Posts Tagged ‘immigration’
Friday, April 19th, 2013
A. There are no new laws yet and no “amnesty;” all we have is a bill in the Senate. We are still many months away – if not longer – from any new laws. You can call us at 800-566-7636 to check if the law has passed; we’ll be happy to answer your calls.This Senate bill is only the beginning of the conversation. There will be a long time before we know what the law looks like and before anyone can apply for anything.
B. In the meantime you should NOT give anyone money to any notarios, agencies, or lawyers to prepare an application or help them gather documents. Once we have a Comprehensive Immigration Reform law, there will be many reliable agencies that will help people at low cost and possibly for free. There is no need to pay thousands of dollars now.
C. What you can do is to start preparing on your own in the following ways:
i. Start a box of important documents, including:
1. Identity documents;
2. Evidence of when you came to the US and how long you have been here (the date in the Senate bill is December 31, 2011, but people who came to the US before they turned 16 and would qualify under the DREAM Act, should gather evidence for all those years that they have been living in the US);
3. Evidence of any trips outside the US after the first arrival (evidence of how long they were out of the US);
4. Evidence of work (particularly if you are an undocumented farm worker) or education in the US (particularly for DREAM Act-eligible kids);
5. Copies of any applications you already made to INS/USCIS;
6. If ever arrested, get the certificates of disposition, because those with certain serious convictions will not be eligible to apply, so you will need to show those conviction records to an attorney.
ii. Start learning English;
iii. US citizens who want to sponsor their siblings should talk to an attorney about starting the process now (the Senate bill proposes to eliminate visas for siblings of US citizens – but that can also change);
iv. Save money because there will be penalty fees (Senate bill says $2000, to be paid in stages) in addition to application fees.
Tags: campaign, Catholic Charities, CIR, comprehensive immigration reform, immigrant community, immigrants, immigration, Immigration Reform, immigration status, immigration system, Justice for Immigrants, Legal Services for Immigrants, naturalization cases, New York State New Americans Hotline, NYS New Americans Hotline, Obtaining Work Authorization, Policy and Advocacy, Preventing Exploitation, refugee, Refugee Act, Refugee Resettlement Program, Reuniting Families, Seeking Asylum, Senate bill, Teaching English and Civics, Undocumented citizens, Undocumented workers, Visa
Posted in Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, New York City, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees | No Comments »
Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Msgr. Sullivan meets with immigrants before leaving for D.C. for the presentation of the bi-partisan Senate immigration reform bill.
“We are hopeful that the filing of a bipartisan Senate bill on immigration seems, after many years, to make comprehensive immigration reform a real possibility. We appreciate the hard work of the group of Senators and others that has made this possible. We note with special pride and recognition the work of so many Catholic organizations and the leadership of the Bishops on this issue. While we are hopeful and supportive, the bill is complex and requires careful analysis. There will be opposition. We look forward to making suggestions for improving the bill to even better reflect our longstanding concerns for family unification, a fair, legal immigration system, protections for temporary workers, effective, yet humane border security and due process in enforcement. We look forward to working in partnership with many to ensure that this reform happens for a straightforward reason—concern for the common good of the nation and the well-being of individual immigrants and their families.”
- Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
Tags: campaign, immigrant community, immigrants, immigration, Immigration Reform, immigration status, Justice for Immigrants, Legal Services for Immigrants, naturalization cases, New York State New Americans Hotline, NYS New Americans Hotline, Obtaining Work Authorization, Policy and Advocacy, Preventing Exploitation, refugee, Refugee Act, Refugee Resettlement Program, Reuniting Families, Seeking Asylum, Senate bill, Teaching English and Civics, Undocumented citizens, Undocumented workers, Visa
Posted in Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, New York City, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
By Alice Kenny
Get answers—in your language—by calling Catholic Charities at the New York State New Americans Hotline: 212-419-3737 or 1-800-566-7636 (toll-free in NYS).
Catholic Charities operates the New York State New Americans Hotline, a statewide information and referral hotline that gives general information and referrals to appropriate service agencies in response to immigration and citizenship-related questions.
Hotline operators speak English, Spanish, French, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Polish, Arabic, Turkish, Albanian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Serbo-Croatian, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi. The New Americans Hotline provides an expanded menu of language options, previously not available, via a language service line, as well.
The NYS New Americans Hotline does not provide legal advice. Questions on individual eligibility are referred to legal services agencies for immigration consultations.
Tags: immigration, legal advice, legal services, New York State New Americans Hotline, NYS Immigration Hotline, service agencies
Posted in Agencies, Uncategorized, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
President Barack Obama plans to lay out his vision for immigration reform in Las Vegas today, January 29, 2013, a vision, CBS news reports, that he originally laid out in a major immigration speech in El Paso, Texas in May 2011.
