In response to questions from our patrons, our librarians have compiled a selection of the many resources available for immigrants in New York City. As a reminder, The New York Public Library offers many programs and classes to support immigrants and non-English speakers. Additional information can be found at nypl.org/immigrants.

Find the following information below: 

• Legal Help and Questions about Immigration
• Know Your Rights Resources
• Family Preparedness Plan/Advanced Planning for Non-Citizen Parents

Legal Help and Questions about Immigration

Hotlines, legal information, and resources are available from agencies and organizations in New York.

Action NYC/The NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)

NYC residents can call 311 and say "ActionNYC” or call ActionNYC at 1-800-354-0365 for free, safe legal help, available in over 200 languages.

• Free, comprehensive, and confidential legal screenings to determine eligibility for immigration benefits.
• Free, safe, immigration 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) and more!
• Flyers: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean
• Know Your Rights: Federal Immigration Enforcement http://nyc.gov/KnowYourRights 
• Emergency Immigrant Caregiver Information https://www1.nyc.gov/site/immigrants/help/legal-services/immigrant-caregivers.page
• There are infographics available in several languages which can be printed here: English, Bengali | বাঙালি, Chinese (Simplified) |  简化字, Haitian Creole | kreyòl ayisyen, Russian | русский, Spanish | Español, Punjabi | ਪੰਜਾਬ ੀ, Arabic | العربية, Nepali | नेपाली

NYC Human Rights Law

The Commission's General Info Card provides information on protections under the City Human Rights Law.

• English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, Traditional Chinese, French, Russian, Urdu, Korean
• 5 Things You Should Know About Discriminatory Harassment - bilingual English & Spanish

New York New Americans Hotline - Office for New Americans (For NY State)

1-800-566-7636 (including referrals for Deportation Defense & for caretakers of a child immigrant). Flyer: English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Chinese.

• Provides general information and referrals on immigration-related questions and other social services available to immigrants.
• Calls are anonymous and conversations confidential.
• Calls are answered in many different languages.
• This hotline is not affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
• Help reporting fraud for victims of immigration services.
• Does not offer legal advice. Questions on individual eligibility for immigration benefits are referred to legal service providers for legal consultations.

The Legal Aid Society Immigration Hotline 

844-955-3425 https://legalaidnyc.org/get-help/immigration-deportation/

New York Immigration Coalition

Low Cost Immigrant Service Provider list by the New York Immigration Coalition list is another referral point, with options by borough. https://www.nyic.org/providers/

Liberty Defense Project (NY State)

1-800-566-7636 or liberty@dos.ny.gov, www.ny.gov/programs/liberty-defense-project

The Liberty Defense Project is administered by the state's Office for New Americans and is run in partnership with law firms, legal associations, advocacy organizations, major colleges and universities, and bar associations. The Liberty Defense Project provides:

• Free legal consultations and screenings for immigrants throughout New York State  
• Direct representation to immigrants in deportation proceedings as well as other cases  
• Help with filing immigration applications for naturalization, employment authorization, permanent residency, etc.
• Know Your Rights trainings for immigrants and the community at large

NYC Government and Nonprofit Services for Recently Arrived Immigrants

For Children/Families: (updated April 2017)
Resource and Referral Guide of Government & Nonprofit Services for Recently Arrived Immigrant Children and Families

• This provides information on services available to recently arrived immigrants. This guide is intended for use by New York City agencies, schools, nonprofit organizations, and immigrants who may benefit from receiving information and referrals to City services and non-governmental resources that serve recently arrived immigrants. All services in this guide are available to New Yorkers regardless of immigration status, unless otherwise specified. City agencies are forbidden to ask about immigration status, unless it is necessary to determine eligibility for a benefit or service. Any individual can voluntarily decline to provide information about immigration status.
• Guide: English, Arabic | العَرَبِيَّة, Bengali | বাংলা, Chinese | 汉语, French | Français, Haitian Creole | kreyòl ayisyen, Korean | 한국어, Polish | język polski, Russian | ру́сский язы́к, Spanish | Español

USCIS Online Detainee Locator System

Use this page to locate a detainee who is currently in ICE custody, or who was released from ICE custody for any reason within the last 60 days. https://locator.ice.gov/odls/homePage.do

Know Your Rights Resources 

Various organizations offer online information about the rights of immigrants, some information is available to download and print.

• American Immigration Lawyers Association Know Your Rights https://www.aila.org/advo-media/tools/psas/know-your-rights-handouts-if-ice-visits
• National Immigration Law Center Know Your Rights https://www.nilc.org/issues/immigration-enforcement/everyone-has-certain-basic-rights/
• American Civil Liberties Union Know Your Rights https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights/
• Immigrant Defense Project Know Your Rights Flyers & Posters http://www.immdefense.org/ice-home-and-community-arrests/
• The Immigrant Defense Project has  Know Your Rights flyers in English and a number of Asian languages: Arabic    Bangla  Chinese (Simplified)  Chinese (Traditional) Hindi Korean Punjabi Tagalog Urdu
• New York Immigration Coalition  "Know Your Rights" Community Toolkit. https://www.nyic.org/know-your-rights-community-toolkit/
• Informed Immigrant: Know Your Rights 
• National Immigrant Justice Center Know Your Rights Graphics on preparing for ICE raids
• CLINIC: Know Your Rights in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Haitian Creole, Korean, and Vietnamese 
• American Federation of Teachers Know Your Rights for Families and Students
• Asian American Federation: Adapted Know Your Rights cards developed by Asian American Advancing Justice - Atlanta in the following Asian languages: Arabic   Burmese  Chinese (Simplified) Dar/Farsi Gujarati Hindi Karen Khmer Korean Nepali Punjabi Urdu Vietnamese

Family Preparedness Plan/Advanced Planning for Non-Citizen Parents

These resources serve immigrant caregivers (including a parent, a legal guardian, a legal custodian, or other relative) concerned about being separated from a child because of immigration enforcement.

NYC - Emergency Immigrant Caregiver Information

Resource for immigrant caregivers (including a parent, a legal guardian, a legal custodian, or other relative) concerned about being separated from your child because of immigration enforcement. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/immigrants/help/legal-services/immigrant-caregivers.page 

Immigrant Legal Resource Center

Family Preparedness Plan https://www.ilrc.org/family-preparedness-plan (Note: The legal information and materials on the Immigrant Legal Resource Center website are intended to be used by trained immigration practitioners) 

The Legal Aid Society

Advance Planning for Non-Citizen Parents - document prepared by the Legal Aid Society (Note: This advisory has been created by The Legal Aid Society, Immigration Law Unit. This advisory is not legal advice, and does not substitute for the advice of an immigration expert.)

Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) 

Emergency Planning Guide

Other Questions

Contact NYPL if you have other questions.