Umoja243
Connect. Empower. Rise.
Sign in to your Umoja243 account to post, message members and manage your listings.
New to Umoja243?
Create a free account — it takes a minute. Choose a password — you'll sign in right away.
Your email is still needed for your account — it's how you recover your password if you forget it.
Already have an account?
You'll continue on umoja243.org to finish signing in.
Immigration is where fear and paperwork collide. We replace both with clear steps, real deadlines, and referrals to accredited legal help. Umoja243 is a community organization, not a law firm — we prepare you and connect you; licensed attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives handle your case.
Asylum protects people who face persecution in their home country. The core facts, from USCIS:
Refugees and asylees in New York can access resettlement support — and every family, whatever their status, has tenant rights here.
Step-by-step guidance with the official form names and numbers. General information only — not legal advice. For your own case, consult a qualified immigration attorney or a DOJ-accredited representative. Free, confidential help: NYS New Americans Hotline 1-800-566-7636 (Mon–Fri, 9am–8pm, many languages).
Affirmative: you are not in removal proceedings — you file I-589 with USCIS, attend biometrics, then an interview with an asylum officer. Defensive: you are in immigration court — you file I-589 with the judge as a defense against removal. Either way: file within 1 year of your last arrival, tell the truth, and keep every notice.
Official: Form I-589 ↗ · Affirmative process ↗Refugees are screened abroad before travel. On arrival in NY, a resettlement agency helps with housing, benefits, health screening, school enrollment and a first job. Bring your IOM bag and medical records to every appointment, and ask your agency about travel loans and family reunification.
Request resettlement support →The Employment Authorization Document (EAD) lets you work legally. Steps: confirm your eligibility category (asylum applicants generally wait 150 days after filing I-589 to apply, and USCIS cannot grant the EAD until 180 days), complete I-765, attach photos and your I-589 receipt if applicable, file, attend biometrics if scheduled.
Official: Form I-765 ↗Basics: a U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative files Form I-130 (petition). When a visa number is available, you either adjust status in the U.S. with Form I-485 or process at a consulate abroad. Timelines differ sharply by relationship and category — get legal advice before filing.
Official: Form I-130 ↗ · Form I-485 ↗TPS protects nationals of countries USCIS designates for conflict or disaster. Steps: check whether your country is currently designated, register during the official registration window with Form I-821, add I-765 if you want to work, and re-register on time every cycle. Designations change — always verify the current list on uscis.gov before relying on TPS.
Official: Form I-821 ↗Generally: be 18+, a permanent resident for 5 years (3 if married to a U.S. citizen), physically present half that time, of good moral character, and pass English + civics tests. File N-400, attend biometrics, then your interview. Practice with our citizenship test below.
Practice the civics test ↓Cannot afford a filing fee? Many forms accept Form I-912 (Request for Fee Waiver) if you receive a means-tested benefit, your income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or you have a financial hardship. File the I-912 with your application and evidence — never instead of it. Check any fee with the official USCIS fee calculator.
Official fee calculator ↗Find the 13-character receipt number on any USCIS notice (it starts with three letters, e.g. IOE). Enter it in the USCIS Case Status Online tool on uscis.gov, or create a free myUSCIS account to track every case, get updates and respond to requests for evidence. Keep your address current with USCIS (Form AR-11 after any move).
Call the NYS New Americans Hotline: 1-800-566-7636. In court, ask for the free legal orientation list. Only attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives of recognized organizations may represent you. Umoja243 volunteers can help you prepare questions and documents — we do not give legal advice.
Ask us to connect you →Disclaimer: This hub is general community information from public USCIS and New York State sources, not legal advice and not a substitute for a qualified immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative. Rules, fees and designations change — confirm on uscis.gov or with the NYS Hotline before you file.
Questions are drawn from the official USCIS civics list. Which test you take depends on when you filed Form N-400: filed on or after October 20, 2025 → the 2025 test: study 128 questions, the officer asks up to 20, you need 12 correct. Filed before that date → the 2008 test: 100 questions, 10 asked, 6 correct to pass. This practice uses the 2025 standard (20 questions, 12 to pass). Always confirm your version on uscis.gov.
At the interview you must read 1 of 3 sentences aloud correctly, and write 1 of 3 sentences the officer reads to you. The sentences use simple civics vocabulary — practice with the official USCIS vocabulary lists, and read a little English out loud every day (our ESL section helps).
