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Immigration

Immigration Help

 

No matter what your immigration situation is, everyone in New York can get free, safe immigration legal help over the phone. If you have questions about accessing city services, call the NYC Immigrant Affairs Hotline at 212-788-7654 from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email askmoia@cityhall.nyc.gov.

 

LEGAL HELP

To obtain free and secure assistance with immigration legal matters, don’t hesitate to contact the city’s immigration legal hotline at 800-354-0365 or 212-788-7654. The hotline is available from Monday to Friday, between 9 AM and 5 p.m. Otherwise, see other resources below.
 

Make the Road

Make the Road NY is community organization that helps people with legal services in the areas of immigration, housing, employment, and benefits for everyone. Call their main office in Brooklyn at (718) 418-7690 or see all of their offices (Bushwick (Brooklyn), Jackson Heights (Queens), Port Richmond (Staten Island), Brentwood (Long Island), and White Plains (Westchester)) addresses here.

Neighborhood Defenders (NDS)

The Immigration Defense Practice is a non-profit law firm that help the immigration consequences of involvement in criminal justice and child welfare systems.
Immigration attorneys are dedicated to defending people facing individuals deportation in Immigration Court. They also provide assistance with benefits such as adjustment of status, renewal of work permits and green cards, citizenship applications, asylum claims, and DACA.
 
If you or someone you know would like legal support regarding immigration, consider calling NDS at (212) 876-5500.

Bronx Defenders

The Bronx Defenders, a legal aid organization, is based in the South Bronx and provides a range of services to clients and community members. Their lawyers represent Bronx residents in Criminal, Family, Housing, and Immigration Court proceedings.
 
If the police or child welfare agency (ACS) has contacted you and you do not have legal representation, consider calling the Bronx Defenders’ legal emergency hotline at 347-778-1266 or visiting their office at 360 161st Street, Bronx, New York. Learn more about their services by visiting their website at https://www.bronxdefenders.org/clients-community/help.

Brooklyn Defenders

If you need help with someone who has been arrested or detained by ICE, call BD Immigration Practice at (718) 564-6290. If you need advice about your immigration status, contact the Immigration Practice at (718) 564-6290.
 
To learn more about your Brooklyn Defenders, visit their website at https://bds.org/get-help#ice-or-deportation.
 

IDENTIFICATION CARD

Everyone who lives in New York City and is at least ten years old can get a free IDNYC card. Find out how to get one at https://a069-idnyconlineportal.nyc.gov/IOPWeb. Anyone in New York can get an IDNYC, no matter their citizenship, residency, visa, or legal immigration situation.
 

HEALTHCARE

There are low-cost or free health services in New York City for  New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance based on federal guidelines. Please see the options below.
 

NYC Health + Hospitals/ NYC Care

NYC Health + Hospitals, also known as H+H, offers emergency care, general health care, check-ups, immunizations, and more. To reach the center closest to you, call 718-387-6407. To sign up for health care plans, such as the NYC Care program, call 646-NYC-CARE (646-692-2273) or go to nyccare.nyc.
 

  • Please remember that NYC Care is not health insurance. NYC Health + Hospitals’ health care access program guarantees services to uninsured New Yorkers.
  • NYC Care offers a membership card, a regular doctor, high-quality customer service, affordable prescriptions, and more as if it were health insurance.
  • There are no membership fees, monthly fees, or premiums. You will pay according to your budget.
  • Call (646) 692-2273 for more information and apply to NYC Care.
Affordable or Free Clinics for Adults

A free clinic is a private, non-profit, community-based group that helps low-income, uninsured, or underinsured people get medical care for little or no cost. They do this by working with other health providers paid by federal programs or using volunteer medical professionals. See a directory of clinics in the linked handouts below.
 
Manhattan             cap4kids.org/newyorkcity/files/manhattan-affordable-care.pdf
Bronx                      cap4kids.org/newyorkcity/files/bronx-affordable-care.pdf
Brooklyn                cap4kids.org/newyorkcity/files/brooklyn-affordable-care.pdf
Queens                   cap4kids.org/newyorkcity/files/queens-affordable-care.pdf
Staten Island         cap4kids.org/newyorkcity/files/staten-island-affordable-care.pdf
 

Pregnancy Medicaid

Pregnant people can get free Medicaid care through the New York State Department of Health.
 