A group of bipartisan senators formally unveiled their framework for comprehensive immigration reform yesterday that is said to be similar to the president’s plan.
“It is both overdue and heartening that the critical issue of immigration reform is moving to the top of Washington’s agenda,” said Catholic Charities Executive Director Monsignor Kevin Sullivan. “Each day Catholic Charities responds to many calls for assistance from immigrants who needlessly struggle and are threatened by the dysfunctions in our current system.”
Day in and day out, Catholic Charities helps immigrants reunite legally with their families, obtain proper work authorization, learn English and civics, and prepare to pass citizenship exams. Catholic Charities also assists immigrants in avoiding exploitation by unscrupulous practitioners by providing correct information and realistic counsel about immigration status.
In any given year…
| 3,378 |
families counseled and protected from exploitation |
| 40,651 |
calls answered in 18 languages with accurate information |
| 445 |
breadwinners helped to obtain authorization to work |
| 417 |
immigrants reunited with their families |
| 281 |
refugee and asylee families resettled |
| 291 |
immigrants taught English |
“Keeping families together, fair and humane legal immigration policies, reducing illegal immigration, protecting against exploitation and an earned way out of the shadows for the undocumented are all parts of broad immigration reform that this country needs,” Msgr. Sullivan continued. “Catholic Charities is ready and willing to work with many partners to achieve this critical goal.”
Do you need help? Get correct information in 17 languages:
Call Catholic Charities at the New York State New Americans Hotline: 212-419-3737 or 1-800-566-7636 (toll-free in NYS).
For more information please visit the following web links:
Tags: asylee, Catholic Charities, Catholic Charities New York, immigration, Immigration Reform, immigration status, legal immigration policies, Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, New York State New Americans Hotline, refugee, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, undocumented
Posted in Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Policy and Advocacy, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees | No Comments »
Monday, September 10th, 2012
The New York State Childhood Arrival Deferred Action Program can provide immigrants with work authorization and the ability to attend college.
To learn more: Check out the upcoming Deferred Action Information Session
• When: Saturday, September 15, 2012
• Where: YMCA, 17 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers
• Time: 6:00 P.M.
Hosted by Catholic Charities, Yonkers Councilman Wilson Terrero and the Yonkers YMCA
Click here to download the flyer.
Tags: deferred action, DREAMers, immigration, Immigration Reform, New York State Childhood Arrival Deferred Action Program, NYS Immigration Hotline, Yonkers Councilman Wilson Terrano, Yonkers YMCA
Posted in Events, New York City, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, Staten Island, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012
Catholic Charities Executive Director Msgr. Kevin Sullivan joined New York Secretary of State Cesar A. Perales, the Consuls General of seven nations, the President of the New York State Bar Association and others at the Catholic Center, 1011 First Ave., New York City on August 15th to announce initiatives designed to make sure that young people eligible for the New York State Childhood Arrival Deferred Action Program take full advantage without being exploited by scammers.
Certain young people, known as “DREAMers,” who were brought to the United States as children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety, and meet specific criteria (see below) can now apply, effective August 15, 2012, for Deferred Action, which is temporary relief from removal (deportation) from the United States or from being placed in removal proceedings and which, if granted, will provide work authorization and the ability to attend college.
Speakers at the event stressed the importance of obtaining correct information about Deferred Action to avoid scams and to understand eligibility for this benefit. New York State reports that it has already received notifications about con artists trying to take advantage of young people, charging money for services that may not be provided, and risking young peoples’ chance to take advantage of this opportunity.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York is ready to help. Individuals seeking more information and seeking service providers as well as schools, churches, and other community-based organizations interested in scheduling presentations about deferred action can call Catholic Charities at the New York State New Americans Hotline, 1-800-566-7636, (formerly known as the New York State Immigration Hotline.)
Interest has been intense. Nearly 500 young immigrants and their representatives phoned this hotline the first day applications were taken. Callers receive help in 17 different languages.
“Basic fairness coupled with sound economics tells us to make good investments in the future workforce of New York,” said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Executive Director of Catholic Charities new York. “DREAMers want nothing more than to develop their talents in this country and State – the only one they know and call home.”
- Avoid Scams. Get correct information in 17 languages: Call Catholic Charities at the New York State New Americans Hotline, 1-800-566-7636.
- Click here to read more information about the hotline.
- Click here to see if you or someone you know is eligible to apply
- Link to the New York State Childhood Arrival Deferred Action Program website clearinghouse.
