Our History
How It Came To Be
2016
The LIIC was a vision created in partnership with immigration advocates across Long Island. The initial seeds were planted in 2016, when there was a dramatic increase in the arrest and detention of undocumented persons in ICE raids on Long Island. Several local organizations became involved in the creation of a Rapid Response Network which spanned across Nassau and Suffolk counties, whose goal was to mobilize quickly when these unannounced raids would occur in individuals’ communities. Volunteers were trained in accompaniment work, walking alongside and empowering undocumented immigrants to represent themselves at federal court hearings and other appointments. Pro se clinics began to develop and open in New York City, but there was no counterpart on Long Island.
2020
In response to this growing need of those living on Long Island, in September 2020, an Advisory Board was formed to work specifically on the creation of the Long Island Immigration Clinic. The founding Advisory Board included members of religious congregations and the LI Episcopal Diocese, as well as local organizations providing direct support and advocacy to the immigrant community. The Advisory Board’s initial purpose was to assist the program in becoming operational, with its primary goal to provide community members free assistance in preparing their asylum applications and employment authorization documents. The program model would be largely volunteer-driven, with the assistance of immigration attorneys who would provide supervisory support.
2021
In January 2021, the Sisters of St. Joseph offered to be the clinic’s fiduciary sponsor, and they provided space on their Brentwood campus which was renovated by them for the clinic’s operations. The following year, after discussions with the Advisory Board, the clinic became an official ministry of the Congregation. The clinic hired its first employee in September 2021, and after training its first cadre of volunteers, The Long Island Immigration Clinic officially launched in the first Quarter of 2022.
For Visitors
Contact
Phone:
631-966-4148
Location:
164 3rd Avenue, Brentwood, NY 11717
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Long Island Immigration Clinic is under the Fiduciary Sponsorship of the Sisters of St. Joseph, a 501(c)3 organization.