One of the most damaging myths in NYC housing is that immigrants — particularly undocumented immigrants — have fewer rights as tenants. That is not how the law works. In New York City, every tenant has the same housing rights regardless of immigration status, and landlords who try to use a tenant’s status as leverage are violating the law. This guide walks through what those rights actually are, who enforces them, and the exact phone numbers and offices to call when a landlord crosses the line.
Who This Helps
This article is written for immigrant renters across all five boroughs — including undocumented New Yorkers, asylum seekers, DACA recipients, green card holders, mixed-status families, and tenants in any kind of immigration limbo. It also helps neighbors, family members, and community organizers who want to know exactly where to direct someone who calls them in fear of eviction, harassment, or a landlord’s ICE threat.
The Core Rule: Status Doesn’t Change Your Tenant Rights
According to the NYC Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit, every tenant in New York City has the right to fair and equal treatment in housing, regardless of immigration status. Housing discrimination based on national origin or immigration status is illegal, and protections are in place for all tenants.
That means it is illegal for a housing provider to:
- Deny housing or offer different terms because of immigration status.
- Harass tenants or threaten to call ICE.
- Refuse repairs or provide unsafe conditions because of a tenant’s national origin or perceived status.
- Retaliate against tenants who report discrimination or file 311 complaints.
The NYC Office of the Attorney General has separately published an Immigrant Tenant Rights guide with the same baseline message: immigrant New Yorkers have the same rights and responsibilities as all other tenants — including the right to organize, form, and join tenant associations to protect those rights.
What to Do If a Landlord Threatens to Call ICE
A landlord threatening to call ICE in response to a repair request, a rent dispute, or a complaint is not just morally wrong — it is illegal harassment under NYC law. The NYC Commission on Human Rights enforces these protections directly.
- Call the NYC Commission on Human Rights: (212) 416-0197.
- File a discrimination report online: on.nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination.
You do not need to disclose your immigration status to file a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights. You do need to document the threat — save the text messages, voicemails, or written notices, and write down the date, time, and exact words used in any verbal threats.
Refused Repairs Are Discrimination — Not an Inconvenience
One of the most common forms of housing discrimination against immigrant tenants is refusal to make repairs that the landlord routinely makes for other tenants. A broken stove that gets fixed in 24 hours in a citizen’s apartment but stays broken for three months in an immigrant tenant’s apartment is not a coincidence — it can be evidence of national-origin discrimination.
When repairs are refused or delayed:
- File a maintenance complaint with HPD by calling 311 or visiting portal.311.nyc.gov.
- Track the status of the complaint at HPDONLINE.
- If you believe the refusal is tied to your national origin or immigration status, also file a discrimination report at on.nyc.gov/reportdiscrimination.
HPD investigates the maintenance issue. The Commission on Human Rights investigates the discrimination. Both processes can run at the same time.
How to Take Action: Free Legal Help, by Borough
HRA’s Office of Civil Justice provides free legal representation, advice, and assistance to NYC tenants — regardless of immigration status — facing eviction, harassment, disrepair, and other housing issues. The fastest way to talk to a real lawyer is to call your borough’s Legal Aid Society office directly:
- Manhattan: 212-426-3000
- Brooklyn: 718-722-3100
- Bronx: 718-991-4600
- Queens: 718-286-2450
- Staten Island: 347-422-5333
- Legal Aid Society main line: 212-577-3300
If you are part of a tenant association — or want to start one — call Legal Aid’s Housing Justice Unit Group Advocacy line at 212-577-7988, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you live in NYCHA housing, call Legal Aid’s Public Housing Unit at 212-298-3450. If you are currently homeless, call the Homeless Rights Project helpline at 800-649-9125, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Right to Counsel: You Don’t Need to Apply
If you have an upcoming eviction case in Housing Court, you do not need to contact Legal Aid in advance. New York City’s Right to Counsel program (also called Universal Access) ensures that all eligible NYC tenants facing eviction get free legal representation — and it is available in every ZIP code, regardless of immigration status.
To get connected with a lawyer, you must attend your first court date — virtually or in person, whichever your notice indicates. At that appearance, the court will connect you with a legal service provider. Missing your first court date is the single fastest way to lose your case by default. If you cannot make the date for a medical or family emergency, contact the court immediately to request a postponement.
Other Free Resources You Should Know About
For self-help on common landlord–tenant issues, JustFix.nyc (available in English and Spanish) walks tenants through eviction, repairs, charges, and discrimination questions step by step. For roommates, broken lease cases, illegal lockouts, succession rights in rent-stabilized units, and shelter system issues, the Legal Aid Society’s housing portal publishes plain-language guides organized by topic.
HRA’s Tenant Support Unit also runs neighborhood-based tenant resource clinics through the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit. To find current locations and hours, call 311 or search “tenant support resources” on nyc.gov/site/mayorspeu.
Document Everything — and Keep Copies Outside Your Apartment
If you are in any kind of dispute with a landlord, build a paper record from day one. Save written communications. Photograph conditions with timestamps. Keep copies of your lease, rent receipts, money orders, and any notices you’ve received. Email copies to yourself or store them in a free cloud account so you have access to them even if you lose access to your apartment.
If a landlord has threatened you in person, write down what was said as soon as you can. Specific quotes, dates, times, and names of witnesses are what turn a “he said / she said” complaint into a winnable case.
Sanctuary City Protections — and Their Limits
NYC’s status as a sanctuary city limits the cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration enforcement, but it does not provide an absolute shield. Tenant-rights advocates strongly encourage immigrant New Yorkers to know who they’re talking to before sharing immigration status with anyone who is not a trusted attorney, doctor, or family member. NYC Commission on Human Rights staff, HPD inspectors, and 311 operators do not collect immigration status as part of housing complaints.
Immigration law changes frequently. Verify current rules with an immigration attorney before making decisions about your status, applications, or interactions with federal agencies. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Bottom Line
If you are an immigrant tenant in NYC, your housing rights are exactly the same as your citizen neighbor’s. Landlords who threaten, refuse repairs, or try to evict you because of your status are violating the law — and there are free, multilingual, status-blind resources designed specifically to help you push back. The single most important thing you can do is pick up the phone: 311 for repairs, (212) 416-0197 for discrimination, your borough’s Legal Aid line for everything else. Every one of these numbers is free. None of them ask about your immigration status as a condition of help.
