April Newsletter: Fighting for Mohsen Madawi and Rümeysa Öztürk, Addressing Cuts to NY Healthcare, and Sharing Available Resources

Table of Contents:

In Our Community
From Capitol Hill
Constituent Corner: Resources Available To You

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A Message from the Office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez

To our Neighbors in NY-14,

We hope you are all well! In this month’s newsletter, the office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez would like to update you on all the ways we are fighting for you.

In Our Community

The heart of our work lies in the vibrant communities of NY-14. These local initiatives and victories reflect the true spirit of the Bronx and Queens.

Constituent Story

Recently our constituent, Sandra, reached out to us explaining that her application had been approved for disability in September 2024, but payments were still suspended despite having submitted all required documentation. After our inquiry, the Social Security Administration informed us that they would remove all suspensions from Sandra’s record. We are thrilled to share that within 3 business days, Sandra received her long-overdue funds, totaling almost $12,000!

This is just one of the many wins our incredible casework team achieves daily for our constituents. If you have an issue pending with a federal agency, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We will do our best to assist.

“Thank you so much for your work. I had another surgery scheduled for April 17th, and I need that money to keep up with my rent and outstanding debts. Ms. Alexandria, may God bless you and continue your excellent work with your team.” - Sandra

Joint Statement on Federal Funding Cuts for Flooding

This month Representatives Ocasio-Cortez, Grace Meng and other elected officials from Queens issued a joint statement on the decision to revoke federal money to address flooding in Queens, in particular cuts to the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The full statement is available here.

Actions on Roosevelt Avenue

Our office has been working with small businesses, street vendors, and community organizations to address the ongoing quality of life concerns on Roosevelt Avenue. Recently, we coordinated with the NYC Department of Transportation to repair a number of street lights that had been broken for months at Corona Plaza. The restoration is expected to improve safety and support evening foot traffic in the area. We have also been in contact with NYC Health and Hospitals to learn more about their local substance abuse resources and how to help connect individuals in need. These conversations are ongoing, and we remain committed to addressing these complex issues with community input and collaboration.

Community Engagement

This month, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez met with Bronx Community Board 1, a newly added community board in NY-14 following redistricting. She heard directly from the committee leaders about their top priorities and community concerns, and shared updates on her work in Washington. We’re excited to build strong relationships with the newest neighborhoods in our district!

Queens Bus Network Redesign

The implementation of the Queens Bus Network Redesign will begin on June 29, 2025. To assist riders, the MTA is offering tools such as the route look-up tool for detailed route changes, the trip planning tool for personalized travel options, the Project Phasing Guide for an overview of changes, and the Remix mapping tool for network previews. Riders can also sign up for service alerts for real-time updates on bus and transit services.

Confidential Immigration Casework

We want to remind you that the Office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez offers cWe want to remind you that the Office of Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez offers confidential immigration casework assistance to constituents with open immigration cases.

Click here for more information

Need Legal Advice?

If you would like to speak to a lawyer regarding your immigration case, you can reach out to the New York State Office for New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 or visit https://dos.ny.gov/office-new-americans

The Office of New Americans can also help you locate resources like citizenship test classes closest to you!

From Capitol Hill

Our office continues to fight for the needs of our community in Washington. This month, we’ve focused on several key initiatives that directly impact our district. Our community guides our work every day as we fight for NY-14 in Congress.

Fighting Cuts to Health Resources

The Trump administration is trying to rescind $400 million from the New York State Department of Health. As a result of these cuts, the NYS Department of Health has laid off more than 200 public health workers, and at least 200 community-based organizations that provide mental health, maternal health, and other life-saving services have had their funding jeopardized. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Representative Jerry Nadler led New York’s entire Democratic Congressional delegation in writing to the Trump Administration demanding they answer for cuts to critical funding that will jeopardize the health of New Yorkers. Additionally, Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Debbie Dingell led 42 colleagues in sending a letter to the Administration highlighting potential long-term damage to the U.S. health care system caused by Trump’s failed immigration policy.

Advocating for Mohsen Madawi and Rümeysa Öztürk

This month, more baseless arrests of college students have taken place across the country. Representatives Ocasio-Cortez joined several House colleagues in writing to the Department of Homeland Security demanding information about the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk and Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi.

Fighting for The Return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez joined Congressman Glenn Ivey and several House colleagues in a letter to President Donald Trump demanding the immediate return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador despite having been granted protection from deportation by a United States immigration court.

Constituent Corner: Resources Available To You

Recent Update on Student Loans

Starting May 5th, the Education Department will resume collections on defaulted student loans, which have been paused since 2020. Over 5 million borrowers may face wage garnishment or tax refund offsets. If you are impacted, please contact your loan servicers as soon as possible to learn about the repayment or rehabilitation options that are available to you. If you are having trouble reaching the Education Department, please reach out to our office. We may be able to assist.

REAL ID

Starting on May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.

An updated passport book is also valid for all international travel by land, sea, or air while the passport card can only be used for domestic flights and international travel by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.

For more information on REAL ID you can visit www.dhs.gov/real-id

You can make a REAL ID appointment with the New York State DMV here.

In service,

The Office of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez