NEW YORK, CMC—The Asylum Utility Assist Heart, which caters to Caribbean and different refugees and asylum seekers, has gained the American Bar Affiliation’s (ABA) Hodson Award for distinguished public service.
The middle helps Caribbean and different asylum seekers submit functions for work authorization, short-term protected standing (TPS), and asylum.
Lots of the migrants crossing the southern border of america and arriving in main cities, akin to New York, in search of asylum and refugee standing are nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams mentioned the award, named in honor of the late Main Common Kenneth J. Hodson, a former choose advocate common of the US Military, acknowledges sustained, excellent efficiency or particular and extraordinary service by a authorities or public-sector regulation workplace.
“New York Metropolis has finished greater than another locality throughout the nation to handle the asylum seeker disaster, and a key a part of that work helps our newcomers take their subsequent steps in the direction of independence by serving to them submit important and sophisticated work authorization, TPS, and asylum functions,” mentioned Mayor Adams.
“This well-deserved award is a credit score to our artistic and devoted group, who created this first-in-the-nation heart and have supported greater than 58,000 functions, tens of 1000’s of people and households who’re this a lot nearer to the American Dream.
“And if we get the federal adjustments, we have to make it simpler for much more folks to work, and we’ll be capable of do that rather more. My because of the American Bar Affiliation for recognizing this unbelievable, impactful work,” Adams mentioned.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul mentioned that because the first asylum seekers arrived in New York, “we’ve labored hand-in-hand with Mayor Adams and his administration to supply sources and assist.
“Due to our partnership with Mayor Adams and his administration, we’re progressing on work authorization and case administration. Migrants got here to this nation to work — so we’re coordinating our efforts to place them to work.”
Molly Schaeffer, the operations director of the Workplace of Asylum Seeker, mentioned, “At the moment, we rejoice a big milestone in our response to this nationwide humanitarian disaster.
“In collaboration with our state and federal companions, the middle has helped migrants and asylum seekers submit over 58,000 functions for asylum, work authorization, and TPS. New Yorkers do what we do greatest in occasions of disaster: we develop artistic options, and we’re proud that we’ve created a nationwide mannequin that helps folks take the subsequent steps of their American journey.”
Govt director Masha Gindler mentioned that as an immigrant, serving to 1000’s of households take the subsequent step of their journey to safety and stability is an honor of a lifetime.
She added, “I’m grateful to the American Bar Affiliation for recognizing the onerous work and irreplaceable expertise of the middle’s utility assistants, supervising attorneys, and web site administration workers on our first anniversary.”
Within the Asylum Utility Assist Heart’s first 12 months, Adams mentioned town has helped migrants and migrant households within the metropolis’s care submit greater than 58,000 functions for work authorization, TPS, and asylum.
He mentioned the Asylum Utility Assist Heart has expanded to 5 places in two boroughs and co-hosted profitable satellite tv for pc clinics in partnership with the state of New York, which has supported the middle with US$40 million in funding; the federal authorities; the Manhattan regulation agency of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; New York Regulation College; and the non-profit Academic Alliance.
The mayor mentioned it has welcomed virtually 2,000 volunteers from universities, regulation companies, and firms.
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