If you are in New York City and have nowhere safe to sleep, you have a right to a shelter bed. If you recently came to New York City from a different country, and you have no other safe place to stay, you have a right to shelter, regardless of your immigration status.

If you are a Venezuelan national in the U.S. and you do not have permanent immigration status here, you may be able to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would allow you to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Venezuela is designated a TPS country.

On June 21, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras would be extended another 18 months, until July 5, 2025.

If you are a national of Honduras (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Honduras) and were already granted TPS, you can apply to renew your TPS and your work permit. This will allow you to continue to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Honduras is designated a TPS country.

On June 21, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal would be extended another 18 months, until June 24, 2025.

If you are a national of Nepal (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Nepal) and were already granted TPS, you can apply to renew your TPS and your work permit. This will allow you to continue to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Nepal is designated a TPS country.

On June 21, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua would be extended another 18 months, until July 5, 2025.

If you are a national of Nicaragua (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Nicaragua) and were already granted TPS, you can apply to renew your TPS and your work permit. This will allow you to continue to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Nicaragua is designated a TPS country.

On June 21, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador would be extended another 18 months, until March 9, 2025.

If you are a national of El Salvador (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in El Salvador) and were already granted TPS, you can apply to renew your TPS and your work permit. This will allow you to continue to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as El Salvador is designated a TPS country.

You may have an appointment with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is a federal government office that deals with immigrants. ICE agents do different things, including detaining and prosecuting immigrants.

Many people have ICE appointments after they encounter immigration agents at the US/Mexico border, even if the encounter was very brief. ICE agents use these appointments to keep track of immigrants that they have released from detention.

An ICE appointment is different than an immigration court hearing. You might have regular ICE appointments and also an immigration court case. Or you might only have ICE appointments for now.

You may need to speak with a judge in an immigration court. This immigration court case will determine whether or not you will be allowed to stay in the U.S.  

*If you are detained by ICE, you may be able to receive free immigration legal representation from NYIFUP.

Asylum is legal status that will allow you to live and work in the United States. You can apply for asylum if you are afraid to live in your country because you will be persecuted (severely mistreated). After a year in asylum status, you can apply for a green card (lawful permanent residence). 

The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project, also known as NYIFUP is a group of attorneys from The Legal Aid Society, The Bronx Defenders and Brooklyn Defender Services. We believe all people in immigration detention should have an attorney. We represent people with different kinds of immigration cases. We do not work for the U.S. government or the immigration court. All our services are free.

Even if you came to the United States recently, you may be eligible for immigration options based on things that might have happened to you here in the United States. Some examples include:

• You have been a victim of certain crimes in the United States and have been helpful or are willing to be helpful to a law enforcement agency;
• Someone used fraud, force, or coercion to make you work or have sexual contact with someone for money;
• You had your rights violated in the workplace, including not being paid properly, and you have been helpful or are willing to be helpful in an investigation about this.

If you are a noncitizen and do not have work authorization, employers are not legally allowed hire you. Employers must ask you for identification and work authorization at the time of hiring. They can also ask you to update this information when they know that your work authorization has expired or will soon expire.

If you entered the U.S. without permission, or were paroled in, but now wish to leave, you could leave the U.S. voluntarily. However, there are some things that you should be aware of.

Do you have loved ones who are Nationals of  Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, or Venezuela? You may be able to help support them coming to the United States through a special parole program.

If you are a national of Cameroon (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Cameroon) and are in the U.S. now and you do not have permanent immigration status here, you may be able to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would allow you to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Cameroon is designated a TPS country.

If you are a national of Afghanistan (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Afghanistan) and are in the U.S. now and you do not have permanent immigration status here, you may be able to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would allow you to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Afghanistan is designated a TPS country.

If you are a national of Ukraine (or if you have no nationality and last habitually resided in Ukraine) and are in the U.S. now and you do not have permanent immigration status here, you may be able to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would allow you to live and work legally in the U.S. for as long as Ukraine is designated a TPS country.

Over the years, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) agents have placed thousands of non-citizens in removal/deportation proceedings, often following a trip abroad. Below are some questions and answers that may help you decide whether you can leave the United States and come back without causing immigration problems. Generally, the answer will depend on the facts of your individual case. If any of the following things apply to you, you should seek legal advice from a reputable, experienced immigration lawyer before making any plans to leave the U.S.

Receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) from USCIS (an immigration government agency) means that the government will not deport you. It also allows you to get employment authorization (a work permit), a Social Security number, and permission to travel outside of the U.S. A grant of DACA is valid for two years, and can be renewed for more two-year periods. Currently, USCIS charges a filing fee of $495 for DACA.

**Please Note** In 2021, a federal district court judge blocked first-time DACA applicants from being granted status. For now, individuals who already have DACA can continue to renew their status, until there is a further decision from that judge or from a higher court. For assistance with filing a DACA renewal application, please email us at dream@legal-aid.org. For more details see below.

Over the past two years, there has been a surge in harassment against the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Community. More than 9,000 hate incidents were reported between March 2020 and June 2021 across all 50 states. An unknown number of attacks went unreported. Everyone working in a massage business has legal rights, regardless of the type of work being done. You have the same rights and deserve the same respect as any other worker.

同心合力, 저희가 기억하고 잊지 않겠습니다, Pagkakaisa Laban sa Karahasan.

Expedited removal is a way for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to remove (deport) people from the U.S. quickly and without giving them an opportunity to appear before an immigration judge.

“Public Charge” is a legal term used in immigration law. It is part of a screening process used by U.S. immigration officials primarily when someone is applying for lawful permanent residence (LPR/“green card” status). If someone is considered a public charge, then they won’t be able to get a green card, unless they are able to post a public charge bond.

If you need the protection of a juvenile court because you have been abused, abandoned or neglected by a parent, you may be eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). If this classification is granted, you may qualify for lawful permanent residency.  A recent ruling expands eligibility for those 18 years and older who may have been denied in the past.

There is a lot of information about what kind of health insurance (sometimes called “health coverage,” or “coverage”) you might be eligible for depending on your immigration status. This page is intended to provide basic information to you so that you can make an informed decision about your health coverage. Because this can be complicated, if you have questions or concerns you can contact The Legal Aid Society, another legal services organization, or a trained assistor to learn about your coverage options. You should not assume that even if you are not a citizen or a green card holder (lawful permanent resident) that you are not eligible for health coverage.

In New York, regardless of your immigration status and your ability to pay, you are entitled to hospital treatment in the case of a medical emergency. There are also many ways to access affordable health care in New York City.

Intimate partner and domestic violence can make a frightening immigration situation more perilous. There are some steps you can take to get yourself and your family out of these situations and into a safe space.

While we hope you’ll never have to use the plan, it’s wise to create an emergency plan with your loved ones in the case of detainment or deportation. Here’s what your plan should include.

Encountering the police or ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) as an undocumented immigrant can be a frightening experience. You can take some steps to prepare yourself for potential encounters to protect the safety of yourself and your loved ones.