Citizenship NOW! Top politicians join dr...

Citizenship NOW! Top politicians join dr...

Jeanne Noonan for New York Daily News

New York United States Senator Kristen Gillibrand greets the volunteers. The New York Daily News and CUN Y (City University of New York) officially kicked off its annual CITIZENSHIP NOW! Call in Center at the New CUNY School at 50 West 40th Street in Manhattan, today April 23, 2012.

Phones were ringing off the hook as the Daily News-sponsored Citizenship NOW! immigration hotline kicked off its 10th anniversary on Monday.

Thousands of people dialed the English- and Spanish-speaking lines the moment the annual call-in began at 9 a.m. looking for free help with questions about visas, green cards and naturalization.

The Citizenship NOW! volunteers who were manning the phones were joined by some high-profile guests, including New York Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

You are helping to make New York and America a better place, Schumer told the men and women volunteering their time. Immigrants give America new blood or new strength and youre helping to make it happen.

The week-long event is a partnership between the City Universit y of New York and The News, and it expects to assist the 100,000th caller in its history sometime this week.

Daily News Chairman and Publisher Mortimer B. Zuckerman said the success of the call-in was evidence of the overwhelming need for free, impartial immigration help.

This is the implementation of the American Dream, Zuckerman said. Being able to give back is just a great thing for the Daily News.

Phones lines are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, New York State Sen. Adriano Espaillat and City Council member Ydanis Rodriguez also stopped by Citizenship NOW! and recounted their own stories of having immigrant parents.

We bear responsibility to take forward the blood, the sweat, the sacrifice of the immigrant generations that built our great city and our great nation, Silver said. Sponsoring and conducting this Citizenship NOW! campaign helps and continues to help thousands of immigrant New Yorkers with the naturalization process and the transition to life as an American.

cboyle@nydailynews.com