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.
23,000
immigrants served by NYLAG immigration experts last year
6,300
children impacted by NYLAG’s immigration work
15,000
immigrants represented by NYLAG in removal proceedings and appeals, including people in detention
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
CityLimits: Mayor Touts Latest—Lower—Cost Estimate For Sheltering New Immigrant Arrivals
Melissa Chua, co-director of NYLAG’s Immigrant Protection Unit discussed with CityLimits the concerns and contradictions surrounding the Mayor’s handling of recently arrived immigrants in shelters to reduce spending.
Bloomberg Law: New York Migrant Surge Sparks Need for Legal Interpreters
The recent increase of immigrants in New York has highlighted the need for legal interpreters fluent in less common languages, as they are crucial for ensuring effective communication and access to justice. NYLAG’s Melissa Chua spoke with Bloomberg Law about this issue and the long-term investment needed to address it.
NYLAG on CBS New York: The impact of budget cuts on legal services for recently arrived immigrants
Budget cuts reflected in the City’s November Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG) further defund the Rapid Response Legal Collaborative—a program through which NYLAG provides legal services to recently arrived immigrants—all while we’re seeing double the casework with half the resources.