Unless otherwise noted websites below are in English only. Times are for the Eastern U.S. Get Capital District and New York City resources. Get national resources.
Hudson Valley
The New York Department of State has a New Americans Hotline, 800-566-7636, toll-free Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. except Federal holidays with live help in more than 200 languages. Calls are confidential and anonymous without regard to citizenship or status. The hotline provides information and referrals on general immigration and naturalization questions, public and private programs, and Office of New Americans Opportunity Centers. Fraud and schemes directed against immigrants may also be reported to this number.
Catholic Charities Community Services can sometimes help with family-based petitions, permanent residence applications, naturalization/citizenship, consular processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), work authorization, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, T and U visas, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), asylum, removal defense, and more. Representation is decided case-by-case. For more information, call 800-566-7636 or 212-419-3700.
CCCS also offers legal clinics, self-help workshops, and train-the-trainer sessions for advocates throughout the region. Staff work to prevent exploitation, encourage reporting of crimes, and provide updates on immigrants’ rights through regular Know Your Rights (KYR) sessions. Training is available in multiple languages. For details, contact immigration attorney and community engagement manager Lucia Goyen, 646-794-3628 or lucia.goyen@
Hudson Valley Justice Center offers immigration and citizenship advice including family petitions, special immigrant status, victims of abuse and crimes, human trafficking, and refugee or asylee status. They also do landlord tenant and family law. Email info@hvjc.org. Phone: 914-308-3490. Offices in Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, White Plains, and Yonkers.
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (website: English & Spanish) provides free help to low income individuals and families in civil matters such as public benefits and employment discrimination. Immigration services are available to those who have experienced domestic violence in their countries of origin or in the U.S., victims of trafficking or other crimes. Staff members speak multiple languages; additional languages are available via a translation service. Call toll-free, 877-574-8529, or in Kingston, 845-331-9373. In-person meetings by appointment only.
If you are a victim of a crime Ulster County’s Crime Victim Assistance Program can help. The website is available in English and Spanish. The phone number is 845-340-3443; ask for Zayda for bilingual assistance.
Documented, a non-profit news site covering New York City’s immigrants and policies that affect their lives, has created basic guides to many legal situations, for instance:
Neighbors Link Community Law Practice (website: English and Spanish) offers a range of immigration legal services, from citizenship applications to removal proceedings, representing both detained and non-detained individuals, as well as adults and children, in NY family court, before ICE, USCIS, EOIR, BIA and in federal court. They also have a YouTube channel featuring updates and basic information in Spanish, French, and English.
Refugee Services is part of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. The program aids victims of human trafficking, repatriated citizens, and unaccompanied minors. The website includes a directory of service providers. An FAQ clearly defines terms such as entrant and SIV. 518-402-3096, bria.contact@otda.ny.gov.
Region 4 (Hudson Valley) Immigration Assistance Center provides legal support to attorneys representing non-citizens in criminal cases in Ulster, Dutchess, Columbia, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Westchester counties. Contact Robert Horne, 914-286-3408 or RHorne@laswest.org, Legal Aid Society of Westchester County, 150 Grand St., first floor, White Plains.
Worker Justice Center of New York (WJCNY), multiple languages including Spanish. Free legal assistance to individuals and groups in matters affecting low-wage workers including farmworkers. WJCNY can help with administrative proceedings to prevent deportation, obtain legal status, or receive authorization to work; family unification, labor trafficking, sexual abuse, domestic violence, and more. Toll free: 800-724-7020. Kingston office: 9 Main Street, 845-331-6615.
Prisoners Legal Services of New York represents incarcerated individuals in state prisons and the following county jails: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence County. They cover a range of issues including immigration, excessive use of force, medical care, administrative segregation, disability rights, sexual abuse, sentencing, and wrongful confinement.
A Newburgh office (10 Little Britain Rd., #204) serves people imprisoned at Bedford Hills, Downstate, Fishkill, Green Haven, Sing Sing, and Taconic; 845-391-3110, cculbreth@plsny.org. Detainees may write Prisoners’ Legal Services of NY, Immigration Unit, 41 State St., Suite M112, Albany, NY 12207. Family members can call 518-438-8046 or 518-445-6050, or email Mahrukh Badar at mbadar@plsny.org or info@plsny.com. Immigration issues are handled by Jim Millstein, 518-694-8699, ext. 2021, or jmillstein@plsny.org.
Help with Bail and Bonds— Individuals in immigration detention who have been granted a bond they cannot afford may be eligible for assistance from the Envision Freedom Fund. Complete this form (English or Spanish) and someone will contact you. Please note that Envision Freedom does not pay bail in the criminal legal system. If you need assistance paying someone’s bail, please visit this directory of bail funds.