TESTIMONY
Ellen Pachnanda, Director of Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services, on Budget Needs for Serving Immigrant New Yorkers
3:47:27
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124 sec
Ellen Pachnanda discusses Brooklyn Defender Services' budget requirements to continue supporting the immigrant community in New York City.
- Ellen Pachnanda emphasizes the organization's role in defending against ICE detention and deportation.
- The testimony covers the organization's efforts in representing immigrants with criminal or family system involvement, highlighting complex legal case management.
- Pachnanda opposes changes to existing detainer laws that would permit local law enforcement to transfer individuals suspected of serious crimes to ICE.
- A $16,600,000 budget request is presented to maintain high-quality legal services for immigrant New Yorkers.
- Pachnanda acknowledges the City Council's support for detainer laws and encourages further legislative action.
Ellen Pachnanda
3:47:27
Good afternoon, Cheri Villas.
3:47:28
My name is Ellen Patchnanda, and I'm the director of the immigration practice at Brooklyn defender services.
3:47:33
Our immigration practice protects the rights of immigrant New Yorkers by defending against ICE detention and deportation, minimizing the negative immigration con sequences of criminal and family charges for non citizen and representing immigrants and applications for immigration benefits.
3:47:50
Thank you, chair, and this committee for the opportunity to testify about our budget needs to serve the immigrant community in New York City.
3:47:57
As you know, our expertise lies in full representation in complex legal matters, where our clients have criminal or family system involvement.
3:48:06
We represent long term New York City residents in complex detained and nondetained immigration cases.
3:48:13
We also represent recent arrivals who are targeted by the city's broken windows policies.
3:48:19
Once our team secures clients' release, we continue representing them in complex non detained matters.
3:48:25
The enormous backlog of nondetain cases only grows, resulting in prejudicial consequences for our clients who are left in limbo.
3:48:35
We applaud the city council's unwavering support for the detainer laws and encourage support for pending measures to strengthen these detainer laws.
3:48:44
Including the ISO legislative package of intros 158, 184, and 185.
3:48:51
We strongly oppose any changes to existing detainer laws, which would allow local law enforcement to transfer anyone expected of committing serious crimes to ICE.
3:49:03
We thank this committee for its ongoing commitment to knife up and safeguarding New York City's immigrant community.
3:49:09
This support is critical to allow us to respond to increased enforcement and federal policy shifts.
3:49:16
Our requested funding of level funding of $16,600,000 split between our 3 organizations will ensure that we can continue to provide the highest quality of legal services to immigrant New Yorkers.
3:49:29
Thank you for your time.