Council Initiative Brings CUNY Citizenship Now! Services to 30 City Neighborhoods<\/p>\n
New York City \u2013 Today, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Council Committee on Immigration Chair Daniel Dromm, and Committee on Finance Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. announced a new partnership with CUNY Citizenship Now! that will provide free high-quality and confidential legal immigration services to help individuals and families on their path to U.S. citizenship. The services, which begin October 1, 2012, will be offered at 30 different locations on a weekly or monthly basis over the next year. Speaker Quinn first announced this initiative in her February 2012 State of the City address.<\/p>\n
Through the $600,000 City Council funded program, qualified attorneys and paralegals will offer one-on-one consultations and assist qualified immigrants with applying for citizenship at 30 new locations throughout the five boroughs. New Yorkers will have access to a variety of legal services including green card applications, deferred action, citizenship interview coaching and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThousands of immigrants who contribute to our economy, our culture, our city are often unable to pursue full citizenship because of prohibitive legal costs,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cBy partnering with CUNY Citizenship Now, we are ensuring that we are doing everything in our power to protect this precious resource, and support the great diversity of our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cImmigrants are a vital part of our city,\u201d said Council Committee on Finance Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. \u201cNew York has always attracted people from across the world to come here and start new businesses, create jobs and contribute to our city\u2019s economy. We must do all we can to keep our diverse immigrant communities thriving and successful. I want to thank CUNY Citizenship Now! for partnering with the Council to provide these vital services.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCitizenship Now! has an outstanding record of accomplishment helping our immigrant communities,\u201d said Council Committee on Immigration Chair Daniel Dromm. \u201cI am very proud to have worked closely with Speaker Quinn to secure funding to help expand the services that Citizenship Now! offers. By placing attorneys in Council district offices where the need for reliable legal services are most needed, Citizenship Now! will have a tremendous impact on our immigrant communities. These services are desperately needed and CUNY Citizenship Now! is extremely well equipped to provide them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCUNY Citizenship Now! thanks New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Council Committee on Immigration Chair Daniel Dromm, and Committee on Finance Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. and the New York City Council for initiating this important partnership,\u201d said CUNY Senior Vice Chancellor Jay Hershenson. \u201cNew York\u2019s immigrants anxiously look for the chance to become U.S. citizens, but legal resources far outstrip the need. This partnership will greatly increase the availability of free citizenship assistance in New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n
Currently, CUNY Citizenship Now! provides free services at six full-time centers and one part-time. This Council initiative allows for the free services to be offered weekly at seven Council members\u2019 offices in Queens, five in Brooklyn, four in the Bronx, three in Manhattan and one in Staten Island and offered monthly at two offices in Queens, five in Brooklyn, two in the Bronx, one in Manhattan. Locations were selected by analyzing Citizenship Now! data from years past. For a complete list of locations, please see the bottom of this release or visit www.council.nyc.gov\/immigration.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s announcement comes on the heels of Speaker Quinn\u2019s August 15th announcement that the Council has allocated $3 million in funding to provide free legal services to New Yorkers affected by President Obama\u2019s historic decision to defer deportation action for young immigrants. To date, the Legal Aid Society has already conducted six legal clinics and served nearly 400 clients with six additional clinics scheduled for September.<\/p>\n
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Council Initiative Brings CUNY Citizenship Now! Services to 30 City Neighborhoods<\/p>\n
New York City \u2013 Today, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Council Committee on Immigration Chair Daniel Dromm, and Committee on Finance Chair Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. announced a new partnership with CUNY Citizenship Now! that will provide free high-quality and confidential legal immigration services to help individuals and families on their path to U.S.<\/p>\n
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