- Please help us spread the word on Facebook and Twitter, hashtag #NYnewamericans
Tags: Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, Cesar A. Perales, deferred action, DREAMers, immigrant, immigration, Immigration Reform, New Americans Hotline, New York State Childhood Arrival Deferred Action Program, NYS Immigration Hotline
Posted in Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, New York City, Policy and Advocacy, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees, What We Do at Catholic Charities | No Comments »
Monday, August 13th, 2012
By Alice Kenny
Clara Salas, the cheerful voice at the other end of the Catholic Charities NY Information and Referral Help Line, spoke recently about her cloak-and-dagger childhood. It includes brushes with Castro’s Cuba, clandestine intervention by the CIA and critical support from Catholic Charities.
Clara, at age 14, was spirited into the United States in 1961 as part of CIA project code name Operation Peter Pan. The operation flew more than 14,000 Cuban children into the U.S. after rumors spread that Fidel Castro’s Communist government planned to kidnap Cuban sons and daughters from their parents and send them to Soviet military and labor camps.
Similar to many of her fellow “Peter Pan children,” Clara received support from Catholic Charities after she arrived. It paid her tuition and room and board at Catholic high school academies and ensured that her needs were met until her parents finally escaped from Cuba five years later. Since then, Clara has rebuilt her life. A United States citizen since 1971, she was elected executive secretary for Community Board 4 in Queens, sits on the Elmhurst Hospital Community Advisory Board and plans to complete a doctorate degree in social work at Yeshiva University Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
“Life takes strange turns,” Clara said. “Now, at Catholic Charities, I get to give people the guidance and comfort I received when I was a child and first arrived here.”
Please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900 or click here to learn more.
Tags: Catholic Charities, child protection, family, immigration, Information and Referral Help Line, Peter Pan children, supporting families
Posted in New York City, Protecting and Nurturing Children and Youth, Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees, What We Do at Catholic Charities | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 20th, 2012
When the New York Times reported that a nonprofit that had served New York’s immigrant and refugee community for 50 years would have to close its doors, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York stepped in to ensure that the critical services provided by the organization could still continue.
This month, Catholic Charities recreated the services that had been provided by the International Center, previously located in Chelsea, to complement existing Catholic Charities services for immigrants and refugees.
The new services, which range from job readiness and skills training, to English language classes, to educational enrichment programs, are currently being led at the Catholic Charities headquarters by four former International Center employees, now part of the Catholic Charities staff: Mira Erickson, Shawn Mullin, Anna Petelka and Elaine Roberts.
One of the most prized services is the “conversation partners” program, where volunteers are matched with students to serve as English language tutors, and as a source of encouragement to continue learning and pursuing their goals.
According to staff, this program “provides an atmosphere of trust and support that … is often not as easy to create in a classroom setting. As in any successful language learning situation, it is a partnership of equals: while the newcomer works on acquiring the language, the volunteer works on developing strategies of engaging in a subtle process of mobilizing, inspiring, monitoring, and guiding.”
Volunteers are a large part of what have made these services to the international community so successful for the past 50 years. Many who received services have gone on to become volunteers, teaching and mentoring future students.
Subscribe to receive news from Catholic Charities to follow new developments within Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services.
Tags: employment, english teacher, ESL, immigration, refugee resettlement, refugees, The International Center, Volunteers
Posted in Agencies, Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
A bill recently introduced in the New York City Council would limit the amount of time a foreign-born person can be detained for immigration purposes after the date of release by New York’s Department of Corrections (DOC). The bill, Intro 656, is supported by a majority of Council members including Speaker Christine Quinn, Daniel Dromm, Melissa Mark-Viverito and 32 other Council members, rendering it veto-proof.
New York City Hall
Intro 656 would prohibit the DOC from using city funds to extend the standard time to hold a non-criminal detainee so that the individual could be picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), provided that: the individual has never been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony; is not a defendant in a pending criminal case; has no other warrants; has not previously been ordered deported; and is not on a terrorist watch list.
Council research has shown that more than 50 percent of the inmates in DOC custody had no prior convictions and, more importantly, that the close ties between DOC and ICE are eroding the trust between immigrants and local law enforcement. This type of mistrust makes immigrant crime victims much less willing to come forward, especially in cases of domestic violence. The bill states that for all of these reasons, the Council finds that cooperation between DOC and ICE cannot be supported by the Council and should not be supported by local tax-payer dollars.
“I am happy that Speaker Quinn is taking action on this important issue — saving the City up to $50 million a year while also protecting immigrants with no prior criminal record from unfair, lengthy detention periods,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya. “This proposal is tough on crime too, making sure that cooperation does take place in other cases […] this proposal also allows for the necessary cooperation between law enforcement agencies.”
Tags: department of corrections, immigration, immigration and customs enforcement, Intro 656, new york city council, speaker christine quinn
Posted in New York City, Uncategorized | No Comments »
