ACCESSIBLE IMMIGRATION LAW
Legal fees for individuals looking to go through the immigration court system can cost upwards of $10,000, which is not an option for many people fleeing their country for either political reasons or poverty. Our legal staff provides the community with bilingual advice, counsel, and representation for low-income people. Please contact the office at (914)835-1512 to inquire about our legal services availability.
PSA
If you have questions about your immigration status or need help with your immigration case, be careful who you see. Only lawyers licensed to practice in state or federal courts can give legal advice. Lawyers or representatives accredited by the immigration court can represent you in immigration court or assist you filling out immigration applications.Fraudulent immigration providers (so-called “Notarios”) can cause you to lose thousands of dollars and harm your immigration status.
CRC IMMIGRATION LAW: THE COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROGRAM
Did you know that most immigrants in immigration court do not have the right, as other defendants do, to government-appointed counsel? For those eligible for government-appointed counsel, language, over-burdened attorneys, and other barriers have clients waiting indefinitely in confinement and under other stressful conditions such as job loss, and displacement.
The CRC’s Community Justice Program was launched in 2015 in response to the abysmal lack of affordable legal options for low-income immigrants. As an organization committed to serving our most vulnerable community members, CRC has seen all too closely the tragedy that families experience when they have limited or no legal counsel.
Services provided by the CJP include:
- Individualized assistance to clients currently in removal proceedings or eligible for immigration relief, in a broad of categories including SIJS, Asylum, U/T visas and cancellation of removal including representing individuals in immigration, family and federal district court;
- Direct representation of clients before immigration and state courts, and immigration agencies
- Assisting with immigration clinics, Know-Your-Rights and other informational workshops to educate immigrant communities about immigration issues affecting their lives;
- Matching child clients with pro bono attorneys;
- Recruiting, training, and providing hands-on mentorship to pro bono attorneys representing individuals in immigration matters and related family law matters;
- Assisting in the development and maintenance of guidance materials, sample filings, and legal training presentations.
Please call the office at (914)835-1512 to learn more about our Community Justice Program.
A QUICK HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY JUSTICE PROGRAM
Our program began with the generosity of one pro bono attorney who supervised and worked with one CRC staff members to provide services that included legal counsel as well as self-advocacy training. Our small team made considerable efforts and worked diligently to serve as many clients as possible. In 2016, as political tensions surged, CRC continued to collaborate with other community organizations and to create innovative ways to expand its limited capacity. However, it was clear that this model could not meet the growing demand for services.
Thankfully, a grant from The Westchester Community Foundation, allowed CRC to hire a part-time attorney and to increase administrative support, delivering much needed legal aid to immigrants at a most particularly devastating time. Subsequently, as the need for legal services grew, local State Senator, Shelley Mayer, allocated $20,000 towards funding a full-time staff attorney, spurring local long-time supporters, Frank and Nancy Pierson, to donate to fulfill this goal. Recently, the Greg Miesner family has also donated to support the increased need for legal services as we strive for pathways to naturalization.
With the support of grants from the New York Immigration Coalition and donations from local community members, the Community Justice Program will continue to grow and continue trying to meet the demand for affordable immigration law services. In 2025, the CRC has managed to secure the funds to add another much-needed paralegal to our legal department.
To donate to the Community Justice Program, please visit our donations page or reach our to the Director of Development at [email protected]
