What services can immigrants get for free in New York

New York is a city inhabited by representatives of various countries. Regardless of their immigration status, they can receive the necessary assistance in one of more than 200 languages. What kind of services and resources are provided to them is said in Handbook of the City Hall for Immigrant Affairs.

To get help in any of more than 200 languages, immigrants just need to call or use the Internet. Below is a small overview of useful resources.

Immigration Legal Aid

To get free and safe legal assistance on immigration matters, you need to call ActionNYC at 1-800-354-0365 (calls are received Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 18:00).

If you are interested in a citizenship interview, call 311 and say “citizenship appointment” or visit NYC.gov/NYCitizenship for free citizenship application assistance and financial counseling available at some public libraries .

The city recommends that you do not seek help from immigration service providers who provide them for a fee. Instead, it is best to use the services of a trusted licensed lawyer or accredited representative.

To learn more, call the New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 (Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 20:00).

Medical service

All residents of the city can receive affordable emergency or non-emergency medical care in state hospitals or clinics, as well as in inexpensive paid clinics. NYC Well is a New York City referral service that provides free, confidential support, crisis counseling, and information to people who need psychiatric or drug or alcohol addiction assistance.

The service works round the clock without days off and holidays; services are provided in more than 200 languages. Call 1-888-NYC-Well or send a WELL message to 65173.

Education

Every child in New York has the right to attend a public school, regardless of their immigration status or mother tongue. Children 4 years old or a little younger are eligible for education under the free Pre-K preschool program. All residents of the city who are over 5 years old have the right to attend a public school before its graduation or until the end of the school year after reaching 21 years.

On the subject: Where in New York immigrants can get the necessary help: useful links and contacts

To enroll your child in a 3-K, Pre-K, or any school in the New York City Department of Education, call 311 or visit the website schools.nyc.gov/enrolIment.

Childcare

Free or low-cost child care is also guaranteed to all New Yorkers. Low-income families, including children from 6 weeks to 12 years old, can take advantage of free or low-cost child care services.

To learn more, visit the website. NYC.gov/ACS or call 311.

Food and shelter for the needy

There are points throughout New York City where people in need can get free food.

Thanks to the HomeBase program, city residents can receive the support necessary to preserve their housing: legal and financial assistance to avoid eviction from a rented apartment. To learn more, visit the website. NYC.gov/Homebase or call 311.

Public safety

City authorities are not involved in the enforcement of immigration laws, the source said. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is not interested in the immigration status of victims and witnesses of crimes or other individuals who seek help. Any person who has become a victim of hate crime or believes that he has become one should contact NYPD. To contact the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, call 1-646-610-5267 to contact the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.

Protection against discrimination

The city also ensures that New Yorkers do not experience unlawful discrimination, retaliation, or harassment at work, at home, or in public places.

If this still happened, you can file a complaint or find out more. To do this, call 311 or contact the NYC Commission on Human Rights at 1-718-722-3131 .

IDNYC Identification Card

In addition, all New Yorkers over 10 years old can apply for a free IDNYC ID card. It allows you to enjoy many benefits. The card does not contain information about the immigration status of its holder, and the data specified when applying for it remains confidential.

“The city administration ensures the confidentiality of the IDNYC cardholder's data to the maximum extent permitted by law,” the source said.

To get a card, just make an appointment. To do this, call 311 and say “IDNYC” or visit the website NYC.gov/lDNYC.

The Office of the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs is also always ready to help: by phone, online or in person. Phone: 1-212-788-7654 (calls are accepted from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00). A list of New York Immigration Information Offices is available on the website. NYC.gov/ImmigrantInfoDesk.

As previously wrote ForumDaily New York:

• Midwestern Cities leaders in supporting immigrants. At the same time, Chicago holds leading positions and sets standards.
• New immigration policyaimed at reducing the number of asylum seekers has proven extremely effective. Since September 2019, only 0,1% of asylum applications have been granted.
• US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans raise immigration fees, and now many immigrants will have difficulty obtaining the documents they need.
• We also wrote about how our immigrants came up with a very interesting and simple, although not entirely legal, a way to come to work in the USA and stay there to live.