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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JULY 19, 2024 | The Indian Eye 26

New York City’s Asylum Application Help Center Wins

American Bar Association’s Hodson Award for Public Service

In First Year, Center Submitted More Than 58,000 Work Authorization, Temporary

Protected Status, and Asylum Applications

OUR BUREAU
NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Adams has an-
nounced that following the city’s Asylum
NApplication Help Center’s first anniversary,
the center has won the American Bar Association’s
Hodson Award for distinguished public service for
its work helping asylum seekers submit applications
for work authorization, temporary protected status
(TPS), and asylum. The award — named in honor
of the distinguished public service career of the late
Major General Kenneth J. Hodson, a former judge
advocate general of the U.S. Army — recognizes
sustained, outstanding performance or a specific
and extraordinary service by a government or pub-
lic sector law office.
“New York City has done more than any other
locality across the country to manage the asylum
seeker crisis, and a key part of that work is help-
ing our newcomers take their next steps towards
independence by helping them submit vital and
complicated work authorization, TPS, and asylum
applications,” said Mayor Adams. “This well-de- 58,000 applications, work authorizations, and tem- oration with our state and federal partners, the
served award is a credit to our creative and ded- porary protected status applications,” said Depu- center has helped migrants and asylum seekers
icated team, who created this first-in-the-nation ty Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne submit over 58,000 applications for asylum, work
center and have supported more than 58,000 ap- Williams-Isom. “We know that this work is part authorization, and TPS. New Yorkers do what we
plications — that’s tens of thousands of individu- of a complex federal process, but our teams have do best in times of crisis: we develop creative solu-
als and families who are this much closer to the worked incredibly hard to help every individual tions, and we’re proud that we’ve created a nation-
American Dream. And if we get the federal chang- and family that came through the doors of the cen- al model that helps people take the next steps in
es we need to make it easier for even more people ter. Our teams also enlisted the help of law firms, their American journey.”
to work, we’ll be able to do that much more. My academic institutions, and philanthropies to build “As an immigrant, helping thousands of fami-
thanks to the American Bar Association for recog- out this effort including support from the state gov- lies take the next step in their journey to security
nizing this incredible, impactful work.” ernment to create satellite sites to reach even more and stability is an honor of a lifetime,” said Asylum
“Since the first asylum seekers arrived in New people. Thank you to our teams leading this work, Application Help Center Executive Director Ma-
York, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with Mayor setting a standard for the nation, and thank you to sha Gindler. “I am grateful to the American Bar
Adams and his administration to provide resourc- all those that have contributed over the last year.” Association for recognizing the hard work and ir-
es and support,” said New York Governor Kathy “The backbone of the Asylum Application replaceable talent of the center’s application assis-
Hochul. “Thanks to our partnership with Mayor Help Center is our dedicated corps of supervising tants, supervising attorneys, and site management
Adams and his administration, we’re making real attorneys, application assistants, and operational staff on our one-year anniversary.”
progress on work authorization and case manage- staff who show up every day with creativity and In the Asylum Application Help Center’s first
ment. Migrants came to this country to work — positivity to assist our newest neighbors,” said City year, the city has helped migrants and migrant
so we’re coordinating our efforts to put them to Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg. “We are deeply families in the city’s care submit more than 58,000
work.” grateful to all who have answered the call to serve applications for work authorization, TPS, and asy-
“In just one year, our help center has become at the center, and for the support of Governor Ho- lum. The Asylum Application Help Center has
a beacon of hope and support, reflecting our city’s chul, the federal government, and our dedicated expanded to five locations in two boroughs, and
dedication to upholding the American Dream and partners from the educational, nonprofit and cor- co-hosted successful satellite clinics in partnership
providing essential services to those in need,” said porate community. Together, we have not only with the state of New York, which has supported
Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “This rec- helped file over 58,000 applications, but have been the center with $40 million in funding; the feder-
ognition underscores our unwavering commitment recognized by the American Bar Association as a al government; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
to serving asylum seekers with compassion and ex- model for the nation.” Garrison LLP; New York Law School; and Edu-
cellence. We are honored to receive this award and “Today, we celebrate a major milestone in our cational Alliance. It has welcomed almost 2,000
remain steadfast in our mission to serve our com- response to this national humanitarian crisis with volunteers from universities, law firms, and corpo-
munity with compassion and care.” the one-year anniversary of the Asylum Applica- rations. Thousands of asylum seekers assisted by
“In just one year, the Asylum Application tion Help Center,” said Office of Asylum Seeker the Asylum Application Help Center have already
Help Center has helped complete more than Operations Director Molly Schaeffer. “In collab- been granted work authorization, TPS, and asylum.

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