Immigration Advocates and Lawmakers in NY Seek Funding For Immigration Legal Services

NEW YORK, New York – Immigration advocates and lawmakers have called for an investment of US$165 million in the State budget for immigration legal services and infrastructure for immigrants.

People join lawmakers and immigration advocates in calling for funding to help migrants in New YorkThe New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella immigrant advocacy organization representing over 200 immigrant groups in New York, said the Access to Representation Act would be the first of its kind in the United States, guaranteeing immigrants facing deportation the right to legal counsel in New York State and ensuring they have a fair chance to fight for their freedom.

NYIC said the BUILD Act lays the groundwork for investing in the “critical legal infrastructure needed for service providers to create, maintain and expand programs to protect immigrant New Yorkers” ,

NYIC president and chief executive officer, Murad Awawdeh, said as the federal government’s attacks on immigrant communities intensify, New York must stand firm in its  commitment to due process under the law.

“There is nothing more American than the right to a fair hearing. New York must ensure that every resident, regardless of their immigration status, has the chance to be heard, to defend themselves, and to receive impartial treatment within our justice system.

“Funding immigration legal services at US$165 million and passing the ARA and BUILD Acts will keep our families together and New York’s economy strong,” he said.

New York State Senator, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, said there is need to protect New York’s immigrant community from the attacks that President Donald Trump has promised.

“Now is the time to make significant financial investments in immigrant legal representation, protect our immigrant communities from overreaches by Donald Trump’s Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and pass the Access to Representation Act (S.141), which I sponsor with Assemblymember Cruz, into law.

“The ARA will guarantee that all those in New York State facing legal challenges related to their immigration status have access to lawyers, which is not currently the case,” he added. Hoylman-Sigal said legal representation can quite literally determine if thousands of parents are separated from their children or not.

“By investing in immigrant legal services we can protect vulnerable communities, stop family separation and reform our broken immigration court system, before Donald Trump has the chance to damage it even further,”

New York State Assemblymember, Catalina Cruz,  said New York has always been a sanctuary for those seeking safety, opportunity, and justice.

“But without legal representation, too many of our immigrant neighbors are forced to fight for their futures alone in a system designed to push them out.

“As we confront the renewed threats of mass deportation and family separation, we must meet this moment with action. Passing the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act is not just about policy—it’s about standing up for the fundamental right to due process.”

Cruz said that the state must invest US$165 million in legal services to ensure that no New Yorker is left without a fighting chance.

“This is how we uphold our values, protect our communities, and push back against the injustice of an immigration system that too often denies fairness to those who need it most.”

New York Senator John Liu, said as families across New York and the nation face increasing threats of deportation, it is vital that the courts uphold the law and ensure every individual has the legal support they need to navigate an increasingly complex system.

“The Access to Representation and BUILD Act will provide the necessary legal infrastructure to meet the growing demand for representation in our courts and ensure no families are broken up without a fair fight.

“Thank you to the CARE for Immigrant Families Coalition and my colleagues in the legislature for continuing to fight for resources to protect fellow New Yorkers,” he added.