Who This Helps: Asylum seekers, survivors of trafficking and violence, immigrant New Yorkers seeking humanitarian protection, CUNY students, and anyone navigating the immigration system on a low income who needs free legal help from people who actually work the cases.
If you are an immigrant in New York City and you need real legal help — not a referral to a referral to a referral — there are two specific places to start that punch far above their weight. The first is the City Bar Justice Center’s Immigrant Justice Project. The second is CUNY’s network of free immigration clinics, including the Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic at CUNY School of Law and the citywide CUNY Citizenship Now! program.
This article is a working guide to both. Phone numbers, intake hours, what each one does, who they help, and how to walk in the door.
City Bar Justice Center: Immigrant Justice Project
The Immigrant Justice Project is run by the City Bar Justice Center, the pro bono arm of the New York City Bar Association. Their lane is humanitarian immigration relief: asylum claims for people fleeing persecution, U-visa and T-visa applications for survivors of violent crimes and trafficking, and other forms of humanitarian protection.
Their free Legal Hotline is (212) 626-7383. The project is described in detail at citybarjusticecenter.org.
Who they prioritize: low-income immigrant New Yorkers who have a credible claim to humanitarian relief but cannot afford a private attorney. They both represent clients directly and place cases with pro bono attorneys at large law firms.
CUNY’s Free Immigration Network
CUNY runs two distinct streams of free immigration help, and it’s worth knowing the difference because they serve different needs.
CUNY Citizenship Now! is the larger and more accessible of the two. Founded in 1997, it provides free, confidential one-on-one consultations with attorneys and paralegals to assess immigration eligibility and assist with applications. According to CUNY, the program handled 8,650 applications and consultations in fiscal year 2024.
Citizenship Now! has multiple intake offices across the city. The main intake number is (646) 664-9400. The Flushing location can be reached at (718) 640-9223, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The full directory and hours are at cuny.edu/citizenship-now.
What Citizenship Now! is best for: naturalization applications, green card renewals, DACA renewals, family-based petitions, eligibility screenings, and routine application help.
The Immigrant & Non-Citizen Rights Clinic (INRC) at CUNY School of Law is a different animal. It’s a law school clinic where supervised law students take cases under faculty supervision. The clinic works with CUNY’s Office of Undocumented and Immigrant Student Programs and partners across the city to handle direct representation for undocumented New Yorkers, DACA recipients, asylum seekers, TPS holders, refugees, and mixed-status families. Details are at law.cuny.edu.
What INRC is best for: more complex cases, advocacy work, and CUNY students or community members connected to CUNY’s network.
Two More Free Resources Worth Knowing
The MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline: (800) 354-0365. Run by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, this is the city’s official switchboard for finding free, safe, City-funded immigration legal help. You can also call 311 and say “Immigration Legal.” Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information at nyc.gov/immigrants.
Legal Services NYC: (917) 661-4500, Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. They speak any language through interpretation and provide free legal help to low-income New Yorkers across multiple practice areas, including immigration. Visit legalservicesnyc.org.
How to Take Action
1. Call the MOIA Hotline first if you don’t know where to start. (800) 354-0365. They will route you to a city-funded provider that fits your case and your borough.
2. If you have a humanitarian case — asylum, T-visa, U-visa, VAWA — call the City Bar Justice Center at (212) 626-7383.
3. For naturalization, green card renewals, DACA, or eligibility screening, call CUNY Citizenship Now! at (646) 664-9400.
4. Get an IDNYC card regardless of your status. Anyone in NYC age 10 or older can get one, and it does not require proof of legal status. Apply or book an appointment at a069-idnyconlineportal.nyc.gov.
5. Bring documentation when you go in. Common items: passport, any prior immigration paperwork (I-94, I-797 receipts, prior applications), tax returns or proof of income, proof of address, and any police reports or court records relevant to your case. If you don’t have something, go in anyway — they will tell you what to gather.
6. Never pay a “notario” or unlicensed immigration consultant. Notario fraud is one of the most damaging scams in immigrant communities. Free, qualified help from the organizations in this article is better and safer than any paid notario. To verify an attorney is licensed in New York, search the Office of Court Administration’s directory at iapps.courts.state.ny.us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these services share information with ICE? No. The MOIA-funded network and the legal aid organizations listed here are bound by attorney-client privilege and do not share immigration status with ICE. NYC has long-standing sanctuary city policies governing what city agencies can share. That said, immigration enforcement is fluid — verify current policy and your specific situation with an attorney before disclosing anything sensitive.
How long does an immigration case take? It depends entirely on the case type and current USCIS processing times. Naturalization can take 6 to 14 months. Asylum cases can take years. Always ask your attorney for a realistic timeline based on current backlogs.
What if I’m not eligible for free legal help? Many providers have flexible income guidelines. Call anyway. If you are over the threshold, ask for a referral to a low-cost legal services provider or a sliding-scale immigration attorney.
Can I bring a friend or family member to the appointment? Usually yes, especially if you need translation or moral support. Confirm with the specific clinic when you book.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Immigration law changes frequently. Verify current rules with an immigration attorney before making decisions about your case.
