Responding to the Needs of Immigrants and Immigrant Families in New York: Implementation of Executive Action for the Unauthorized
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
9am to 5pm
Sheen Center
18 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Over the last several years, communities throughout the nation have prioritized initiatives to regularize the lives of persons in need of protection, including individuals and families with members that lack immigration status. In the New York City metropolitan area, public and private entities have devoted extensive resources to mobilizing in response to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to planning for the newly announced Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program, and to providing legal and resettlement services to children and families who have fled violence and privation in Central America and Mexico.
In recent months, New York collaborative initiatives have intensified in response to the massive Executive Action programs announced by President Obama on November 20, 2014, which will cover the unauthorized parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (DAPA). The President also announced the expansion of the DACA program and other important, but more modest initiatives. This work comes in the midst of New York City’s municipal identification card program, “IDNYC,” launched in January 2015, and on top of large-scale “steady state” work with immigrants by community-based organizations.
To examine the coordinated response of public and non-profit entities to the DAPA and DACA programs, the Archdiocese of New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS) are hosting an all-day event on March 25th at the Sheen Center, located in Manhattan’s NoHo neighborhood.
The event will include key-note presentations by faith leaders, as well as panel discussions with federal, state, and local officials, legal service agencies, community-based agencies, and national immigrant rights groups. Its panel discussions will:
- Examine federal, New York State and New York City policy, outreach, and initiatives on Executive Action.
- Explore legal services mobilization efforts by public and private entities and other collaborative programs in New York City, Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley, looking particularly at outreach, public education on benefit eligibility and the risk of fraud, and provision of legal screening, representation and advocacy.
- Address the role of non-legal, community-based institutions, particularly Catholic parishes, in ensuring the program’s success.
There will also be a short discussion on the work of national organizations in assisting local communities in implementing these programs and efforts to evaluate the programs’ success. After the formal event, there will be a reception and, for those interested, a roundtable discussion that will provide an opportunity to share and coordinate best practices and approaches to serving and empowering this population. The all-day event will seek to place this work in a broader policy, moral, and demographic context; improve the response to the needs of these populations in the New York metropolitan area; and identify lessons, successes and challenges in implementing these programs.
The event is free, but please register only if your attendance is definite. To register, visit http://goo.gl/forms/LDgubFchST or email your name, title, organization and email address to cms@cmsny.org.
~
Thank you to the New York Immigration Coalition for sharing news of this important event.
NYC’s Municipal ID Card Program Officially in Place
NYC’s Municipal ID Card Program Officially in Place
On Monday, January 12, New York City officially introduced the country’s largest municipal identification program, issuing ID cards to residents regardless of immigration status. This is a welcome measure for undocumented immigrants, who without government-issued ID cards, have found it difficult to obtain access to city services and institutions, or to carry out many routine activities such as opening a bank account, filling prescriptions, and renting an apartment. The ID card can also be used as a library card.
Enrollment is free in 2015, but fees may be charged in the future. In addition, information will not be shared with other government agencies or third parties (except for verifying applicant eligibility or in response to a subpoena or warrant), allaying many immigrants’ fears that obtaining an ID card may alert the immigration service of their undocumented status.
Known as “IDNYC,” the identification card is available to all NYC residents at least 14 years of age and who can prove identity and residency. Individuals can apply at several enrollment center locations throughout the five boroughs.
Aside from the many benefits described above, the card will provide free membership to zoos and museums.
We applaud Mayor de Blasio and the City Council for undertaking this initiative. For more information on how to apply for an IDNYC, please see the application page here and documentation requirement page here.
Best regards,
Rio, Tsui and All of Us at Guerrero Yee LLP
***
The latest IDNYC update comes to us from our Immigration and Nationality Law Committee Chairs Rio Guerrero and Tsui Yee. To visit Rio and Tsui’s law firm site, dealing with immigration matters in all 50 states and in countries all over the world, click on the link above. Thank you, Rio and Tsui!
NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics Seeks Recommendations for Qualified Candidates …
The Joint Commission on Public Ethics currently seeks recommendations for qualified candidates to serve as independent and impartial hearing officers to oversee the adjudication of Commission matters.
Hearing officers will preside over formal hearings, render decisions on certain appeals and consider questions of fact and of law in connection with administrative proceedings of and applications to the Commission. The hearing officers will be called on a case by case basis and compensated for their service.
