If you are an immigrant in New York City — or you have family, neighbors, coworkers, or tenants who are — the last six months have brought a wave of federal immigration policy changes that affect work permits, asylum filings, and Temporary Protected Status for at least a dozen countries. Some have been blocked by federal courts. Others are now in effect. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) maintains an official tracking page last updated February 26, 2026 — and it is the single most important page for any New Yorker trying to understand their current status.
The Federal Changes You Need to Know About
According to MOIA’s official policy tracker, here’s what has shifted:
Shorter work-permit validity (December 4, 2025). USCIS issued a policy memo that shortens the validity period of certain categories of work permits from five years to only 18 months or 1 year. This applies to initial and renewal work permits. If your work permit was approved before this change, it remains valid for its original period — but renewals will likely be shorter.
USCIS asylum application hold (December 2, 2025). A USCIS memo directed personnel to place a hold on all asylum applications, regardless of nationality, pending comprehensive review. The directive took effect immediately. Pending cases are still in the queue but adjudication is delayed.
State Department visa pause for 75 countries (January 21, 2026). The State Department began pausing immigrant visa applications from 75 listed countries. A lawsuit filed February 2, 2026 challenges the policy as unlawful, and the case is pending. The full list of affected nationalities is on the State Department’s official notice.
TPS for Haiti — temporarily protected (February 2, 2026). A federal judge blocked the termination of TPS for Haiti. Haitian TPS holders continue to have their work permits and protections from deportation until further notice. MOIA’s Haitian Response Initiative provides services in Haitian Creole, French, and English for recently arrived NYC residents who are Haitian nationals.
TPS for Burma — temporarily preserved (January 23, 2026). A federal judge in Illinois issued a stop order postponing the end of TPS for Burma. Burmese TPS remains valid for now, but the case continues. Check the USCIS Burma page for real-time updates.
TPS for Ethiopia — temporarily preserved. A federal judge issued a temporary stay blocking the termination of TPS for Ethiopia. Protections and work permits remain until further litigation.
TPS for Somalia — ending March 17, 2026. DHS announced termination on January 13, 2026. Protections end on March 17, 2026, barring litigation. If you are a Somali TPS holder, contact a licensed immigration attorney immediately to discuss alternative paths.
Refugee green-card applications paused (November 21, 2025). USCIS directed officials to review all refugees admitted between January 20, 2021 and February 20, 2025. Pending green-card applications filed by refugees who entered during that window are now paused indefinitely.
Humanitarian parole family reunification — temporarily blocked (January 25, 2026). A federal judge blocked the administration’s decision to end humanitarian parole for nationals from Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras.
DACA filings (January 17, 2025 court ruling). Individuals may submit first-time DACA applications, but USCIS will not process them at this time. Renewal applications continue to be processed.
Electronic-only USCIS payments (effective October 28, 2025). USCIS no longer accepts paper checks or money orders for application fees. Payments must be made via ACH debit (Form G-1650) or credit card (Form G-1450) from a U.S. bank account. Some exceptions apply.
The Free NYC Resources You Should Save in Your Phone Today
NYC’s MOIA-funded legal services exist specifically because federal immigration law is too complex to navigate alone — and because the city wants to keep notarios and scam “immigration consultants” away from vulnerable residents.
MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline
Phone: 800-354-0365 (or call 311 and say “Immigration Legal”).
This hotline is free, safe, and confidential. Trained staff answer immigration policy questions and connect callers to free legal-help providers based on language and location. The hotline does not schedule appointments directly. If your annual household income is more than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, you may not qualify for certain city-funded services.
MOIA Immigration Legal Support Centers
Legal consultations and representation are available at community-based locations across all five boroughs. To qualify, your household income must be below 200 percent of the current-year Federal Poverty Level. The full center list is on the MOIA Legal Support Centers page.
Rapid Response Legal Collaborative (RRLC)
For NYC residents who are detained or at imminent risk of detention and deportation. Specifically designed for people who may not have the right to see an immigration judge or are facing fast-track removal. Reach the RRLC through the MOIA Hotline.
NYS DREAM Act Application Assistance
For low-income immigrant New Yorkers, particularly those eligible for state financial aid. Free application help is available through MOIA-funded providers.
Immigrant Rights Workshops (IRWs)
Free Know Your Rights workshops citywide. Topics include how to navigate interactions with ICE, how to avoid fraudulent legal services, and how to access free city services. The city has put KYR information on 4,000 LinkNYC kiosks across NYC.
NYC Immigrant Affairs General Hotline
For general questions (not legal advice): 212-788-7654 or email askMOIA@cityhall.nyc.gov.
How to Take Action This Week
- Bookmark the MOIA Latest Immigration Updates page: nyc.gov/immigrants/latest-immigration-updates. Check it weekly. It is updated as federal policy and court rulings change.
- Save the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline: 800-354-0365. Save it under a non-obvious name in your contacts if privacy is a concern.
- If you are a TPS holder from Somalia, Haiti, Burma, Ethiopia, Syria, or South Sudan: Contact a free MOIA legal provider this month. Court rulings can change overnight, and you want a lawyer who knows your case before something shifts.
- If you have a pending asylum application: Do not assume your case has been denied because of the hold. Contact MOIA for a free consultation about your specific case status.
- If you applied for a green card as a refugee admitted between January 2021 and February 2025: Your case is paused — but you should still consult an attorney to make sure your file is complete.
- Never pay a notario. Only licensed immigration attorneys and accredited representatives can legally give immigration advice. If someone offers to fill out USCIS forms for a fee and is not a lawyer, they may be committing fraud.
- Switch your USCIS payments to electronic. Paper checks and money orders are no longer accepted as of October 28, 2025. Use Form G-1650 (ACH debit) or G-1450 (credit card) with a U.S. bank account.
What to Tell Family and Neighbors
The single most useful thing any New Yorker can do this month is share three pieces of information with the immigrant family members, neighbors, and coworkers in their life:
- The MOIA Hotline is free and confidential: 800-354-0365.
- Calling 311 and saying “Immigration Legal” connects to the same hotline.
- Notarios are not lawyers. Only call a licensed immigration attorney or a MOIA-funded provider.
NYC has allocated more than $120 million for free immigrant legal services as of July 2025, and the city created the Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance to expand the network. The legal capacity exists. The hard part is connecting the people who need it to the services that are already funded. That is what this article is for.
If you read this and someone you know needs help, send them the hotline number tonight. The federal landscape will keep shifting through 2026. The city’s response infrastructure is the steady ground underneath.
Sources: All federal policy and court information in this article was verified against the official NYC MOIA Latest Immigration Policy Updates page (last updated February 26, 2026) and the MOIA Get Legal Help page. For current case status, consult a licensed immigration attorney.
