TESTIMONY
Sierra Kraft, Executive Director, Immigrant Children Advocates' Relief Effort (ICARE) Coalition on Advocating for Legal Services for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children
4:08:29
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162 sec
Sierra Kraft, Executive Director of the Immigrant Children Advocates' Relief Effort (ICARE) Coalition, testifies about the urgent need for increased funding to provide legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children in New York City.
- Kraft highlights the high number of unaccompanied children arriving in New York City and their low chance of winning deportation cases without legal representation.
- Under the support of the city council since 2014, ICARE has aided over 12,000 young immigrants with a success rate of over 90%.
- She cites the lack of funding increase in the last five years and the growing demand for ICARE's services.
- Kraft calls for the immigration committee to prioritize funding to support ICARE's efforts in serving nearly 1,700 children and families with legal support.
- She emphasizes the city's role as a sanctuary city in supporting the well-being of vulnerable immigrant children.
Sierra Kraft
4:08:29
Good afternoon.
4:08:29
Thank you, chairperson, Aviles, and immigration committee for inviting testimony.
4:08:33
My name is Sierra Craft, and I'm the executive director at the Eye Care Coalition.
4:08:38
We're a coalition of legal service organizations providing free represent unaccompanied immigrant children facing deportation in New York City while advocating for universal access to counsel.
4:08:49
So New York continues to rank 4th and the highest in the country for the number of unaccompanied arrivals with over 8500 young New Yorkers arriving annually.
4:08:59
And every year, thousands of children, including infants, are placed in removal proceedings up against a trained lawyer if they cannot find or afford an attorney.
4:09:08
And without representation, they stand a mere 15% chance of winning their cases, resulting in rapid deportation back to countries where their lives are at risk, and this is even if they have a viable form of relief.
4:09:20
With support from city council through the unaccompanied minors and families initiative, Since 2014, you've made it possible for the eye care providers to stand alongside over 12,000 young immigrants defending them from deportation.
4:09:34
Children represented by eye care attorneys have over a 90% success rate, providing them the opportunity to pursue higher education, meaningful careers, and take on leadership roles in the city they now call home.
4:09:47
Our providers have decades of experience in providing culturally sponsored and trauma informed services to this vulnerable population.
4:09:54
And Eye Care attorneys, as we've heard from some of our colleagues and providers already, They are on the front lines every day defending immigrant rights and upholding New York's values.
4:10:04
However, we have not received an increase in funding for over 5 years now.
4:10:09
While thousands of young immigrants await legal support, are wait list out are out of control, and they they remain vulnerable to detention as we speak.
4:10:20
So today, I'm here to urgently call upon the immigration committee to prioritize funding for the many unaccompanied minors in New York City who are reliant on eye care's critical legal services.
4:10:30
Our coalition comprises of 7 providers that collectively are seeking 4,900,000 this year and are ready to serve nearly 1700 children and families through legal screenings, know your rights, trainings, direct representation, and referrals to city and social services.
4:10:47
But we need your support and advocacy to ensure that we're not putting these young people in harm's way.
4:10:53
Now more than ever, it is critical that we stand and solve identity with children seeking safety, protection, and a new life in this country.
4:11:00
We look forward to our continued partnership with you to ensure our values as a sanctuary city.
4:11:05
Thank you for your attention and commitment to upholding the well-being of the vulnerable members of our community.
