New York City faced a significant challenge in managing a historic level of asylum seekers, struggling to provide adequate shelter and food for a growing population. The City needed to help asylees acclimate to a point of self-sufficiency. Thus, the establishment of the Asylum Application Help Center by Mayor Eric Adams marked a pivotal step towards providing necessary assistance in what can be a complicated and challenging portion of an asylee’s journey.
However, the complexity and volume of cases required a specialized staffing solution that could offer not only support in the application process but ensure that support also possessed multilingual skills and cultural sensitivity to address the diverse needs of asylum seekers effectively.
In response, On Call Counsel deployed more than 300 immigration attorneys, supervising attorneys, and legal support staff with proficiency in the languages spoken by the asylee population. We also scheduled and managed staff using our GPS enabled mobile app, which ensured all staff were onsite when clocking in and out.
Originally planned as a six-week project at a single location, the initiative rapidly expanded in scope due to its success, extending over eighteen months and growing to encompass five different locations. Our comprehensive approach went beyond facilitating asylum applications: it also covered temporary protective status and work authorization processes.
300+ bilingual
legal support staff
5 locations
6 days a week, on site
GPS tech
for timekeeping management
30,000 filings
applications and work authorizations
We ensured targeted support for asylum seekers, enabling them to successfully navigate the complexities of work authorization and start a new life in the United States. This initiative showcases our capability to adapt and respond to emergent needs, leveraging our expertise to make a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.
The center won the American Bar Association’s Hodson Award for distinguished public service for its work helping asylum seekers.
” The backbone of the Asylum Application Help Center is our dedicated corps of supervising attorneys, application assistants, and operational staff who show up every day with creativity and positivity to assist our newest neighbors,”
City Hall Chief Counsel – Lisa Zornberg
Use our experience from projects across the country to meet your emergency staffing needs. Our insight comes from working in various situations, including homelessness, health crises, hurricane relief, asylee care, and suicide prevention. This experience allows us to tackle your challenges effectively, ensuring your needs are met with expertise and care.
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If your organization is facing a similar challenge, we’re ready to help.
