U.S. immigration laws require that deportation and immigration benefit in large part from an immigrant`s contact with the criminal justice system. The Immigration Division of the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society provides essential advice and support to legal aid clients on the consequences of criminal and family proceedings they face. Criminal convictions, as well as confessions in criminal or family proceedings, can often have negative consequences on a person`s immigration status. You can ask your criminal defense attorney or family attorney to speak to the immigration department if you have any questions about the possible consequences of immigration in your case, but even if you don`t, your defense attorney will contact us to make sure any decision takes into account your immigration status and that you get the immigration-related information you have. need. to make decisions about your case. We need the information here (link to the form) to help you. We do not provide direct representation in deportation proceedings or applications for immigration benefits. Expedited deportation is a way for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to quickly deport people from the United States without giving them the opportunity to appear before an immigration magistrate. The Department of Immigration provides legal representation and advocacy for low-income immigrants. We prioritize cases of immigrants seeking permanent refuge, people exposed to domestic violence, and unaccompanied children. Our goal is to enable our clients to be documented and ultimately obtain permanent legal status in the United States.

In 2013, when he returned to Morocco after a trip abroad to visit his mother, Thomas was placed in a process of deportation from the United States. He appeared alone several times in his case before being referred to the Legal Aid Society in late 2017. During the course of the investigation, it became clear that the government had not met its burden of proof that Thomas had been removed from the United States. In an effort to substantiate their case, the government presented insufficient evidence to support its allegations; However, Thomas would not have been able to determine this himself without an immigration lawyer. LAS filed an application on his behalf to close the case, which was granted in December 2018. Now, Thomas can continue to build his life with his new wife and children, travel to Morocco to see his sick mother and is eligible to apply for citizenship. New York immigrants detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Orange County Jail in New York City and/or their family members can request information through the New York Immigrant Family Unit Project (NYIFUP), a collaboration between the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, and The Bronx Defenders. Immigrants detained in other New York State detention centers and prisons and/or their family members can only call the hotline for advice. Visit our legal aid directory to find legal help, or chat with a LiveHelp representative to help you navigate the site. Children: We represent immigrant children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected, who live with non-parental parents or unrelated caregivers, and/or who have been classified as Unaccompanied Minors (UACs) because they entered the United States without a parent or guardian. The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) is the nation`s first universal representation program for immigrant detainees.

who are threatened with eviction. NYIFUP is an interdisciplinary legal team that includes forensic social workers who provide services to incarcerated and post-release clients. Through NYIFUP, the Legal Aid Society and our partners in this initiative, Brooklyn Defender Services and The Bronx Defenders, provide comprehensive, high-quality representation to New Yorkers in immigration detention who cannot afford a lawyer. We represent individuals on file detaineds at the Varick Street courthouse as well as on the non-detainee card when we successfully advocate for the release of our clients. Our immigration service helps immigrant victims of domestic violence and crime navigate the justice system to ensure clients can live without constant fear of deportation. In a recent case, LAS represented Thomas, a Moroccan citizen who entered the United States twenty years ago as a lawful permanent resident (LPR). In 2004, he was arrested and convicted of a misdemeanor. Five years later, he was arrested again for failing to pay his subway ticket and pleaded guilty to stealing services. Thomas has worked continuously as a cook since arriving in the United States and recently married his longtime girlfriend, a U.S.

citizen with two disabled children, whom Thomas cares for. Receiving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) from USCIS (an immigration agency) means the government will not deport you. It also allows you to obtain a work permit (a work permit), a Social Security number, and permission to travel outside the United States. A DACA grant is valid for two years and can be extended for two years. Currently, USCIS charges a $495 filing fee for DACA. For help with an immigration issue, whether it`s defending against deportation or helping to get a positive immigration benefit (citizenship, green cards, family petitions, etc.), concerns about the public burden, or help planning ahead for non-citizen parents, please contact our Immigration Law Service Hotline: 844-955-3425. Interpreters are available for all languages. We provide urgent legal services to reunite families and help low-income immigrants obtain legal status, apply for citizenship and defend themselves against deportation. Friday, 16. In July 2021, a federal district judge blocked the first granting of DACA status to DACA applicants.

For now, people who already have DACA can renew their status until there is another decision from that judge or superior court. If you need help submitting a DACA renewal application, please email us at dream@legal-aid.org. CAREFUL! Note: Due to the overwhelming number of cases and insufficient resources, the Immigration Department has a backlog of 6-8 weeks to schedule a consultation and at this time we are NOT accepting asylum claims. Rent relief is available to people who have struggled to pay rent during COVID-19, regardless of their immigration status. Funding never has to be repaid and it is illegal for your landlord to refuse these funds.