QUESTION
What additional funding does the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) need for legal services?
0:44:46
·
114 sec
Commissioner Manuel Castro acknowledges the inability to serve all non-citizens due to funding constraints, targeting those most in need.
- Commissioner Castro states current funding is insufficient to serve the 1.13 million non-citizens requiring legal services.
- MOIA prioritizes funding for low-income and unemployed individuals needing legal assistance.
- Council Member Alexa Avilés inquires about specific additional funding MOIA seeks, emphasizing the reality of budget constraints.
- Despite ongoing discussions with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and City Hall, specific funding amounts to enhance MOIA's legal services were not disclosed.
Alexa Avilés
0:44:46
In terms of legal services, what additional funding does more you need to meet the need?
Manuel Castro
0:44:52
Well, again, if we're speaking about meeting the need of serving the 1.13,000,000 on citizens, that is not possible with the funding that we have.
0:45:04
Of course, the intent is to serve all those who need it.
0:45:08
Right?
0:45:08
We have very specific funding that can serve a small portion of that population.
Alexa Avilés
0:45:15
Right.
Manuel Castro
0:45:15
And it's important for us to target the funding to where it is most needed.
0:45:22
So we often serve folks who are low income, who are unemployed, who live in specific
Alexa Avilés
0:45:30
Do you have any sense of how much you Obviously, there's the moonshot.
0:45:35
There's everyone, and I would love nothing more.
0:45:37
And I know you would love nothing more, but that's not the reality.
0:45:41
What is the stepped up need that we would need to be effective.
0:45:47
What are you advocating for?
0:45:48
We're in budget season.
0:45:49
There are no numbers anywhere to be What is it that you need to step up to meet even a full fraction?
0:45:58
What is it that Moya is advocating for?
0:46:00
How much money do you need to do the most effective job that you can do in terms of label services?
Manuel Castro
0:46:08
Again, we will be engaged in conversation with OMB and city hall about the needs of the specific programs.
0:46:17
But I will say I've been a longtime advocate for federal universal war legal representation.
0:46:23
I asked the Right.
Alexa Avilés
0:46:25
We're in a city commissioner.
0:46:26
We're in a city hearing around budget.
Manuel Castro
0:46:28
Mhmm.
Alexa Avilés
0:46:29
And there is specific needs that I think we all agree We have not been able to meet, and we do have budgets constraints.
0:46:36
Nevertheless, we have need, right, and increased need.