NYC has welcomed tens of thousands of asylum seekers over the past year, and many want to file asylum applications, which will in turn allow them to apply for work authorization.  In order to help people apply for asylum, the New York City Mayor’s Office opened an Asylum Application Help Center at the Red Cross in Midtown.  The Center opened in late June and is operating in consultation with immigration legal service providers, with pro bono support from a number of top law firms, and with the help of students at local colleges and universities.  The Center supports applicants as they complete asylum applications pro se and does not offer full representation.

Interested asylum seekers are scheduled for one-on-one appointments at the Application Help Center, where trained application assistants work with the applicant to answer questions.  Experienced immigration lawyers are on site to supervise application assistants and provide guidance; interpreters are on site to provide in-person language assistance.  The Help Center is scaling up quickly, with the goal of serving thousands of asylum seekers this year.

The Help Center wants highly motivated, empathetic students to work one-on-one with asylum seekers on these Days of Action. Assistants will educate asylum seekers about asylum and then help them complete an asylum application. Each Asylum Application Assistant will be trained and will be supervised and supported by onsite Supervising Attorneys.