Local 338 has been closely monitoring the Executive Orders issued by President Trump, along with all other federal legislative and regulatory proposals which seek to bring about sweeping changes to our country’s immigration policy. Our goal as your union is to provide as much support as possible during this time - below is a list of Legal Services and Know Your Rights resources for our members that may be affected by these changes.

If you are a member of the Local 338 Benefits Fund, you are eligible for up to 30 hours of Legal Services. This service covers several different immigration cases, including naturalization, permanent residency, or changes in status. It also covers deportation and other cases that may challenge your, your spouse’s or your dependent’s right to remain in the United States. Local 338’s Legal Benefit will cover you, your spouse and eligible dependents.  To take advantage of this benefit, please reach out to one of the following law offices:

The New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO and CUNY Citizenship Now! provide free immigration consultations both in person and online. They provide consultations on how to do the following:

·      Become a U.S. citizen

·      Petition for your family members

·      Obtain Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

·      Pay a reduced fee or no fee when applying for some immigration benefits

·      Get Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

·      Get your child U.S. citizenship when you become a citizen

·      Renew or replace lost, damaged or expired immigration documents

 
The consultations are open to the public and are held in-person and online. To book a Zoom consultation, please call 646-664-9400 or 212-652-2071. To have the staff at CUNY call you, please fill out this form. Those who are interested in seeking assistance in person can visit one of the following locations:

First, third, and fifth Thursday of the month

25 West 43rd Street, 18th Floor
(between Avenue of the Americas and 5th Avenue)
New York, NY 10036
5:00-7:00 p.m.

Second and fourth Thursday of the month

350 W 31st Street, 8th floor
New York, NY 10001
5:00-7:00 p.m.

The New York State New Americans Hotline – open to all New Yorkers

If you have questions about immigration and citizenship or need a referral to local agencies and services that are providing immigration support, please call 1-800-566-7636. They will be able to refer you to legal services in your area.  All calls are confidential and anonymous. The hotline is open Monday – Friday 9am –8pm.

CARECEN – Open to those living on Long Island

CARECEN’s bilingual attorneys and paralegals provide free and low-cost legal representation on a wide variety of cases to the Island’s diverse immigrant communities through traditional and innovative service models.  For more information visit:  https://www.carecenny.org/legal-services or call the Nassau office at (516) 489-8830 or the Suffolk office at (631) 273-8721.



Immigrant Defense Project

IDP offers the following types of assistance to immigrants and their loved ones who are affected by the criminal system, including immigrants who have been arrested, ticketed, or convicted of a crime, including limited immigration legal advice and information, referrals for free immigration legal services and referrals for private immigration attorneys. For more information, call: 212- 725-6422 or visit: https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/criminal-immigration-helpline/

American Friends Service Committee: https://afsc.org/programs/new-jersey-immigrant-rights

Office of New Americans Legal Services Referrals: https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/njnewamericans/programs/legal/

Catholic Charities
Newark based office: https://ccannj.org/immigration-and-refugee/
Trenton based office: https://www.catholiccharitiestrenton.org/services/immigration-elcentro/

CT Institute for Refugees and Immigrants: https://cirict.org/immigration-legal-services/

Building One Community: https://b1c.org/legal/

CT Law Help/Legal Services: https://ctlawhelp.org/en/self-help/536

Referrals to Find an Immigration Lawyer: https://www.informedimmigrant.com/ or https://www.immi.org/en/info/FindLegalHelp

Directory of U.S. Department of Justice Accredited Immigration Organizations: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/recognized-organizations-and-accredited-representatives-roster-state-and-city

CLINIC Legal Affiliates: https://www.cliniclegal.org/find-legal-help/affiliates/directory

 Note: that there may be a cost to you upon consulting with some of the attorneys referred in the links above.
The Union does not cover legal fees except for persons covered by the Local 338 Legal Benefit, under the fund’s rules.

Know Your Rights
What to Do if You Encounter ICE at Home, Work, or In Public

President Trump has authorized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in several states across America, and raids have recently occurred within New York. We encourage all our members to carry a Know Your Rights Card on you at all times which you can obtain from your Union or Funds Representative or by contacting Coralie Schubert at cschubert@local338org.

1. ICE must have a valid warrant to enter your home or apartment. You have the right to NOT open the door if they come to your house or apartment. You have the right to ask the agents to slide the warrant, signed by a judge, not an immigration officer, under your door before letting anyone in, or stepping back from the door. If the agents don’t have a warrant or the warrant is not signed by judge, you have the right to not allow them to enter.

2. ICE does not have the right to enter employee-only areas at your workplace unless granted permission. If ICE comes to your workplace, contact your Union representative immediately.

3. You have the right to remain silent if asked questions by ICE agents or law enforcement. You have the right to say, “I choose to remain silent.” You have the right not to answer any questions, including about who you are, who else is in your home, where you were born, whether you are a citizen, how you entered the United States, or your immigration status. You should NEVER lie or provide false information.

4. You have the right to state that you do not consent to your home, belongings, or your body to be searched.

5. You have the right to not agree to sign anything before it has been reviewed by your own attorney – one option is to say, “I refuse to sign anything before speaking to my own attorney.”

6. If you are detained, you have the right to state that you want to contact your attorney.

7. If you feel safe to do so, you have the right to record and document the encounter with ICE. You have the right to record ICE as long as you DO NOT impede them, and you have the right to take down the names and badge numbers of the ICE agent.

8. If you have valid U.S. federal immigration documents, it is a good idea to carry them with you. (For example, if you have a U.S. green card or U.S. work permit that isn’t expired, it is a good idea to carry that with you.) It may not be a good idea to carry a foreign passport or papers from another country. But DO NOT carry or present any fake immigration or identification documents.

9. If you encounter ICE agents, DO NOT run. This can provide them with cause to stop you and ask you questions. Instead, you should stay calm, and you have the right to remain silent.

NOTE:  this information is not meant to serve as legal advice. Contact the resources above to speak to an attorney.

For more information, please review this booklet, which walks you through what to do if you are subject to ICE raid or a witness to one.

Making a Family Readiness Plan and Resources for Parents

If you are concerned about yourself or a family member’s status and possible detention, we encourage you to make a family readiness plan, you can find the resources to do so in this poster.

If your family readiness plan includes, or needs to include, any of the below items, we encourage you to speak to an attorney:

• Temporary Care & Custody: Someone to make temporary decisions over the children’s daily routines, school related decisions, and routine medical decisions.

• Standby Guardian: Someone to care of children long-term.

• Power of Attorney: Someone to make financial decisions only for their children and/or for other family members, for example paying bills, signing leases, and using bank accounts.

If you are eligible for the Local 338 Legal Benefit, you can also consult with one of our legal partners listed above for a consultation regarding the above items.

CUNY Law School is also offering resources for parents: https://planningwithparents.commons.gc.cuny.edu/. You can start the process by completing: https://joerosenberg.app.law/planning-with-parents-guided-interview-10-cuny-law/30410402 or https://joerosenberg.app.law/spanish-planning-with-parents-guided-interview-10-cuny-law

Please keep an eye on this page, as we will be updating it as new resources become available. If you have questions about these resources or concerns regarding immigration status, please reach out to your Local 338 Union Representative for assistance at (516) 294-1338 ext. 1775. For an updated FAQ about all of the Trump Administration’s policy changes and how they may affect you, click here.

We understand that these are stressful times and that many of the policy changes can be upsetting. If you or a loved one needs help accessing mental health resources, please visit local338.org/mentalhealth