Table of Contents: 

• 2024 Wins and New Year Message
• New District Lines
• Joining the House Energy & Commerce Committee
• Immigration Guidance
• Constituent Corner: How the Government Can Help You

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As we start 2025, we are excited to announce a win that has been several years in the making. 

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been appointed to the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce under the excellent leadership of Ranking Member Frank Pallone. 

The Energy and Commerce Committee has the power to guarantee health care as a human right to all Americans, fight the global crisis of climate change, and make life easier for the working class.

The next few years are sure to be challenging, but Democrats must maintain our commitment to fighting for working people, not billionaires. That work goes directly through the Energy and Commerce Committee, and she can’t wait to get to work.

This year, we are welcoming some new neighbors in The Bronx and Queens to our District! If you live in Mott Haven or Jackson Heights, we are likely your Congressional representative. 

To the neighborhoods no longer in our District, you will be missed! To determine your new congressional district visit https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative or call our office at (718)-662-5970.

The incoming Presidential administration has vowed significant changes to federal immigration policy. You or your loved ones may be thinking about how best to prepare, regardless of your immigration status. Please review the resources below if you have any concerns regarding your status:

If you have an active order of removal or are otherwise concerned about potential removal, consider proactively completing a DHS privacy waiver and keeping it in a safe place to expedite any inquiries from our office. Our records are confidential. [English, Spanish, Arabic]

How We Can Help

Our office is generally only able to provide immigration casework assistance to constituents who have open immigration cases. Specifically, our office can submit inquiries to federal agencies to follow up on the following applications and cases: 

• Citizenship and Naturalization
• Family Petitions and Immigrant Visa Applications
• Asylum Cases
• Employment Authorization and Travel Documents
• DACA and TPS Cases
• And more!

Place a casework request with our office: https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency 

Stay Prepared

The federal government can deport anyone without lawful immigration status and people with status (e.g., lawful permanent residents and visa holders) with certain criminal convictions. 

• Make sure you have copies of your important documents and keep the originals in a safe place
• Consult a lawyer before ICE comes to your door
• Make a family plan. Identify an emergency caretaker for your children
• Memorize at least one emergency phone number
• Know who your elected officials are. Consider keeping a signed DHS privacy waiver in a safe place so they can advocate on your behalf

Additional Resources

• If you have an open case with USCIS (adjustment of status, citizenship, EAD, etc.), check the status of your case here: https://egov.uscis.gov/ 
• Check if your case is outside normal processing times here: https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times/

If you have any questions related to your immigration status or have had interactions with immigration law enforcement, consider reviewing this list of pro-bono legal service providers from the Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/file/ProBonoNY/dl

• Online Passport Renewal 2.0 (OPR 2.0) has launched and is now available 24/7 for eligible adults wishing to renew their passports online instead of mailing in the renewal form DS-82. Applicants may access OPR 2.0 to submit their renewal at: travel.state.gov/renewonline 

• You can prepare and file your taxes online – for free – directly with the IRS using Direct File. Check your eligibility here!

• The Climate Justice Fellowship Plus Program is accepting applications! The Pilot program, administered by NYSERDA, offers funds to non-profits in the Bronx & Queens to boost climate justice in their communities. Learn more or apply.