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NYC Immigration Help Right Now: The MOIA Hotline, NYIFUP for Detained New Yorkers, and the Free Legal Programs You May Not Know About
If you or someone in your family needs immigration legal help in NYC, three programs cover most situations — MOIA’s hotline, NYIFUP for detained New Yorkers, and the citywide network of free Legal Support Centers. Here’s how to reach all three.

Who this helps: Immigrants and families in any of the five boroughs who need legal advice, document help, deportation defense, or just a trusted referral. Every program below is free and city-funded. None of them are notario services. None of them require you to pay before getting screened.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Immigration law changes frequently. Verify current rules with an immigration attorney for your specific situation.

Start with the city’s official front door: the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline

The fastest single phone call you can make is to New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Immigration Legal Support Hotline. According to the official MOIA page at nyc.gov/immigrants, the hotline does three things:

  • Answers immigration policy questions in a safe, confidential conversation
  • Connects eligible New Yorkers to city-funded, trusted immigration legal providers
  • Operates in multiple languages, with flyers and intake available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bangla, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Nepali, Polish, Russian, and Urdu

How to reach it:

  • Direct line: 800-354-0365
  • Or call 311 and say “Immigration Legal”

Hours (verified on the MOIA page through June 20, 2026): Monday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Tuesday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Wednesday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; the last Saturday of each month 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

What it does not do: The hotline does not provide legal services directly and does not schedule appointments. It is a referral and information line that points you toward a trusted provider after a short intake.

Eligibility: Immigrants who reside in New York City whose household income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level qualify for the city-funded referral system.

For New Yorkers in immigration detention: NYIFUP

The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) is the country’s first universal representation program for immigrants in ICE detention. It is a collaboration between The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, and The Bronx Defenders. All services are free.

NYIFUP attorneys represent New Yorkers who are detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and at risk of deportation. Per Legal Aid Society’s NYIFUP page, services include master calendar hearings, bond hearings, individual merits hearings, appeals, and social work support for the detained person and their family.

How to reach NYIFUP:

If a family member has just been detained, this is the program designed for your situation. You do not have to pay for a private attorney before reaching out — call MOIA’s hotline first if you are unsure where to start, and they can point you to NYIFUP or another provider depending on the case.

Walk-in help: the citywide MOIA Legal Support Centers

MOIA operates Legal Support Centers across the five boroughs, housed inside community sites, public health facilities, public schools, and libraries. The full list — with addresses, hours, and the legal provider operating each center — is maintained at nyc.gov/site/immigrants/legal-resources.

These centers handle things like:

  • Initial legal screenings
  • Help with DACA renewals
  • Green card and citizenship applications
  • Family-based petitions
  • Know-your-rights education
  • Referrals into specialized programs (asylum, T and U visas, removal defense)

Because each center is run by a different city-funded legal nonprofit, the best practice is to call MOIA’s hotline first or check the official list before walking in. Some centers operate by appointment only.

If you need to ask about city services regardless of status

NYC’s posture, regardless of federal policy changes, is that immigrants can access city services without being asked about immigration status. The MOIA general hotline for help accessing city services is 212-788-7654, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also email askmoia@cityhall.nyc.gov.

How to Take Action

A note on “notarios” and pay-up-front offers

If anyone asks you for money to fill out an immigration form, promises a guaranteed visa or status, or offers “notario” services that sound like a lawyer but aren’t, walk away. A notary public in the U.S. is not authorized to give legal advice on immigration matters. The MOIA hotline and the Legal Support Centers are the safe alternatives. If you have already paid a notario and feel you were defrauded, the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection takes those complaints at 311 or nyc.gov/dcwp.

FAQ

Is the MOIA hotline really free? Yes. It is funded by New York City and there is no charge to call or to be referred.

Does calling 311 or MOIA put my information into a federal database? NYC’s policy is that immigration status information collected by the city is not shared with federal immigration enforcement except as required by law. Confirm specifics for your situation with the attorney you are referred to.

What if my income is above 200% of the Federal Poverty Level? You may still be able to access general information and referrals. Some private and pro bono providers in the city’s network serve clients above the income cap.

Can my employer or landlord be told that I called? No. The hotline is confidential.

HelpNewYork covers immigration resources every week. We update this guide as MOIA and Legal Aid programs change.

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