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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 048-10
January 29, 2010

MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND CUNY CHANCELLOR GOLDSTEIN URGE HAITIAN REFUGEES TO ATTEND FIRST IMMIGRATION APPLICATION CLINIC AT MEDGAR EVERS COLLEGE/CUNY ON SATURDAY

Temporary Protective Status Application Clinics to Provide Assistance to Haitian New Yorkers as Promised in the Mayor’s State of the City Speech

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and City University of New York Chancellor Matthew Goldstein are urging Haitian refugees to attend the City's first free Temporary Protection Status application clinic this Saturday, January 30 at Medgar Evers College. During the Mayor's radio show this morning on WOR 710 AM, the Mayor and Allan Wernick, Director of CUNY's Citizenship Now! program announced the launch of a series of immigration assistance clinics starting, this Saturday, as promised in the Mayor's State of the City speech last week. The Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs is working in partnership with CUNY Citizenship Now!, the CUNY School of Professional Studies, the Legal Aid Society, Medgar Evers College, the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance to provide free legal and administrative support for Haitian immigrants eligible for Temporary Protective Status.  Hundreds of volunteers at three application clinics in Brooklyn and Queens will assist Haitian immigrants in navigating through the basic eligibility requirements and the documents needed to apply for Temporary Protective Status.

"New York City stands ready to assist the Haitian community affected by the tragic earthquake in any way we can," said Mayor Bloomberg. "For many Haitians New Yorkers wanting to support family and friends back home, filing for Temporary Protective Status is a critically important step, because it allows them to find legal employment here and send more money back to their loves ones as they work to rebuild their lives.  We're fully committed to helping Haitian immigrants avail themselves of this opportunity by working with CUNY and community organizations to ensure they receive adequate legal counseling."

"The City University of New York is very pleased to join with Mayor Bloomberg in strong support of this vital initiative to help enable Haitian immigrants to obtain Temporary Protective Status as authorized by the national administration," said Chancellor Goldstein.  "We have committed the talents, resources, and expertise of CUNY's highly regarded Citizenship Now project to work together with the Mayor's Office and participating organizations in a comprehensive outreach program of free assistance, beginning this weekend at Medgar Evers College.  Help for Haiti is very much a part of all of us at CUNY."

On Friday, January 15th, President Obama's administration announced an 18-month designation of Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for all undocumented Haitians present in the United States on or before January 12, 2010.  TPS is granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to individuals who cannot safely return to their countries of origin due to grave disturbances, such as natural disasters. TPS grants individuals in the United States the right to live and work legally in the United States for as long as Haiti is designated a TPS country. Attorneys and other legal professionals will help applicants fill out forms, advise them on legal issues, provide them with fee information, mailing envelopes pre-addressed to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, and pre-addressed Certified Mail/Return Receipt forms.

Assistance clinics and all services, including photos, are free to the public. Three free TPS Application Assistance clinics are currently scheduled for the following dates: 

Saturday, January 30, 2010
11:00am to 4:00pm
Medgar Evers College
1650 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11225

Saturday, February 6, 2010
11:00am to 4:00pm
P.S. 181
1023 New York Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11203

Saturday February 20, 2010
11:00am to 4:00pm
York College
94 - 20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11451







MEDIA CONTACT:


Stu Loeser / Evelyn Erskine   (212) 788-2958



GENERAL CONTACT:

Michael Arena (CUNY)   (212) 794-5685


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