American Citizenship Guide: Federal, State, Local, and Online Resources

USCIS will secure America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to their customers, granting immigration and citizenship benefits, promoting an awareness and understanding of citizenship, and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system. There are 19,000 government employees and contractors of USCIS working at 223 offices across the world that provides effective customer-oriented immigration benefit and information services, supporting immigrants’ integration, and participation in American civic culture.

A list of the United States Senators and Congressional Member for New York State.

List of New York State Senators, Committees and Legislative Groups.

A list of all current members in the New York State Assembly.

The Office for New Americans (ONA) assists newcomers to New York State who are eager to contribute to the economy and become part of the family of New York State. The New York State Office for New Americans helps New Americans fully participate in New York State civic and economic life. They are committed to strengthening New York State’s welcoming environment for New Americans and facilitating their success by creating a network of neighborhood-based “Opportunity” Centers and increasing access to English-for-Speakers-of-other-Languages (ESOL) training, preparing New Americans for the naturalization process, and connecting New Americans to business resources to harness their entrepreneurial spirit.

The Nassau County Bar Association promotes the delivery of competent legal services to all who need it, without regard for the ability to pay, and without regard for the popularity of the cause. The Nassau County Bar Association will protect and improve the system of justice and its institutions, in order to promote the fair, swift and sure administration of justice. The NCBA will maintain and increase the level of professionalism among lawyers, particularly through continuing legal education programs. The NCBA encourages all lawyers to aspire to the highest principles and practices of ethical conduct and to preserve and promote the honor and collegiality of the profession.

The Legal Aid Society of Nassau County provides free legal representation to persons who are unable to hire attorneys and are facing criminal prosecution by the State of New York in Nassau County. The Legal Aid features a small practice providing assistance to those with active cases in the Nassau Family Court and are unable to retain attorneys to deal with matters such as child custody and child support. Legal Aid does not handle other civil (non-criminal) matters.

Literacy Nassau is a Long Island based nonprofit organization that trains literacy volunteers to work with adult learners (ages 18 and older). Volunteers are recruited from all over Nassau County and they are trained and supported by Literacy Nassau throughout the year. Most of the programs listed below are taught by trained volunteers. All of their programs are free and most programs meet in Nassau County libraries. Programs Include tutoring one on one, small group instruction beginner and intermediate levels, advanced ESL classes, citizenship services, and Next Chapter Book Clubs, and Jot It Down Writing Clubs.

Nassau BOCES programs include Adult Basic Education (ABE), High School Equivalency (HSE), English as a Second Language Classes (ESL), English Literacy Alternative Program (ELAP for teens and young adults), and job training classes.

Citizenshipworks helps clients become a U.S. citizen, through a step-by-step process. Their goal is to answer all your questions, and connect you to the help you need online or in-person. Based on decades of legal expertise, they make applying for citizenship safe and simple, start to finish. Citizenshipworks offers solutions for nonprofit legal services providers, nonlegal community-based organizations, and individuals who want to apply for U.S. citizenship. Citizenshipworks is a collaboration between the Immigration Advocates Network, Immigrant Legal Resource Center, and Pro Bono Net.

CARECEN empowers immigrant communities on Long Island through legal services and advocacy. CARECEN has provided high quality legal assistance to immigrant communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties for over thirty years. They currently offer a variety of legal services in both affirmative and defensive cases, including initial and renewal requests for temporary protected status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), green card renewals, naturalization, adjustment of status, family petitions, unlawful presence waivers, special immigrant juvenile status (SIJS), among others. Caracen screens for a broad range of legal relief when they meet with clients and inform them of the immigration benefits they are eligible to apply for and the implications of applying for them.

As a ministry of the Roman Catholic Church, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre assists in serving the basic needs of the poor, troubled, weak, and oppressed and is committed to addressing the causes of injustice. They aim to organize and empower people to secure the participation of all in the life of the community.

Programs include:

English for Speakers of Other Languages, this is a three-level program in English as a Second Language for adults. Courses cover the skills of listening, speaking, reading, vocabulary improvement, and writing American English with particular emphasis on listening and speaking.

College preparation courses are offered and designed to strengthen academic skills in science, language arts, and mathematics. The math and science courses can serve as prerequisites for college admission and college success. The classes include Algebra I, Algebra II, Intermediate Algebra, Biology with Lab, Chemistry with Lab, Languages Arts, Reading and Writing, Teacher In Class With a Student, and High School Equivalency Preparation.

