Immigrant Protection
Keeping immigrant communities strong.
Immigration status reverberates throughout our clients’ lives. Undocumented immigrants may be unable to access life-saving medical treatment and pursue jobs to afford basic necessities. They may also be at risk of deportation back to countries where they could face violence. They may also have their families torn apart by the immigration system.
By helping our clients secure the status to which they are entitled, we can unlock access to health care, employment, housing, and education, and keep families together. We offer comprehensive legal services in our clients’ native languages and partner with communities, providing services in trusted local spaces, such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
38,200
immigrants served by NYLAG immigration experts last year
10,200
children affected by our immigration work last year
170
countries of origin
1,200
people obtained U.S. citizenship with NYLAG’s help last year
Services
Our lawyers fight for immigrants. We offer the following legal services:
- Defending people facing deportation (Removal defense)
- Fighting for those seeking asylum and other humanitarian relief
- Helping clients apply for green cards through family-based petitions (Adjustment of status)
- Working with survivors of intimate partner violence and other crimes to secure immigration status
- Applying for Citizenship (Naturalization)
Need free legal services or financial counseling?
Help us provide free legal help to immigrant families and individuals.
The Latest on Immigration Law
NYLAG Receives Grant Funding from Governor Hochul to Aid Newly Arrived Immigrants in NYC
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of three new legal services grants aimed at assisting the thousands of immigrants who have arrived in New York City this year. NYLAG is one of three community-based organizations to receive funding.
Opinion: One Easy Fix Could Help Thousands of Recent Venezuelan Immigrants
In a new op-ed for City Limits, NYLAG’s Melissa Chua advocates for the need to re-designate Temporary Protected Status for newly arrived Venezuelan immigrants. “With policies such as this, that lead with humanity instead of enforcement, thousands of Venezuelan nationals who cannot return home could work and remain legally in the United States while finding temporary safety within our borders.”
For NYC migrants, just getting inside immigration courthouse is a feat
NYLAG’s Melissa Chua spoke with Gothamist about New York City’s backlogged immigration system and the enduring difficulties that newly-arrived immigrants face in accessing resources. “There’s nowhere to refer clients. There’s no place to send them because we know that everyone is working at capacity.”
