Citizenship & Immigration

Providing low-cost legal services to immigrants and refugees, and their families

What We Do

Citizenship & Immigration Services staff members provide advice and low-cost representation for citizenship and immigration processes. Our legal representation at U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) is limited to Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut residents. Legal representation at the Immigration Court in Boston is also available on a case-by-case basis.

Who We Are

Our Citizenship & Immigration Services program is one of four programs in RI whose staff members are accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Partial accreditation enables us to represent clients before USCIS; full accreditation additionally allows us to represent clients before the Immigration Court.

Our staff — five attorneys and five accredited representatives — give consultations to thousands of individuals annually and assist an average of more than 1,500 clients each year with applications and legal representation. We are trained to handle a wide variety of immigration matters, including naturalization, permanent residence applications, family petitions, temporary protected status, deferred action, unlawful presence waivers, asylum, deportation defense, and legal services for victims of crime.  

We also provide outreach on immigration matters to clients and communities throughout Rhode Island regarding the availability of low-cost services by DOJ accredited agencies as well as the dangers of using the services of Notarios and other practitioners engaged in unlawful practice of immigration law. 

Appointments and Consultations

Consultations are available in person at 645 Elmwood Avenue in Providence or by phone 401-784-8607 Monday through Friday to assess eligibility and provide information regarding necessary documents and fees. Please see our hours below:

Monday 9:00am – 1:00pm
Tatyana Tsangarakis-Almeida | Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek

Tuesday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Danlette Norris / Olga Calheta | Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Liberian dialects

Wednesday 9:00am – 1:00pm
Carlos Ospina / Kinga Peloso | Languages: English, Spanish, Polish
Cecily Ziegler (victims of domestic violence, other crimes) | Languages: English, Spanish

Thursday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Danlette Norris / Olga Calheta | Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Liberian dialects

Friday 9:00am – 1:00pm
Carlos Ospina / Kinga Peloso | Languages: English, Spanish, Polish

Consultations may also be scheduled with individual representatives/attorneys (contact list below).

Appointments are required in order to complete and file immigration applications and are scheduled according to individual representative/attorney availability.

Contact Us

Tatyana Tsangarakis-Almeida, Program Director | 401-784-8621 | talmeida@diiri.org

Madonna Giordano, Managing Attorney | 401-784-8661 | mgiordano@diiri.org

Isela Aguilar, Caseworker | 401-784-8667 | iaguilar@diiri.org

Olga Calheta, DOJ Accredited Representative | 401-784-8648 | ocalheta@diiri.org

Savannah Jackson, Caseworker Aide | 401-784-8711 | sjackson@diiri.org

Sedri-Ann Murray, Staff Attorney | 401-784-8614 | smurray@diiri.org

Marcella Narvaes, Staff Attorney | 401-784-8685 | mnarvaes@diiri.org

Danlette F. Norris, DOJ Accredited Representative | 401-784-8635 | dnorris@diiri.org

Carlos M. Ospina, DOJ Accredited Representative | 401-784-8636 | cospina@diiri.org

Kinga A. Peloso, DOJ Accredited Representative | 401-784-8631 | kpeloso@diiri.org

Tethvisal Phan, Caseworker Aide | 401-784-8616 | tphan@diiri.org

Rayanny Thornton, Caseworker Aide | 401-784-8627 | rthornton@diiri.org

Cecily Kerr Ziegler, Staff Attorney, Victims’ Rights | 401-784-8688 | cziegler@diiri.org