The High School Equivalency program provides academic instruction and test preparation in order to assist students to achieve their NYS high school equivalency diploma. Teachers provide instruction in writing, grammar, math, and reading content. The official NYS Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC™) NYS TASC™ replaced the GED® (General Educational Development) in 2014. Additionally, students are assigned time in the ATTAIN computer lab where they re-mediate their weak areas and work on test preparation through computer aided instruction.

The Academic Skills Preparation is a program designed to develop reading and math skills if you do not meet the entry-level requirements for College Prep, Career Prep, or the Business Education programs. The two modules are sequential, and computer-assisted learning is an essential part of this program.

SEPA Mujer is a stand for the well-being and full development of Latina immigrant women on Long Island. Our mission is to raise and unite our voices and to be heard, by and contribute to the social, governmental and political systems in which we live. We strive to nurture and improve physical and emotional security, self-esteem, legal status, and economic independence by way of education, friendship, capacity building workshops, advocacy, community organization and legal representation.

Provides legal advice for Suffolk County Residents. Fees may apply.

Established in 1996 by Sister Margaret Smyth, OP, the North Fork Spanish Apostolate has been a catalyst for social change on Long Island’s East End. By collaborating with government agencies, not for profit groups, and community members seeking significant lasting solutions, we have enhanced thousands of lives in our community’s underserved population including women, children and immigrants. NFSA services are designed to break the cycle of poverty and to help achieve a long-term, sustainable difference.

Círculo de la Hispanidad, Inc. has been serving the community for over 30 years. Through advocacy, Círculo seeks to unify community voices with the goal of empowering the underserved and protecting human and civil rights for all. Círculo proactively addresses issues and concerns such as: economic development, education, leadership, development, health, education/services, and various other programs. We currently provide services to over 5,000 individuals and families a year. In January 2010, Circulo’s dream of building a state of the art community center finally became a reality. Circulo is a leading community agency in long Island that continues to improve the lives of many individuals and families in need.

Catholic Charities of Rockville provides legal counselling and representation before the US Citizenship and Immigration Service as well as the Immigration Court (EOIR), refugee resettlement, services to Victims of Human Trafficking and Immigrant victims of crimes. We advocate in order to promote a better life for immigrants in the Long Island, NY area.

The Safe Center LI is a creation of two former non-profit agencies that separately served the victims of domestic abuse and child abuse. Located in a historic Grumman building in Bethpage, it was created in 2014 through the merger of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV)and the Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect (CCAN). Each had been providing services for victims of abuse for over 30 years.

EAC Network is a diverse social service agency that empowers, assists, and cares for people in need across Long Island and New York City. Our objective is to reach individuals within our community through innovative programs that improve quality of life.

Make the Road New York (MRNY) builds the power of Latino and working class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services. Our model integrates multi-issue, multi-generational organizing – on workers’ rights, tenant rights, LGBTQ justice, youth power and policing, public schools and education justice, immigration justice, and climate – with an array of wraparound services that create a space of safety and support for entire families. Our storefront community centers are decorated with murals and made visible with colorful awnings; families pour in to sign up for English-as-a-second-language classes, and stay to enroll their kids in our after-school Youth Power program. They come seeking help fighting an illegal eviction, and stay to fight for better laws protecting tenants.

La Oficina de Asuntos Hispanos (OHA en inglés) es un departamento del Condado de Nassau cual contribuye a la educación, empoderamiento, y bienestar general de la comunidad Hispana. En su papel como enlace entre el gobierno del condado y la población grande de Hispanos, la misión de OHA es coordinar recursos para la comunidad que promuevan la educación, empoderamiento, e integración de individuos en la vida económica, social, y cívica de nuestro condado. Nuestro equipo trabaja con la oficina de la Ejecutiva del Condado y agencias en investigaciones, análisis, e implementación de políticas públicas que aseguren que la comunidad Hispana tenga oportunidades, participación significativa, y acceso al gobierno del Condado de Nassau.

The Nassau County Chapter of the New York Civil Liberties Union serves more than one million people in Nassau County on Long Island. Our mission is to preserve and protect the constitutional freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights for all who live in America.