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Legal Services

 

Despite our name, African Services Committee (ASC) provides free immigration and other legal services to all New Yorkers, regardless of where you come from. While ASC was founded to help African communities in the United States, our legal services program has helped people from over 120 countries, including countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia. We are also a leader in providing legal assistance to women, members of the LGBT community (including transgender and gender non-conforming people) and people living with HIV/ AIDS. Our staff members speak many languages, including French and Spanish. If we don’t have staff who speak your preferred language, we will find someone who does.

While we aim to help as many people as we can, ASC cannot accept all immigration cases, particularly complex cases. We cannot accept cases before the immigration court at this time. We cannot assist walk-in clients. However, we do offer free consultations and referrals to other organizations. 

All of our legal services are free and confidential. We do not charge for our services (although you may be responsible for paying required government fees for certain immigration applications). Please see below for a list of specific immigration services we provide.

 

UPDATE:

The Legal Department is not currently taking new cases and is unable to do consultations. If you are a current client please call 212-222-3882 to speak with reception. If you need a PRUCOL assessment, please call 212-222-3882, extension 2126. The Legal Department will begin doing immigration consultations again on January 15th, 2022.

 

Call 212-222-3882 ext 2173 from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, for ASC’s Legal Hotline. Please be aware that calls to the hotline are not answered. Please leave a voicemail message and we will return your call within 7 business days. Calls are answered in the order they are received. In your message, please clearly say the following: your name, phone number, preferred language, and a brief description of why you’re calling. If you know the name of the immigration or legal service you need help with, please tell us in the message.

Français

Appelez le 212-222-3882 ext 2173 du lundi au vendredi, de 9 h à 17 h, pour la ligne d'assistance juridique de l'ASC. Veuillez noter que les appels à la hotline ne sont pas répondus. Veuillez laisser un message vocal et nous vous rappellerons dans les 7 jours ouvrables. Les appels sont pris dans l'ordre où ils sont reçus. Dans votre message, veuillez indiquer clairement les éléments suivants : votre nom, votre numéro de téléphone, la langue de votre choix et une brève description de la raison pour laquelle vous appelez. Si vous connaissez le nom du service d'immigration ou juridique pour lequel vous avez besoin d'aide, veuillez nous le dire dans le message.

Español

Llame al 212-222-3882 ext 2173 de lunes a viernes, de 9h a 17h, para conocer la línea directa legal de ASC. Tenga en cuenta que no se responden las llamadas a la línea directa. Deje un mensaje de correo de voz y le devolveremos la llamada dentro de los 7 días hábiles. Las llamadas se responden en el orden en que se reciben. En su mensaje, diga claramente lo siguiente: su nombre, número de teléfono, idioma preferido y una breve descripción de por qué llama. Si conoce el nombre del servicio legal o de inmigración con el que necesita ayuda, infórmenos en el mensaje.

 Our legal team can help you with:

-       Naturalization (Forms N-400 and N-600 (Certificate of Citizenship))

-       Green card renewal or replacement (Form I-90)

-       Petition for Alien Relatives (Form I-130 and Form I-130A)

*This does not include consular processing (i.e. National Visa Center or Embassy)

-       DACA (Form I-821D)

-       Temporary Protected Status (TPS) (Form I-821)

-       Adjustment of Status (family-based or asylee)

*This does not include adjustment via NACARA, SIJS, VAWA, 245(i), the Cuban Adjustment Act, diplomatic visas or particularly complex cases etc.

-       Employment authorization document (EAD) renewal or replacement (Form I-765)

-       Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (USCIS, CBP, and/or EOIR as needed)

-       PRUCOL letters

We may also be able to help with other matters, including asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and U Visa (for victims of crime) applications in limited circumstances.

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Please see below for a list of the different programs and grants that allow us to provide you with legal services at no cost.These programs are funded by several New York State and New York City-provided grants, as well as by generous private donors and foundations. You don’t need to worry about this when you call, it’s just for your information!

ActionNYC Program

Funded by New York City and in partnership with the New York City Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the ActionNYC Program is the main way ASC assists clients with most affirmative immigration applications, including naturalization, green card applications or renewals, family petitions, work authorization, travel documents, DACA and TPS. This program is open to all New York City residents.

Ryan White Legal Services Program 

The Ryan White Program helps people living with HIV who have an income below 425% of the poverty guidelines. Amongst other services, this program provides PRUCOL/Non-PRUCOL status assessments and letters of certification.

Mother Cabrini’s Healthy Horizons Program

The Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, through the Healthy Horizons Program, allows ASC to provide mental health and immigration legal services to New Yorkers who have suffered trauma. This trauma may come from being forced to flee one’s home country, or due to crime and violence, including domestic violence, that happened in the United States.

Many of our clients are, for example, women from West Africa who have fled female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage. Others are LGBT immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean fleeing anti-LGBT persecution. Many Central American immigrants come to ASC after fleeing violence committed by gangs and drug traffickers. The Healthy Horizons Programs allows ASC to help people from all these backgrounds, and many more. 

Immigrant Opportunity Initiative (IOI) 

The Immigrant Opportunity Initiatives (IOI) Program is a general grant helping ASC provide services to low-income New Yorkers with their immigration status.

We also have a Pro Bono/Volunteer Program, where senior attorneys mentor pro-bono lawyers or connect clients with private law firms, law schools or other resources.

 

 

 

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