QUESTION
What direct services does the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) provide?
0:41:22
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111 sec
Commissioner Manuel Castro outlines the direct services provided by the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), including immigration and legal services, English learning, and general support services.
- MOIA offers services such as immigration legal aid, English learning programs, and general support, including 'know your rights' workshops.
- The office emphasizes language access and works both internally, aiding other city agencies, and externally, serving immigrant communities.
- MOIA partners with nonprofits to facilitate access to resources like the New York State Dream Act applications for dreamers.
- Additionally, MOIA operates a hotline to assist immigrants.
- Castro highlights the collaborative effort across city government to serve immigrant communities.
Alexa Avilés
0:41:22
So in terms of the the direct services that Moya provides, could you just quickly tell me that the the direct services that Moia provides.
0:41:34
And I know again was in your testimony.
Manuel Castro
0:41:38
Well, most of my testimony is on the direct services that Moyer provides.
0:41:42
Like I said, it it it breaks down to into these key areas that I describe, immigration and legal services, English learning, in support services, but also internal work around language access.
0:42:02
Which is quite important.
0:42:04
I often say that our role is really twofold external and internal internal work is obviously something that most people don't get to see, but it's it's quite important.
0:42:15
And we think of it as a service to our sister agencies and offices.
0:42:20
But with respect to services to immigrant communities, again, it's limited in scope and it is not something that is solely a responsibility of Moya, but of all city government to be able to serve our immigrant communities.
0:42:34
But we do
Alexa Avilés
0:42:35
But from Moya, the direct services to immigrant Correct.
0:42:38
Community members is it is
Manuel Castro
0:42:41
not legal.
Alexa Avilés
0:42:42
It's legal.
Manuel Castro
0:42:43
Immigration legal, English learning, and we have general support services, which involve knowing your rights workshops.
0:42:51
For instance, connecting.
0:42:53
And again, we do this mainly through partnership with nonprofits, connecting, for instance, dreamers to New York State Dream Act applications and so forth.
0:43:03
Right.
0:43:04
But that's the 3 pillars.
0:43:06
And
Alexa Avilés
0:43:10
the hotline.
Manuel Castro
0:43:11
Correct.
Alexa Avilés
0:43:12
And the hotline.