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Long Island Feels Impact of Record Surge of Migrant Families
CARECEN, the largest immigrant legal services agency on Long Island, more than doubled its legal staff from 12 at the end of 2022 to 28 at the end of 2023. That number should increase to 34 this year, de Castillo said.
How migrants on Long Island are finding work, places to live
The Central American Refugee Center, with offices in Hempstead and Brentwood, over the past 18 months has seen demand for legal services for asylum cases increase from an average of four a week to 25, said Elise de Castillo, the group’s executive director.
Migrants fleeing persecution find help at Hofstra Law School Asylum Clinic
Elise de Castillo, executive director of the Central American Refugee Center, which has offices in Brentwood and Hempstead and provides legal assistance and other services to immigrants on Long Island, said there needs to be better infrastructure to support them in both counties. Long Island, she said, needs more immigration lawyers.
Demandan a la Policía de Nassau por los servicios de traducción
En una conferencia de prensa el martes 17 frente a la sede de la policía en Mineola, Elise de Castillo, directora ejecutiva de CARECEN, denunció las prácticas del departamento. “La declaración de misión del Departamento de Policía del condado de Nassau comienza con las palabras ‘Servir a la gente del condado de Nassau’. Sin embargo, su práctica sugiere que este servicio está reservado solo para los residentes del condado de Nassau que hablan inglés”, dijo.
When the Police Only Speak English
Advocates recently sued the Nassau County Police Department over its treatment of non-English speaking people. Elise de Castillo, executive director of CARECEN, and Meena Roldán Oberdick, attorney at Latino Justice, discuss the lawsuit and what their groups do to provide immigrants with legal, language and translation assistance.
‘We speak English here': Nassau County Police sued for language access
“Access to justice in Nassau County is not limited just to those individuals who speak English,” said Elise de Castillo, executive director of the Central American Refugee Center. “We have to make sure that services such as police are available to all Nassau County residents in the language in which they feel most comfortable communicating.”
Immigrant-rights groups sue Nassau County Police Department, cite translation services
“Nassau County Police Department’s mission statement begins with the words ‘To serve the people of Nassau County.’ Their practice, however, suggests that this service is reserved only for those residents of Nassau County who speak English,” she said.
NCPD no satisface las necesidades de servicios de acceso lingüístico, demandas judiciales
Hace una década, el entonces ejecutivo del condado de Nassau, Ed Mangano, aprobó dos órdenes ejecutivas, las órdenes 67-2013 y 72-2013, que garantizaban al público mejores servicios de acceso lingüístico. Ahora, se presentó una demanda contra el condado de Nassau y su departamento de policía por supuestamente no cumplir con esas órdenes.
NCPD not meeting language access services needs, lawsuit claims
A decade ago, then-Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano passed two executive orders — orders 67-2013 and 72-2013 — guaranteeing the public improved language access services. Now, a lawsuit has been filed against Nassau County and its police department for allegedly failing to follow through on those orders.
Effort to block migrants draws protest, no vote at Suffolk legislature
“The right to seek asylum is a human right as is the right to seek shelter, security and safety and to be treated with basic human dignity,” said Jessica Greenberg, legal services director at CARECEN, an immigration legal services provider with offices in Hempstead and Brentwood. “As New Yorkers, we know this and we are proud of it.”
Immigrants jobs program aims to get new LIers back on career track
“There’s this misconception of the immigrant community that it’s only working-class folks, and that’s not the case,” said Elise Castillo, executive director of the Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN), a nonprofit providing social and legal services for immigrants on Long Island and the agency chosen earlier this year to oversee the Professional Pathways program for Nassau and Suffolk counties.
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