If you want to check our entire guide with resources for immigrant new yorkers, please click here.If you are in New York City, please check out this guide on how ActionNYC works, a program that provides free legal services in New York City
We have made a list of organization that provide guidance or free legal help for immigrants in New York State. Please contact them and ask about your personal inquiry.
Public
- ActionNYC: All NYC residents can take advantage of this service, which offers free guidance and help regarding immigration issues. This is your site. To request a time, call 1-800-354-0365 between 9AM and 6PM, Monday through Friday. Or call 311 and say “ActionNYC.”
- DACA: New York City announced a legal aid service for immigrants who want to renew their DACA application. They say they can even cover the costs. Here’s more information: https://council.nyc.gov/daca-renewal/
- Housing court: If you have problems with your landlord, you can review our article on rental rights. If it is an emergency, you can call housing court at 212-962-4795.
- NYC Office of Civil Justice: Provides free legal services to tenants, immigrants, low-income workers, and other New Yorkers who are facing civil legal challenges. Link to the site.
- NYC Family Justice Centers: Provides telephone assistance to survivors of domestic violence, including immediate help. It’s open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Link to the site. Phones:
NYC Family Justice Center, Bronx: 718-508-1220
NYC Family Justice Center, Brooklyn: 718-250-5113
NYC Family Justice Center, Manhattan: 212-602-2800
NYC Family Justice Center, Queens:718-575-4545
NYC Family Justice Center, Staten Island: 718-697-4300
Nonprofit organizations
Here’s a national database of organizations that provide legal help. Link.
NYLAG: Organization that provides legal advice and representation for immigration cases, labor law, domestic violence, eviction, application for health benefits, application for health benefits (food stamps) and wage theft. This is your site.
The Immigrant Defense Project: The Immigrant Defense Project is an organization that provides legal advice and referrals to immigrants who have been accused of crimes or arrested by ICE. Their hotline number is 212-725-6422, callers are asked to leave a voicemail with a callback number. This is your site.
LIFT: Legal Information for Families Today offers virtual and telephone assistance to cases involving divoce, domestic violence and custody of minors. They’re available from 9AM-5PM. Here’s the number: 212-343-1122.
Legal Aid Society: This is their site and here is updated information on legal issues regarding the coronavirus. You can find them at 212-577-3300.
NYC Alliance Against Sexual Abuse: Free Counseling Delivered. This is your site. You can write to them at survivorsupport@svfreenyc.org or call them at 212-514-SAFE (7233).
NMIC: provides free, bilingual (Spanish/English) legal services (immigration, housing, family law related to domestic violence and consumer debt). We also offer a food pantry, assistance with applying for public benefits and health insurance, tenant organizing, two worker cooperatives and free tax preparation services. Our Education and Career Services include ESOL, Citizenship and HSE classes, job readiness, job placement and youth centered internships and programming. NMIC’s Domestic Violence Project offers trauma informed counseling, crisis intervention, case management and charlas.
Offers services citywide but we are most accessible to folks residing in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx
P: 929 415 8745 (9am – 5pm) | Contact Form | https://nmic.org/about-us/
Workers Justice: Provides advice to workers who want to make claims for sick days, unemployment and against wage theft. Contact: Sunset Park (347) 422-0638 and Williamsburg (347) 889-6347. Site http://www.workersjustice.org/
Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC): The Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s main focus is to educate and assist attorneys and legal advocates in their work to help immigrants and their families. Because their work is generally focused around teaching, interpreting, and changing law to empower legal practitioners, they do not directly represent clients at the ILRC, nor do they provide individual legal consultations. https://www.ilrc.org/community-resources
New York Peace Institute: They provide mediation, conflict coaching, and restorative processes free-of-charge―though now, those services will be provided remotely via a video or telephone call. https://nypeace.org/new-york-peace-institute-response-to-covid-19/
MANHATTAN LOCATION
Telephone: (212) 577-1740
111 John Street
Suite 600
New York, NY 10038
BROOKLYN LOCATION
Telefono: (718) 834-6671
210 Joralemon Street
Suite 618
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Free Conflict Resolution Services
New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG): Note that NYPIRG’s Small Claims Court Action Centers continue to provide free legal help for immigrants in the form of assistance on small claims court and consumer matters. Please contact (212) 349-6460 x1201 and leave a message if you need assistance. https://www.nypirg.org/
Small Claims Court Action Centers
Manhattan
Telephone: (212) 772-4305
(212) 349-6460 ext. 1149
Upper Manhattan and The Bronx
Telephone: (212) 650-5047
(718) 289-5409
Queens
Telephone: (718) 997-3954
(718) 225-9121
Brooklyn
Telephone: (718) 859-7178
(718) 260-5045
Staten Island
Telephone:(718) 982-3109
Nassau
Telephone: (516) 222-0086
Westchester and Rockland
Telephone: (914) 251-6986
Mid-Hudson
Telephone: (845) 257-3085
Southern Tier
Telephone: (607) 777-4971
Central New York
Telephone: (315) 476-8381
(607) 753-4815
Western New York
Telephone:(716) 882-1549
All services provided free-of-charge. Counselors do not give legal advice or provide courtroom representation.
Outside NYC
Catholic Charities organizes legal clinics and self-help workshops at rotating locations in the Hudson Valley. Full / pro-bono representation is decided on a case-by-case basis and fees may be charged based on financial needs. Call toll free, 800-566-7636; Kingston, 845-340-9170, ext. 100; and Poughkeepsie, 845-452-1400, ext. 4259. For more information, visit the Legal Resources page.
