Queens Classes To Teach Immigrant Rights Amid 'Dehumanizing' Laws

QUEENS, NY -- As New Yorkers feels the ripple effects of the Trump administration's new zero-tolerance immigration policy that's torn apart thousands of immigrant families since April, Queens will remind its neighborhoods what it means to be - as its highway signs proudly proclaim - "The World's Borough."

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz announced earlier this month that her office will host its first "Know Your Rights Week for Immigrants" June 25 - 29 to combat what she called "dehumanizing immigration laws and procedures" that "are tearing families apart."

The series of multilingual workshops put together by Katz's Immigration Task Force will wind through Jackson Heights, Jamaica, Flushing, Elmhurst and Sunnyside over the week to connect the neighborhoods' immigrants with legal experts, advocates and other resources.

"We are in deeply troubling times," Katz said in a Facebook post announcing the workshops. "Broad raids and sweeps of immigration enforcement, even of those without a criminal record, have successfully spread fear and imposed a chilling effect on everyday activities and responsibilities.

"But we are a nation of immigrants, and Queens is about all of our families' futures."

The Legal Aid society will start the week off by offering free legal advice and screening. Other workshops will help legal permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship and break down Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The week will close out with an Immigrant Resource Fair and one-on-one consultations for those in removal proceedings or seeking asylum.

The workshop series is the first of its kind in Queens, but certainly not the last, Katz said.

"Together, we will do everything possible to help counteract the hostility of the current political climate," Katz Wrote. "Queens has your back."

Here's the full "Know Your Rights Week for Immigrants" lineup:

• Walk-ins are welcome, but email immhelp@legal-aid.org in advance to make an appointment
• Languages available: English, Spanish, French and phone interpretation services

Tuesday: Queens Legal Services naturalization clinic from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Jamaica on the fifth floor of 89-00 Sutphin Blvd.

• Call 917-661-4500 to schedule an appointment
• Languages available: English, Spanish, Korean and phone interpretation services

• Contact Eri Cahill at 718-460-5600 ext. 505 or eri.cahill@minkwon.org to make an appointment
• Languages available: English, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish and Japanese

Immigration Resource Fair from 4 to 9 p.m. in Elmhurst at the Macy's Wing of the Queens Center, 90-15 Queens Blvd.

• Level 3: Legal clinic on housing and employment from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
• Level 2: Organization resource tables from 4 to 9 p.m.
• Languages available: English, Spanish, Mandarin, Bengali, Korean, Russian, Tagalog and Croatian

Friday: One-on-one consultations with the Catholic Migrant Center for those in removal proceedings or seeking asylum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Sunnyside at 47-01 Queens Blvd. Room 203

• Call 347-472-3500 for an appointment and mention "Borough President Katz's Know Your Rights Week"
• Languages: Phone interpretation services

Visit the Queens Borough President's website for more information on "Know Your Rights Week" and the Immigration Task Force.

Lead photo via U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement.