Welcoming and Integrating
Immigrants and Refugees

Catholic Charities provides specialized services designed for the unique needs of new arrivals. We help immigrants reunite legally with family, obtain work authorization, learn English and Civics, and prepare for Citizenship exams. We also provide a critical and unfortunately necessary protection helping immigrants avoid exploitation by offering correct information and realistic counsel about immigration matters. This information is given through in-person consultations with highly qualified immigration lawyers and practitioners.

We also operate multi-lingual hotlines to answer basic questions and provide referrals to reputable non-profit providers of immigration services.

In any given year...

2,546

families provided with expert counsel and safeguarded from exploitation

43,301

calls for help answered promptly with accurate information in 18 languages

233

breadwinners helped to obtain authorization to work

355

immigrants reunited with their families

20

asylum seekers provided with legal representation

For more information about a particular program and/or service, click below:

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Reuniting Families

Catholic Charities helps immigrants and refugees reunite with family members in two ways: through the legal immigration process, and through the refugee resettlement process. In both programs, high skilled staff helps family members navigate the complicated rules and applications required by the U.S. government for family members to enter the United States.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that can help you reunite with family click here.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Obtaining Work Authorization and Finding Employment

Catholic Charities can help immigrants learn whether they are eligible to receive valid work documents and help them to apply if eligible. Authorization to work legally in the U.S. is granted to citizens, legal permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and certain other immigrants who have been granted a work visa. Many practitioners will advertise that they are able to get work documents for immigrants even if they do not have proper status to work. These documents are fraudulent and can lead to eventual deportation. It is very important to get advice from a qualified, and reputable individual or organization to make sure that the work authorization document you apply for is valid.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that can help you obtain work authorization and employment click here.

For more information please call the Catholic Charities Immigration Services Department at (212) 419-3700.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Finding Employment

Catholic Charities agencies can help immigrants and refugees with work authorization develop a resume, learn a skill, practice interview skills, and learn how to search for a job. They can also set up job interviews through a wide network of employers who have come to rely on the good judgment of our staff in matching employment needs with qualified workers. Some programs also offer GED preparation. Finding work in the U.S. can be hard, and many immigrants and refugees are drawn to America for the opportunity to better themselves. Catholic Charities helps those who want to be employed, but find it difficult to know where to start.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that offers help finding employment click here.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Teaching English and Civics

Learning English is an essential step in becoming fully integrated into American society. For those planning to become American Citizens it is necessary to demonstrate the ability to speak English as well as a basic understanding of American government and civic institutions. Catholic Charities provides English classes as well as citizenship preparation classes in a variety of settings including local parishes, schools, and agencies.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that offers English and Civics classes click here.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Preventing Exploitation

Whether it is an employer who refuses to pay the appropriate wages for work or a practitioner who charges for services and then doesn't provide them, immigrants are common targets for exploitation. Unfortunately many immigrants turn to neighborhood notarios, law offices or community groups for assistance only to become the victim of a high-cost scam can cause problems for years to come. Catholic Charities prevents the exploitation of immigrants by providing honest information in multiple languages and quality legal consultation. Catholic Charities operates both the NYS Immigration Hotline and the National Asylum Seekers Hotline, which provide information and referral on immigration and refugee related matters.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that prevents the exploitation of immigrants click here.

For more information please call the Catholic Charities Immigration Services Department at (212) 419-3700.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Legal Services for Immigrants

Catholic Charities Community Services provides legal consultations, representation, and assistance to documented and undocumented newcomers regarding most immigration matters, including citizenship applications, family petitions, cases involving domestic violence, and cases that are in immigration court. Services are provided in English, Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Polish, Albanian, Japanese, Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi. All matters are treated professionally and confidentially.

The Central Office is located at 1011 First Avenue in Manhattan, but we provide services at several other locations throughout the Archdiocese of New York in Staten Island, and the Bronx, and in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Orange and Rockland counties.

The Manhattan Office is open for walk-in consultations every Tuesday afternoon (for citizenship applications) and Thursday mornings (for all other cases.)

Clients are charged nominal service fees, which may be reduced or waived according to need. Consultation Fee: $50.00 ($85.00 for consultations with an attorney.) Fees for other services vary. We will not turn away those who cannot afford our fees.

Services include:

• Application for Citizenship
• Petitions to bring relatives to the United States
• Applications for Work Authorization
• Information about pending immigration and naturalization cases
• Legal representation in political asylum and deportation
• Petitions for battered spouses and children

To make and appointment or get more information please call the Catholic Charities Immigration Services Department at (212) 419-3700.

Please note that our office generally does not handle the following types of cases:

• Affirmative asylum (non-detained)
• Employment petitions
• Voluntary Departure
• Persons in proceedings with criminal convictions
• Some non-immigrant visa petitions
• Cases that have already been started elsewhere by other attorneys or agencies, or by individuals themselves.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

Representing those Seeking Asylum

Refugee Resettlement Program

The Refugee Resettlement Program is dedicated to serving survivors of violence and persecution who have fled their home countries seeking a new life in the United States. Catholic Charities Community Services assists family members and sponsors in making applications for refugees who are outside the United States, and for asylees with recently obtained status. Multilingual, multicultural staff assist in the processing of refugee applications with overseas posts and make pre-arrival arrangements assuring that the refugee will be cared for upon arrival to the United States. After arrival, the office provides direct services, material assistance, job search assistance, job training and placement, ESL classes, school enrollment and other social services.

To find a Catholic Charities agency that provides assistance to refugees and asylees click here.

For more information or to make an appointment with Refugee Resettlement please call 212-419-3764.

If you need help in finding the services you need please call the Catholic Charities Help line at: 888-744-7900.

New York Immigration Hotline

Toll free number: 1-800-566-7636

Hours of Operation: 8AM to 6PM on weekdays, excluding holidays.

Catholic Charities operates the New York State Immigration Hotline, a statewide information and referral hotline that gives general information and referrals to appropriate service agencies in response to immigration and citizenship-related questions. Hotline operators speak English, Spanish, French, Haitian-Creole, Italian, Polish, Russian, Arabic, Turkish, Albanian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Serbo-Croatian, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Korean.

The NYS Immigration hotline does not provide legal advice. Questions on individual eligibility are referred to legal services agencies for immigration consultations.

National Asylum Seekers Information and Referral Hotline

Toll free number: 1-800-354-0365

Catholic Charities operates the Asylee Information and Referral Hotline, a national hotline for people who have been granted political asylum in the United States. This multilingual hotline gives asylee callers information related to the services and benefits to which they are entitled, and refers them to agencies closest to where they live.

This hotline provides confidential information and referrals on immigration law and public benefits; it does not provide legal advice, but will answer specific questions pertaining to immigration matters.

Catholic Charities Information Hotline:

Toll free number: 1-888-744-7900

Catholic Charities operates an information and referral service for callers seeking emergency food, shelter, utilities, rent, and other social services throughout the Catholic Charities network.