Eligible candidates are requested to submit a resume, writing sample, and professional references to:
NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics
25 Beaver Street
7th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10004
Candidates must have been admitted at least 10 years, must be in good standing, and must be a current New York City resident or be willing to move to New York City in the event of a possible appointment.
Eligible candidates should download the Uniform Judicial Questionnaire from the Committee ’s website at www.nyc.gov/judiciary, and should contact the Committee’s Office to request waivers. Applications will remain active for one year from the date of the receipt by this office. Applications will be accepted on a continuing basis for appointment to future vacancies as they arise.
Get Involved, Stay Connected: New York City Bar Association Committee Applications Still Being Accepted
It’s not too late to become a Committee member at the New York City Bar Association, which means that it’s not too late to become involved in over 150 areas of law within a membership body of over 24,000 students and legal professionals! NYCBA is still accepting applications for Committee member positions, and though some deadlines have passed, others are ready and willing for someone to take strong hold of the leadership opportunities.
NYCBA has reached out and noted that AABANY members are strongly encouraged to apply. The sooner, the better. Let’s get the ball rolling.
If you are interested contact main@aabany.org. Thank you!
New York City Bar Association Discounted Membership
The New York City Bar Association, founded in 1870 in response to public concern over the New York City justice system, is a voluntary association of students and legal professionals that has grown to a membership of over 24,000. Benefits of membership include over 150 committees working to improve and reform the practice and administration of law, a members-only library that happens to be the largest member-funded in the country, and not to mention the unparalleled professional opportunities. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Read more about membership benefits here.
The New York City Bar Association has prepared a special discount for AABANY members, waiving the one-time admission fee and giving members 20% off their semi-annual membership dues payment.
PROMO CODE: AABANY14
Go to https://www.nycbar.org/cgi-bin/special_offer_aaba.pl
Get it while it’s hot, folks.
From AAARI/CUNY: Rethinking New York City’s Asian American Communities
Join the Asian American/Asian Research Institute for their annual conference, Rethinking New York City’s Asian American Communities, on Monday, May 5, 2014, from 8:30am to 5pm, at the CUNY Graduate Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, Concourse Level, Manhattan. This event is free and open to the general public, light breakfast and lunch provided.
Over the last 2 decades, the Asian American population in New York City has exploded with 110% growth, and is more diverse than ever, hailing not only from East Asia but from South and Southeast Asia, as well as from secondary migrations such as the Indo-Guyanese. Nearly 78% of NYC’s Asian Americans are foreign born.
This conference seeks to answer the questions of who they are, where they have chosen to locate and how their communities have grown, how to preserve the culture and historical heritage of these communities for the older communities, to prepare new communities who will want to preserve their history in the US, and to connect scholars and community to identify trends and issues of concern for these communities.
Sessions
- The Newest Asian New Yorkers
- New York’s Indo-Caribbean Diaspora: Update
- Preserving our Historical and Cultural Heritage
- Community Research: Mapping & Networking
To RSVP for the conference and to view the latest program, please visit www.aaari.info/2014communities.htm. Please be prepared to present proper identification when entering the CUNY Graduate Center.
For details on all of AAARI’s upcoming events, please visitwww.aaari.info. See you at the AAARI conference on May 5th!
AABANY Member Lily Fan Interviewed in Woman Around Town
AABANY Member Lily Fan Interviewed in Woman Around Town
Congratulations to AABANY member Lily Fan who was recently interviewed for the online magazine Woman Around Town about her theatrical production projects. As noted in the article, Lily worked for two prominent firms as a litigator and served as counsel to the New York State Senate. Follow the link in the title to read the entire article.
Producer Lily Fan has a wonderful eye for the theater arts. A resident of New York City, she has recently produced the hit musical comedy, The Other Josh Cohen at New Jerseys Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn. The show was originally staged at Soho Playhouse in 2012. The production at Paper Mill enjoyed capacity crowds and received rave reviews. But, this is not Fans first successful project. The founder of Scandobean Productions LLC, Fan made her producing debut Off Broadway with the original physical comedy show The Rotten Plaintains in 2010. Her other Broadway and touring credits include co-producing the 2012 revival of Andrew Lloyd Webers Jesus Christ Superstar. She also co-produced David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish on Broadway and the shows first international tour to Hong Kong.