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CONTACT: media@vera.org

ALBANY – In response to Governor Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal, which includes $72.4 million in funding for immigration legal services, the Campaign for Access, Representation, and Equity (CARE) for Immigrant Families welcomed the vital step forward, with increased funds proposed in the executive budget over prior years, while emphasizing that more is needed to protect our communities.

With the federal administration ramping up hateful rhetoric and empowering Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with unprecedented resources, a full $175 million investment and passage of the Access to Representation and Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense (BUILD) Acts are critical to protect New York’s economy, families, and due process. 

The CARE for Immigrant Families coalition released the following statement:

“We appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to allocating resources for immigration legal services in the executive budget. This investment comes at a pivotal moment, as New York families face an increasingly hostile federal landscape characterized by indiscriminate and often violent enforcement actions.

“The urgency of the moment demands more. We must ensure these protections are not just a one-time fix but a permanent right. It is crucial that we hit our target of $175 million.

“However, funding alone does not guarantee justice. To truly protect our neighbors and our economy, New York must pass the Access to Representation Act to establish a right to counsel and the BUILD Act to strengthen our legal infrastructure. We look forward to working with the Governor and legislature to ensure this funding is robust and sustained, and that necessary protections are codified into law.”

About the Campaign for Access, Representation, and Equity (CARE) for Immigrant Families: The Vera Institute of Justice, the New York Immigration Coalition, Immigrant ARC, New York Civil Liberties Union, Neighbors Link, and Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort lead CARE for Immigrant Families, along with a coalition of more than 100 leading organizations, religious groups, labor unions, and elected officials united to call for a $175 million investment in immigration legal services and passage of the Access to Representation Act (ARA) and Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense (BUILD) Act. The ARA (A270/S141) will guarantee access to legal representation for people at risk of deportation in New York. Sponsored by Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, the legislation would be the first in the nation to create a statewide right to legal representation for people facing deportation who cannot afford it, whether they have recently arrived in the state or have been New Yorkers for decades. The BUILD Act (A2689/S4538) is a companion bill to the ARA that creates a dedicated four-year fund to strengthen New York’s immigration legal services infrastructure, sponsored by Senator John Liu and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz.

The Vera Institute of Justice (Vera) is powered by hundreds of advocates, researchers, and policy experts working to transform the criminal legal and immigration systems until they’re fair for all. Founded in 1961 to advocate for alternatives to money bail in New York City, Vera is now a national organization that partners with impacted communities and government leaders for change. We develop just, antiracist solutions so that money doesn’t determine freedom; fewer people are in jails, prisons, and immigration detention; and everyone is treated with dignity. Vera’s headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York, with offices in Washington, DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For more information, visit vera.org.

Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative (I-ARC) is a collaborative of over 100 organizations and professional associations providing legal services to New York’s immigrant communities throughout the state. Born out of the legal effort at JFK Airport during the Muslim travel ban in 2017, our mission is clear: to mobilize New York State’s legal service providers by facilitating communication and information sharing to better support our immigrant communities; to organize and respond to issues as they arise by coordinating resources and fostering best practices among providers; and to resist and challenge anti-immigrant policies by shining a light on injustices and confronting inequalities faced by our communities in the legal system. For more information, visit www.immigrantarc.org.

The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York. The NYIC serves one of the largest and most diverse newcomer populations in the United States. The multiracial and multisector NYIC membership base includes grassroots and nonprofit community organizations, religious and academic institutions, labor unions, and legal and socioeconomic justice organizations. The NYIC not only establishes a forum for immigrant groups to voice their concerns but also provides a platform for collective action to drive positive social change. Since its founding in 1987, the NYIC has evolved into a powerful voice of advocacy by spearheading innovative policies, promoting and protecting the rights of immigrant communities, improving newcomer access to services, developing leadership and capacity, expanding civic participation, and mobilizing member groups to respond to the fluctuating needs of immigrant communities.

New York Civil Liberties Union advances civil rights and civil liberties so that all New Yorkers can live with dignity, liberty, justice, and equality. Founded in 1951 as the state affiliate of the national American Civil Liberties Union, we marshal an expert mix of litigation, policy advocacy, field organizing, and strategic communications. Informed by the insights of our communities and coalitions and powered by 90,000 member-donors, we work across complex issues to create more justice and liberty for more people.

Neighbors Link is a nonprofit organization that works to build stronger communities through immigrant empowerment and integration. We are headquartered in Mount Kisco, have three locations in Westchester County, and offer services throughout the Hudson Valley. We serve more than 10,000 immigrants annually. Our work to educate, empower, and employ families include English language education, immigration legal services, workforce development, parent education, digital literacy programming, early childhood programs, and academic support for school-age children of immigrants. Our legal department, Neighbors Link Community Law Practice, provides a full array of free immigration legal services.

Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE) is a coalition of legal advocates dedicated to expanding access to legal representation for immigrant children facing deportation in New York City, while advocating for universal access to counsel. Since 2014, ICARE has supported over 14,000 unaccompanied children through a centralized referral system that connects young people to quality legal representation, strengthens provider capacity, and drives policy advocacy. Visit www.icarecoalition.org to learn more.