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These programs include NYIC’s Key to the City and Hate Crimes initiatives—initiatives that provide our communities with the essential information they need to navigate our immigration legal system, rent moratorium laws, DACA policy updates, and public charge rules, as well as ways to find food pantries, access healthcare and report hate crimes safely, and so much more. When immigrant New Yorkers needed support from our elected officials the most, they turned their backs on us.
The modern U.S. immigration, naturalization, refugee, and asylum systems are being torn apart by the Trump administration, and now the pandemic is being used to justify an accelerated destruction of all these systems. Until now, New York City was a xxxxxx against the inhumanity of our federal system—by providing supportive services and information to immigrant communities. Today, City Council, led by Council Member Carlos Menchaca, defunded the NYIC instead of the NYPD, and New York City’s immigrant communities will pay the price.
We were able to successfully advocate for legal services and adult literacy education funding—but how can we effectively do our jobs if we aren’t able to reach every community throughout all the boroughs? How will those most marginalized access the information and resources they need in the languages they understand and from the people they trust?
Can you help us continue to bring essential programs to immigrant New Yorkers?
Right now, we don’t have answers to these questions, but we can assure you that we won’t stop fighting to protect and empower all our communities today and always.
Thank you for standing with us,
Steve Choi,
Executive Director
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