Speaking is tested through the whole interview: the officer reviews your N-400 answers with you, in English. Bring every document listed in your interview notice, arrive early, answer honestly, and ask “Could you repeat that, please?” whenever you need to — asking is allowed and wise.
Practice tool only — not legal advice. The real test is oral, with a USCIS officer, using the official question list that matches your N-400 filing date.
The U.S. Diversity Visa Program normally makes up to 55,000 immigrant visas available each year to people born in countries with low immigration to the United States, with winners chosen by random drawing. Right now the program is paused. Read the status below before trusting anyone who talks about “this year's lottery.” Status as of November 2026
Registration for DV-2027 never opened, and no drawing took place. The U.S. Department of State has announced no registration dates for DV-2027 or DV-2028. Its website still shows the older DV-2026 instructions — that does not mean registration is open. There is nothing to enter today, and no results to check. Please check back — this page will be updated when the State Department acts or the court case below is resolved.
Why is it paused? On October 14, 2026, a federal court ordered the State Department to open DV-2027 registration by November 1. On October 29, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit paused (stayed) that order while the appeal continues — the case is Red Eagle Law v. Rubio. Until the case is resolved or the State Department announces dates, the program stays suspended.
Update — November 2026: On November 1, 2026, a second lawsuit (Ivannikov v. Rubio) was filed asking a federal court to order registration for both DV-2027 and DV-2028. No court has ordered registration to open yet — the program remains suspended.
DV news is real only when it appears on one of these two U.S. government sites:
Background only — none of these steps is open today. In a normal cycle, the State Department publishes instructions — including which countries are eligible — then announces an entry window and accepts entries online at dvprogram.state.gov. A random drawing follows, selectees check their status through the official Entrant Status Check with their confirmation number, and those selected complete the visa application and an embassy interview before the program year ends. Entrants normally must also meet an education or qualifying work-experience requirement set out in the instructions. No eligibility list has been published for DV-2027 or DV-2028, so no country — including DR Congo — can be called eligible yet.
General information only — not legal advice. Status as of November 2026, based on U.S. Department of State announcements and the court record in Red Eagle Law v. Rubio. This page will be updated when the State Department announces registration dates or the court case is resolved. Always confirm on travel.state.gov before acting.
Whatever your status, you have rights in the United States. Save a card to your phone or print it. If officers come to your home, you may keep the door closed and slide the card under it.
General information, not legal advice. Rights guidance reflects widely published civil-rights guidance (right to remain silent, right to an attorney, do not sign documents you do not understand). For a real case, call the NYS Hotline 1-800-566-7636 or an immigration attorney.
When someone is detained, two things matter fast: where they are, and what everyone's rights are in the moment. Start with the official tools below — never with rumors, forwarded videos, or anyone charging you for "news." General information only — not legal advice.
The U.S. government's Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) is the only official way to find where a person 18 or older is being held in ICE custody. Search with the 9-digit A-Number (Alien Registration Number) and country of birth — or with the person's full name, country of birth, and date of birth. It is free and works in 12 languages (English, Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Turkish, Vietnamese, Arabic). Records can take 24–48 hours to appear after detention; children under 18 do not appear. Never pay anyone for a search — the real tool costs nothing.
Official: ICE Online Detainee Locator ↗The A-Number is printed on any ICE or immigration-court paperwork. If the locator still finds nothing, call the NYS New Americans Hotline 1-800-566-7636 or the nearest ICE field office.
At home: Do not open the door. Ask agents to slide any warrant under the door or hold it up to a window. Only a warrant signed by a judge lets them enter without your consent — an ICE administrative warrant (like Form I-200) does not. Say clearly: "I do not consent to your entry. I am exercising my right to remain silent."
At work or in public: Stay calm, do not run, and do not lie about your identity. You may remain silent and ask for a lawyer. Ask "Am I free to leave?" — if yes, leave calmly. If detained: remain silent, do not consent to searches, do not sign anything, and ask for a lawyer and an interpreter immediately.
Policy changes are announced by the government itself and reported by established newsrooms. Check these before trusting forwarded messages, videos, or anyone charging you for "news."
Umoja243 does not track ICE activity and never publishes anyone's location — there is no official live feed of operations, so any "live tracker" you see online is unverified and unsafe to rely on.
Save these in your phone now — you do not want to be searching for them in an emergency.
