NYC Gazette

April 22, 2024CUNY Citizenship Now!, the nation’s largest university-based legal assistance program, is partnering with Univision NY to host its Spring Citizenship Drive event on May 18. The event, “Become a Citizen: Opportunities Await,” will take place at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and aims to help 250 permanent residents apply for citizenship while creating awareness of the advantages of becoming a U.S. citizen. Registration for the free event opens on April 22.

Staff and volunteers of CUNY Citizenship Now!, which provides free immigration services to New Yorkers, will help event participants navigate the newly updated USCIS N-400 naturalization form. They will also screen participants to see if they can apply for a fee waiver or a reduced fee, which could save them hundreds of dollars. Due to recent changes by USCIS, many people who were not eligible for a reduced fee before April 1 may be eligible now. Volunteers and staff will be available in several languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, Haitian Kreyol, and Arabic.

"CUNY has a proud and enduring history of supporting immigrants and recently arrived New Yorkers and the work we are doing today to ease the path toward United States citizenship is more vital than ever," said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.

"Becoming a U.S. citizen offers many benefits, including the right to vote, ease of travel with a U.S. passport, new job opportunities with better income potential and other financial advantages," said Monique Francis, interim director of CUNY Citizenship Now!.

"We are very happy to participate in the CUNY Citizenship Now! legal assistance event that offers tangible support to the Hispanic community," said Roberto Yañez, regional president and general manager of Univision NY.

The event is open to all permanent U.S. residents. Those interested in attending may call 646-664-9400 or 212-652-2071 to make an appointment and find out which documents they should bring to the event. They can also visit cuny.edu/citizenshipnow and complete a form to request a phone call. The Spring Drive is sponsored by prominent nonprofits, law firms, and government agencies, including Access Justice Brooklyn; American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), New York Chapter; CUNY School of Law; Dominican Bar Association; Dominicanos USA; DC 37 Citizenship Committee; DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services; Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP; Gibney Anthony & Flaherty, LLP; Hispanic Federation; John Jay College of Criminal Justice; NALEO Educational Fund; New Americans Campaign (NAC); New York City Council; NYC Department of Social Services; NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA); NYS Office for New Americans; One Percent for America; Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

CUNY Citizenship Now! has been a leading pro se immigration service provider in New York City for 27 years. Since its founding, it has handled over 225,000 applications and consultations for its participants. The Spring Citizenship Drive event is its flagship event.