The plight of a young man who has been illegally evicted from his Queens apartment – even as Gov. Andrew Cuomo has imposed a statewide moratorium on evictions – depicts the situation faced by undocumented immigrants, who frequently feel that they cannot go to the police for help due to their immigration status.

“The money ran out and when the time came for the rent to come, I spoke to the lady and told her that I did not have any rent, so she told me that she did not have to wait for the rent,” the twenty-five-year-old tells NY1 Noticias.

The Legal Aid Society and it’s defender partners have urged immigrants to maintain proof of their residency, such as identification or a receipt for rent paid, in order to show police if necessary.​ For more information about your housing rights during the COVID-19 epidemic, visit our client resources hub.