General information from official U.S. government and civil-rights sources (ICE, ACLU, Immigrant Defense Project, ILRC) — not legal advice. Policies and procedures change; confirm anything affecting your case with a qualified immigration attorney, a DOJ-accredited representative, or the NYS Hotline 1-800-566-7636.
Search a term you saw on paperwork — get a simple definition plus the word in French, Kiswahili, Lingala, Kikongo and Tshiluba. General information only, not legal advice.
Free civil legal aid for low-income families in every city we serve — housing, immigration, family, work and benefits cases — plus the charities and resettlement agencies who welcome newcomers. Verified Nov 3, 2026
221 S Warren St, Syracuse — (315) 703-6500 · Utica (315) 793-7108 · Binghamton (607) 231-5988 · statewide intake 1-877-777-6152. Housing, benefits, family, consumer, education, health and reentry cases.
lscny.org ↗Free civil legal help through volunteer attorneys in the Syracuse area. (315) 471-3409.
vlpcny.org ↗351 S Warren St, Syracuse — (315) 422-8191. Family court, immigration legal services, housing and benefits appeals.
hlalaw.org ↗Free civil legal aid for the Rochester region — housing, benefits, family and consumer law. (585) 325-2520.
lawny.org ↗Pro bono civil legal help for low-income Rochester residents. (585) 232-3051.
justcauseny.org ↗Civil legal aid — housing, family, benefits and immigration-related civil matters in Erie County. (716) 853-9555.
legalaidbuffalo.org ↗Free civil legal services through volunteer attorneys in Western NY. (716) 847-0662.
ecbavlp.com ↗Housing, benefits, family, consumer and immigration law for the Capital Region. (518) 462-6765.
lasnny.org ↗Free legal services for domestic-violence survivors and affordable housing representation in the Capital District (per NYS listings; its website was unreachable at verification — call first).
1010 James St — (315) 474-1261. The Syracuse resettlement agency: housing, jobs, English and case management for refugees — a first door for new arrivals, and it runs a free refugee legal clinic with Hiscock Legal Aid.
interfaithworkscny.org ↗Refugee resettlement, youth and family services in Syracuse. (315) 424-1800.
ccoc.us ↗255 East Ave, Suite 201, Rochester — (585) 461-0110. Refugee resettlement (all faiths), family and elder services.
jfsrochester.org ↗864 Delaware Ave — (716) 883-1900. Refugee resettlement, interpretation, immigration legal services and job help.
iibuffalo.org ↗2495 Main St, Suite 530 — (716) 882-4963. Resettlement, employment, youth programs and an immigration legal department.
jersbuffalo.org ↗The Capital Region's resettlement agency — housing, jobs, English and legal orientation for new arrivals. Website (uscridc → Albany office listings) and phone via the national site.
refugees.org ↗715 Morris St — (518) 621-1041. Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus: English classes, after-school and employment help.
risse-albany.org ↗309 Genesee St — (315) 738-1083. Utica's refugee center: resettlement, English, citizenship classes and interpretation through its Compass Interpreters.
thecenterutica.org ↗131 Front St — (607) 723-9419. Immigration legal help, English and citizenship classes, and community services for the Southern Tier.
americancivic.com ↗Directories verified against organization and government sources on November 3, 2026; offices move and intakes open and close — call or check the website before visiting. Legal aid organizations give free legal help; Umoja243 is not a law firm and this directory is not legal advice.
Interpreters for appointments, and certified translations for the documents your new life runs on.
In hospitals, courts, schools and government offices, you have the right to a free interpreter in your language. Say clearly: “I need an interpreter — I speak Lingala / Swahili / Kikongo / Tshiluba / French.” Never let a child interpret medical or legal matters.
Professional interpretation and translation run by Utica's refugee center, in dozens of languages including ours.
thecenterutica.org ↗Interpretation and translation services for medical, legal and school settings across Western NY.
iibuffalo.org ↗For USCIS and schools, documents (birth certificates, diplomas, transcripts) need a full English translation plus a signed certificate of accuracy from the translator. USCIS does not require a notary or a specific company — a competent bilingual translator who signs the certificate is acceptable for immigration filings; universities may additionally require credential evaluation (WES/ECE — see Study in the USA).
For everyday appointments, trained community interpreters volunteer through Umoja243 — request one in the Service Exchange (“Interpreter” category), and bilingual members can sign up in the Volunteer Portal.
