Announcements:
The Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship and the Cambridge Public Library will host a New Immigrant and Refugee Visions event to present a selection of three films followed by discussion. The films provide an insider perspective on the integration challenges faced by immigrants and the contributions they make to our culture, economy and social fabric. The discussion allows the audience to share their reactions to the stories with the aim of increasing understanding across diverse opinions and backgrounds.
Saturday, October 12, doors at 11 am, films at 11:30 am
Cambridge Public Library Central branch, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
Featuring a film screening of “Pulse of a Dream“, “Worlds Apart at Home” and “Rhythms of Respect” followed by a discussion with filmmakers Mubarak Muwonge Nsamba, Abdirahman Abdi and Katsyris Rivera Kientz.
A light luncheon to follow.
Click here for the event flyer.
The City of Cambridge and De Novo (formerly CLSACC) host a monthly Immigration Legal Screening Clinic
When: 5:15 pm - 7:15 pm, every third Wednesday
Where: De Novo (formerly CLSACC)
47 Thorndike St, Suite SB-LL-1, near Lechmere T Station - corner of Otis and Third Sts.
for GPS: 90 Third St, Cambridge, MA 02141
Who: Available to Massachusetts immigrants and their families.
For more information, please contact the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship
at 617-349-4396 or circ@cambridgema.gov
Click here to view the PDF for the Immigration Legal Screening Clinic flyer.
Review our FAQ sections for additional languages.
Need information regarding changes to the Public Charge Rule?
What is public charge? “Public charge” or the “public charge test” is used by immigration officials to decide whether a person can enter the U.S. or get a green card (Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status). In this test, officials look at all of a person’s circumstances, including income, employment, health, education or skills, family situation and whether a sponsor signed a contract (“affidavit of support”) promising to support the person. Officials can also look at whether a person has used specific benefit programs. The public charge test does not apply to green card holders who are applying for U.S. citizenship.
The Cambridge Health Alliance prepared a website with information about public charge.
Please check the Protecting Immigrant Families website for regular updates regarding changes to immigration policies. Click here to learn more on how to navigate the Public Charge Rule change.
Follow these links for legal assistance:
Overview of Basic Rights (Translations available at these websites)
Visit the State's website for the Emergency Planning Guide for Families prepared by the Office of Attorney General
Click here to download the Emergency Planning Guide for Families in English, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Portuguese.
The guide outlines care and custody options, including caregiver authorization, temporary agent authorization, and guardianship of a minor. The guide offers a comparison of how these options differ, and outlines the process for setting up each of these arrangements. It also offers a checklist of documents that parents may want to ensure they have in a safe place and available to the child and his or her caregiver as needed, such as passports, medical records, contact information and more.
Are you worried about TPS?
Click here for more information from MIRA.
We do not warranty their information nor have we verified it.
About CIRC
The Commission on Immigrant Rights & Citizenship (CIRC) was formed in September 2016 to address the needs of Cambridge’s immigrant community. It accomplishes this through its work in the following areas:
- Providing outreach material regarding immigrant rights and resources, both through its website and in locations throughout the City.
- Coordinating “Know Your Rights” (KYR) Trainings, provided by experienced Immigration Attorneys, in conjunction with the American Immigration Lawyers Association – New England (AILA-NE) and the Political Asylum and Immigration/Representation (PAIR) Project. Know Your Rights trainings can be arranged through the CIRC Office, by host organizations with sites located in Cambridge.
- Providing “Red Cards” in eight predominant local foreign languages (Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish and Somali). Red Cards are provided at KYR Trainings, in the CIRC Office and by mail (in limited quantities) upon request.
- Providing Outreach and Referral Services through a CIRC staff person who will assist Cambridge immigrant residents with identifying, accessing and obtaining City and local services and resources. This CIRC Outreach Worker will reach out to faith-based organizations, community organizations and meeting places that serve immigrant populations, to provide assistance to Cambridge resident immigrants related to housing, benefits, ESOL classes, citizenship classes, legal services and counseling needs. The CIRC Outreach Worker will be available to provide these services starting in fall 2017.
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Staff and members of the Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship discuss how their work serves immigrant residents in Cambridge.