a Social Security card. This protection expires in two years if not renewed.

Under new regulations and guidelines released on June 4th of this year, Form I-821d allows undocumented individuals to file a renewal application 150 days before their current DACA protection expires with an application fee of $465 to the Department of Homeland Security. AABANY encourages all applicants of DACA and DACA renewals to have their case reviewed by an immigration attorney or an attorney trained to provide DACA assistance. Our partnership with MinKwon Center and KALAGNY will allow DACA Renewal Clinics to begin immediately. Individuals requiring assistance should contact MinKwon Center directly at (718) 460-5600.

“AABANY is proud to be partnering with MinKwon on this important initiative,” says Executive Director Yang Chen. “Supporting our communities using our legal skills and knowledge is a vital part of what AABANY does. Working together with MinKwon and KALAGNY, AABANY will help to recruit lawyers and law students to assist those in our immigrant communities seeking work authorization and relief from deportation under DACA.”

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For more information, please contact Yang Chen, AABANY Executive Director, at (718) 228-7206, or direct any inquiries to main@aabany.org.

The Asian American Bar Association of New York is a professional membership organization of attorneys concerned with issues affecting the Asian Pacific American community.  Incorporated in 1989, AABANY seeks not only to encourage the professional growth of its members but also to advocate for the Asian Pacific American community as a whole.  AABANY is the New York regional affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

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