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Meetu Dhar, Managing Attorney for Community Events at CUNY Citizenship Now on Expanding Services for NYC's Immigrant Community

3:26:39

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Meetu Dhar, highlights CUNY Citizenship Now's efforts to expand legal services for immigrants in New York City in response to changing policies and increased demand.

CUNY Citizenship Now provides assistance with citizenship applications, lawful permanent resident status adjustments, family petitions, Temporary Protective Status (TPS), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals.
The organization aims to educate the immigrant community about immigration services and policy changes through various platforms and events, offering an alternative to unethical legal service providers.
Dhar requests a budget increase to extend services to recent migrants, including asylum screenings, employment authorization applications, and orientations on immigration and court procedures.
Citing upcoming immigration filing fee increases and higher demand during an election year, the need for expanded services is urgent.
Expanded funding will ensure continuous access to free, high-quality, and confidential legal services for all New York City immigrants.

Meetu Dhar, Esq

3:26:39

And thank you again, chairperson, Avila, for holding this meeting.

3:26:43

Accounts member locations, in addition to helping New York City immigrants become US citizens, we we also assist them to adjust their status to become lawful permanent residents and file petitions on behalf of their family members.

3:26:56

Beyond citizenship, We prioritize assisting with humanitarian benefits such as temporary protective status, TPS, and renewal of applications for deferred action for childhood arrivals, DACA.

3:27:09

These are just some of the case types that we work on.

3:27:12

A crucial component of our pro model is the distribution of information to the immigrant community about our services and the constantly changing immigration policies.

3:27:23

We disseminate this information through media promotions, briefings, presentations at town halls, immigration forums, and tableings.

3:27:31

In partnership with the city council, we aim to educate the immigrant population and offer a free high quality alternative to Natarios and other unethical legal service providers.

3:27:42

We are seeking a budgetary increase to expand our scope of services to New York City's recent migrants by providing asylum screenings, assisting with employment authorization applications, and providing orientations regarding immigration customs enforcement reporting and immigration court procedures.

3:28:01

Additional funding will allow our attorneys to assist constituents to complete asylum application We note some immigration filing fees are increasing and some application forms are changing on April 1, 2024.

3:28:14

Right around the corner.

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We have recently began to see a surge in requests for appointments with application filing fees for certain benefits significantly increasing, we are currently prioritizing the cases that will be most impacted by this increase.

3:28:29

Further, in the upcoming months as this is an election year, we are seeing an elevated demand for our citizenship services.

3:28:36

Your expanding funding will allow CUNY citizenship now to provide these additional immigrants and all New York City immigrants continued access to free high quality and confidential legal services.

3:28:48

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to being able to expand our legal services to New York City's immigrant community.

3:28:55

Thank you.

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Monique Francis, Interim Executive Director, CUNY Citizenship Now on Impact of City Council Funding on Immigrant Legal Services

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Liza Schwartzwald on Prioritizing Immigration Issues and Funding in NYC's Budget