Resources for Immigrants in NYC

By Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Senior Manager, Outreach Services
July 15, 2019
Citizenship

Updated 3/19/24

In response to questions from our patrons, our librarians have compiled a selection of the many resources available for immigrants in New York City. As a reminder, The New York Public Library offers many programs and classes to support immigrants and non-English speakers. Additional information can be found at nypl.org/immigrants.

Find the following information below: 

Legal Help and Questions about Immigration

Hotlines, legal information, and resources are available from agencies and organizations in New York.

Action NYC: Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA)

NYC residents can call 311 and say "ActionNYC” or call ActionNYC at 1-800-354-0365 for free, safe legal help, available in over 200 languages.

  • Free, comprehensive, and confidential legal screenings to determine eligibility for immigration benefits.
  • Free, safe, immigration legal help from an experienced attorney or accredited representative for a range of cases, including: Citizenship, Green card applications and renewals, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and more!
  • Flyers: EnglishSpanishChineseKorean
  • Know Your Rights: Federal Immigration Enforcement 
NYC Human Rights Law

The NYC Commission on Human Rights creates informational materials on various aspects of Human Rights Law and the Commission's work, including fact sheets on Protected Categories and Resource List. 

New York New Americans Hotline - Office for New Americans 

1-800-566-7636 (including referrals for Deportation Defense & for caretakers of a child immigrant). Flyer: English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Chinese.

  • Provides general information and referrals on immigration-related questions and other social services available to immigrants.
  • Calls are anonymous and conversations confidential.
  • Calls are answered in many different languages.
  • This hotline is not affiliated with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
  • Help reporting fraud for victims of immigration services.
  • Does not offer legal advice. Questions on individual eligibility for immigration benefits are referred to legal service providers for legal consultations.
NYC Government and Nonprofit Services for Recently Arrived Immigrants

Know Your Rights Resources 

Various organizations offer online information about the rights of immigrants, some information is available to download and print.

Family Preparedness Plan / Advanced Planning for Non-Citizen Parents

These resources serve immigrant caregivers (including a parent, a legal guardian, a legal custodian, or other relative) concerned about being separated from a child because of immigration enforcement.