The New York City Council is teaming up with CUNY Citizenship Now to bring immigration help straight into New Yorkers' living rooms, no subway ride required. The new online service, announced Thursday, lets residents speak directly with immigration lawyers from home. It is being promoted as completely free and confidential and covers help with renewing or replacing documents, sponsoring family members, and questions about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Appointments can be made by phone at (646) 664‑9400, and in‑person scheduling is available at 211 East 43rd Street.
What the service covers
CUNY's Citizenship Now program, the university's long‑running legal clinic, provides one‑on‑one consultations and application assistance and lists (646) 664‑9400 as its central appointment line, according to CUNY Citizenship Now. The program's online description says services include naturalization, adjustment of status, family‑based petitions, DACA, TPS, and help replacing or renewing immigration documents. All consultations are free and confidential and are protected under attorney‑client privilege, CUNY says. Virtual appointments can be paired with in‑person pickup or mailing of completed application packets, so people juggling work or family responsibilities are not stuck making multiple trips.
How to book and where it’s offered
The announcement was posted on X and included the phone line and an in‑person scheduling option at a Midtown location; see the Council's post for the original message. The post from the New York City Council directs users to CUNY for virtual consultations and for sessions held at district offices. For broader background on city‑funded immigrant legal help, the Council lists CUNY Citizenship Now among programs it supports to expand access to legal services, according to the New York City Council.
Why it matters
Reliable legal advice has become more urgent as federal immigration rules and court decisions continue to shift eligibility for relief, and city and university partnerships aim to bridge gaps for residents who cannot afford private counsel. CUNY reports 8,650 applications and consultations in fiscal year 2024 and says the program saved New Yorkers about $1.12 million in application fees, figures that illustrate strong demand for low‑cost assistance, according to CUNY Citizenship Now. The expanded online option, paired with sessions at district offices, is designed to put qualified legal guidance within reach for New Yorkers who are short on time, money, or both.
