Get Legal Help Asylum Seekers Help Immigration Policy National Advocacy

Immigration Legal Services

The City of New York offers New Yorkers free, safe immigration legal help in a network of trusted community-based organizations at community sites, public health facilities, public schools, and libraries. Services are provided in your language. Your immigration status does not matter.

You can call the City-funded, free and safe MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365, or call 311 and say "ActionNYC," between 9AM to 6PM, Monday to Friday, to get:

Answers to immigration-related questions
Information on immigration policy
Connections to City-funded, free and safe immigration legal help including comprehensive immigration legal screenings and legal representation
Referrals to other community-based resources and support services

Avoid and Report Immigration Fraud

Immigration law is complicated. Beware of fraudulent immigration providers who may make false promises. Learn how you can avoid becoming the victim of immigration fraud and report immigration fraud.

Visit the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs website for tips on how to avoid fraud when working with an immigration assistance services provider.

If you have been the victim of immigration fraud, you can report a fraudulent provider by calling the New York State Office of New Americans at 800-566-7636. The operators will take a report of your complaint and share it with prosecuting offices in New York City. New York City residents can also call 311 to connect to the New York State Office for New Americans Hotline.

Share About ActionNYC

Expand All Collapse All

Flyer: Immigration legal help for young people in NYC.

Postcard-sized Graphic: Free, safe immigration legal help is available for every New Yorker. Your immigration status does not matter.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Expand All Collapse All

What is ActionNYC?

ActionNYC is a partnership between the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration, and the City University of New York. The program provides City-funded, free and safe immigration legal help to all New Yorkers across the five boroughs, where immigrant New Yorkers live and in the languages they speak. Your immigration status does not matter.
ActionNYC provides:

Free legal screenings to find out if you qualify for any immigration benefit
Free legal help from an experienced attorney or accredited representative for a range of cases including:
- Citizenship
- Green card applications and renewals
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
Referrals to City-funded and community-based resources and support services.

Find free, safe immigration legal help in your community. It is important to consult with a licensed immigration attorney about your options.

How does ActionNYC operate?

The ActionNYC model is based on three pillars: (1) outreach and marketing; (2) community navigation; and (3) legal services.

Outreach: Composed of community-based organizers, along with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs' (MOIA ) outreach and organizing team. Outreach engages traditionally underserved immigrant communities to provide information about ActionNYC services and schedule appointments.
Navigators: Based in community-based organizations. These individuals screen ActionNYC clients for eligibility for immigration relief; when applicable, provide application assistance; and connect individuals to relevant social services such as IDNYC, and Medicaid.
Legal: Composed of immigration attorneys who review the legal work conducted by the navigators; provide legal advice to clients; represent cases; and decide next steps with all cases.

All three aspects of the program are connected through technology tools.

How do I contact ActionNYC ?

Call the the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365, between 9AM to 6PM, Monday to Friday, or call 311 and say "ActionNYC " to get:

Answers to immigrated-related questions
Information on immigration policy
Connections to immigration legal help
Referrals to other legal and non-legal services
The ActionNYC hotline is free and anonymous, and available in over 200 languages.

Who are ActionNYC’s community partners?

ActionNYC’s community partners are uniquely positioned to meet community-specific needs due to their immigration legal expertise, strong local ties, and cultural and linguistic competence.

Coordinated through the ActionNYC hotline and appointment making system, they provide services over the phone and at trusted community sites, public schools, hospitals, and libraries citywide.

Current ActionNYC community partners, community-based organizations and legal service providers, include:

African Communities Together (ACT)
African Services Committee (ASC)
Arab American Association of New York (AAANY)
BronxWorks, Inc.
CAMBA Legal Services, Inc.
Caribbean Women's Health Association (CWHA)
Catholic Charities Community Services (CCCS)
Chhaya Community Development Corporation (Chhaya CDC)
Chinese American Planning Council (CPC)
Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP)
Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC)
Jacob A Riis Neighborhood Settlement
Little Sisters of the Assumption (LSA)
Lutheran Social Services of Metropolitan New York (LSSNY)
Make the Road New York (MRNY)
MinKwon Center for Community Action
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC)
SCO Family Services/Center for Family Life (CFL)
Sunnyside Communities (SCS)
The Door

For more information about these partners, view the press release: ActionNYC: Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Announces Funding Awards to Organizations Providing Free and Safe Immigration Legal Services to New Yorkers Citywide.

I am concerned about sharing information about me and my family. How do I know my information is safe?

Your information will be completely confidential and held by the organization helping you with your case. Your sensitive information will not be shared with others.

What if I can't afford legal help?

ActionNYC services are free. The de Blasio administration believes that immigrants should have access to legal justice. That is why there is no cost for you to receive immigration legal help with ActionNYC.

Can you serve immigrants who don't speak English?

Yes. ActionNYC serves immigrants in the language they are more comfortable speaking. ActionNYC's outreach, navigation, and legal service providers speak more than ten languages including: American Sign Language, Arabic, Bangla, Cantonese, English, French, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Mandarin, Nepali, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. Moreover, all ActionNYC sites have access to instantaneous telephonic interpretation in over 200 languages.

What happens to immigrants who are not eligible for a change in their immigration status?

ActionNYC provides a full, comprehensive immigration legal screening for everyone served by the program. If a client served by ActionNYC is not eligible for a change in their immigration status, they can still get good immigration legal advice. And it will be free and safe.

What are the rights of immigrants and immigrant families in New York City?

Privacy - City agencies are forbidden by Executive Order 41 to ask about immigration status unless it is necessary to determine eligibility for a benefit or service. If an individual does share his or her immigration status or other confidential information with City employees, City employees may not report this to anyone, except when it is necessary for the investigation of an illegal activity, which does not include status as an undocumented immigrant.
Language Access - City agencies that provide direct social services are required by law to arrange for translation and interpretation in your language.
City Services - All New Yorkers have the right to access most City services, regardless of immigration status, including education, emergency food and shelter, legal services, and municipal ID.

Where can newly-arrived immigrants and refugees get help?

The following Resource and Referral Guide provides information on services available to recently arrived immigrant children and their families and caretakers, including refugees. These services include education, child and family welfare, health, legal, and other services.
Download a printable PDF version of this resource and referral guide.