  • If you’re pregnant and uninsured, you may qualify. How much you earn will determine if you qualify. Call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline at 800-522-5006 for information to see if you qualify.
  • Coverage is available regardless of immigration status.
  • To sign up, visit the NY State of Health Marketplace at nystateofhealth.ny.gov even if the enrollment period has closed.
  • Call 311 for assistance with your application.
  • Your baby will receive health care for at least one year after birth.

 
To learn more about Medicaid for pregnant people, go to access.nyc.gov/programs/medicaid-for-pregnant-women.
 

CHILDREN’S MEDICAL INSURANCE

New York City manages a type of public insurance known as Child Heath Plus. Depending on your income, the amount you pay each month may be fully subsidized, somewhat subsidized, or not subsidized at all. The monthly fee however is capped at three children for bigger families.

Child Heath Plus
Your child is eligible for Child Health Plus if:
– It is less than 19 years old.
– It is not eligible for Children Medicaid.
– It cannot be covered by other health insurance.
– It resides in New York State, no matter its immigration status.
 
One of the good things about Child Health Plus is that there are no annual deductibles. You can also sign up your kid for it at any time of the year through the NY State of Health.
 
Learn if your child qualifies for either Medicaid or Child Health Plus at health.ny.gov/health_care/child_health_plus/eligibility_and_cost. For other questions, call this toll-free number: 1-800-698-4KIDS (1-800-698-4543), and ask about Child Health Plus or Children’s Medicaid. If you are hearing impaired, call the TTY number, 1-877-898-5849.

Eye Care

Union Square Eye Care
Receive excellent, thorough, and focused family eye care. Walk-ins, same-day appointments, and patients of all ages are welcome at the clinic. The facility offers sliding-scale services to those without eye insurance and takes Medicaid and most insurances. No patient is turned away.
 
Harlem Location. 1815 Madison Avenue@118th Street, New York, NY 10035 . Phone: 212-844-2020 | Fax: 212-844-1141
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm
Bus: M1, M116,M102 | Subway: 2,3,6 to 116th.
Schedule an appointment here.
 
Union Square Location. 235 Park Avenue South – 2nd(19th St), New York, NY 10003. Phone: 212-844-2020 | Fax: 212-844-8221
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm | Subway: 4,5,6,L,Q,N,R,W to 14th  | Bus: M1,M2 or M3 to 18th St
Schedule an appointment here.
 
Find more information at www.usqeyecare.com.
 
Updated on May 16, 2024

Public Charge

 

USCIS (United States Citizenship & Immigration Services) issued a public charge final rule on September 9, 2022, effective December 23, 2022. Under current and new policies, immigrants and their families can safely access health care, nutrition benefits, and housing assistance.
Only individuals anticipated to predominantly depend on financial aid for income maintenance or government-funded long-term care could be denied a public charge.

 
Know that the public charge test only applies to certain programs and immigrants.
 

  • It never applies to American citizens.
  • It also does not apply to most green card holders, asylees, refugees, persons on U visas, T visas, VAWA, etc.
  • The new rule provides a handy list of noncitizens exempt from public charge determinations, such as those requesting asylum, refugee status, or TPS, special immigrant juveniles, and Afghan or Iraqi special immigrant visa holders.
  • VAWA self-petitioners and survivors who have sought or been given T or U status are normally excluded from a public charge assessment, regardless of whether they eventually obtain a green card.
  • A family member’s use of public programs will not impact your future immigration applications.
  • COVID-19 testing, treatment, and prevention services, including immunizations, are not provided at public expense.
  • Pandemic relief payments (stimulus checks) are also not included in the public charge.
  • The public charge test does not examine the utilization of health, nutrition, or housing programs.

This information is an excerpt from and available at www.ilrc.org/latest-on-public-charge. Please find more details and resources at www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge/public-charge-resource.
 
Updated on May 21, 2024

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