By Madina Toure
Elected officials, CUNY Citizenship Now! and the Flushing YMCA will host a free, multilingual citizenship workshop Saturday.
The workshop, which will feature experienced lawyers and immigration professionals from CUNY Citizenship Now!, a university-based legal assistance program that offers citizenship and immigration law services to New Yorkers.
State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing), Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing), City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) is hosting the fair in partnership with the Flushing YMCA and CUNY Citizenship Now!
The event will be hosted at the basketball court of the Flushing YMCA at 138-46 Northern Blvd. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Due to limited space, only the first 130 attendees will be served.
Kim said the main appeal of the fair is that it offers free assistance.
“There are so many groups around the community who charge people for this type of service,” he said.
Eligible applicants have to have lived in the United States as a permanent resident for at least five years or three years if they have been living with and are married to the same U.S. citizen.
Applicants also have to have lived in the U.S.for at least half of the three-year or five-year period and be at least 18 years old..
Applicants have to pay a $680 fee to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, but fee waiver assistance is available. Individuals are prohibited from bringing the fee to the fair.
A. Sofia Carreno, communications and college relations specialist for CUNY Citizenship Now!, encouraged residents to come to the fair.
“We would like everyone in the community to come to the event,” Carreno said.
Stavisky said that what makes the fair unique is that residents will be able to benefit from the expertise of the team at Citizenship Now! and the help of the Flushing YMCA.
“Here you have CUNY coming and their attorneys coming to the community,” Stavisky said.
Koo said citizenship offers numerous benefits, including the ability to vote.
“When you are a U.S. citizen, you can vote and when you can vote, you can help your children, grandchildren,” Koo said.
Jen Silvers, executive director of the Flushing YMCA, noted that the YMCA opened the New Americans Welcome Centers to help immigrants achieve literacy and other goals.
She said the Flushing YMCA facilitates citizenship applications every day, year-round.
“We’re just so excited to be part of this event,” Silvers said.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
