Understanding Immigrants’ Rights
By Chelsea Jupin
As an organization founded to ensure the well-being of immigrants to our community, Henry Street Settlement continues to place a high priority on ensuring the rights and safety of these participants, who make up a large portion of our client population.
On October 17, 2018, Henry Street partnered with volunteers from New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) and the Hispanic Federation for a training to help staff understand immigrants’ rights in the event of potential interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Henry Street team members recognize that our clients and community members lead multi-issue lives, and we know that supporting folks across a wide range of issues requires training and preparation,” said Talia DeRogatis, advocacy and community engagement coordinator. “We are incredibly grateful to NYLAG and the Hispanic Federation for making it possible.”
NYLAG trainer Lauren Reiff talked about ways in which team members can talk with Henry Street clients who may be concerned about potential interactions with ICE. She emphasized that anyone who is questioned may exercise the right to remain silent. She also explained what to look for in a search warrant, which may be highly specific (for example, agents might not be authorized to explore spaces in a building that are not indicated in the in the warrant).
The NYLAG training was arranged through the Settlement’s new partnership with the Hispanic Federation, which leads a coalition of immigrant-serving organizations. The idea for the training emerged from Henry Street’s Advocacy Committee, which seeks opportunities for Henry Street team members to become better and more prepared advocates for clients and community members.
