Q&A
Discussion on immigration legal services funding and allocation
7:32:32
·
6 min
Council Member Alexa Avilés inquires about the funding for immigration legal services in the executive plan for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. OMB Director Jacques Jiha provides some information but commits to following up with more detailed breakdowns.
- Current funding for immigration legal services is at least $65 million for fiscal year 2024
- Questions raised about funding increases, allocations to legal service vendors, and potential contract reductions
- Discussion on the allocation of asylum seeker funding from state and federal sources
- Request for information on work permit applications and approvals
Alexa Avilés
7:32:32
Good afternoon.
7:32:33
Thank you, chair.
7:32:35
I'd like to ask some questions around immigration legal services.
7:32:40
We know with the massive influx of new arrivals, our legal service providers have been under enormous strain.
7:32:46
Everyone has been under enormous strain.
7:32:49
Quite frankly, we know before new arrivals, the legal service providers had still been under enormous strain.
7:32:56
Can you tell us how much total funding is included in the executive plan for the immigration legal services in fiscal 2425?
Jacques Jiha
7:33:05
Yeah.
7:33:06
We have a number of, programs that we currently have, and we I'm going to give you in a minute the or if not, we'll get back to you in terms of the number of programs that we have.
7:33:21
But we have a number of at least $65,000,000 right now, okay, in a budget for with working down by different programs because
Alexa Avilés
7:33:30
So 65 total for fiscal 2024?
Jacques Jiha
7:33:33
Yes, at least, at least because we have a number of different initiatives, that I would give you a breakdown of all the initiatives that we have.
Alexa Avilés
7:33:42
Okay.
7:33:42
You can you can send it to us.
7:33:44
And for fiscal 25?
Jacques Jiha
7:33:47
Again I would come back to you with the number.
7:33:49
But we have we we believe we have significant resources right now in the, budget to deal with, all of, these issues.
Alexa Avilés
7:33:59
I'm sorry, director.
7:33:59
Are you are you saying that there is an increase from 24 to 25 or you do not know?
Jacques Jiha
7:34:05
I don't know exactly.
Alexa Avilés
7:34:06
You don't know?
Diana Ayala
7:34:06
Okay.
7:34:07
I'll come
Jacques Jiha
7:34:07
back to you on this because as I said, we funded so many initiatives because I know even last week where we're discuss I was discussing at least myself with, the commissioner, to see what some of the programs, other programs that can be, had.
7:34:21
But again, we will I'm
Alexa Avilés
7:34:22
sure there are a ton of programs, but if the number is not increasing, it is not sufficient.
7:34:27
Yeah.
7:34:27
And we hope 65,000,000 is not sufficient.
Jacques Jiha
7:34:31
We will come back to you with that.
7:34:32
The all the initiatives that we have and how much money is allocated for each one of the initiatives.
Alexa Avilés
7:34:37
Great.
7:34:38
Thank you.
7:34:38
And, you know, in terms of immigration cases, as as you might know, they take several years, at least 3 years to conclude, and in some instances even longer.
7:34:49
How much is anticipated to be budgeted in fiscal 26?
7:34:53
We have poured an enormous amount of resources into doing some initial applications with folks, and I would venture to say pigeonholing all into one solution when there are many immigration options for people, and some are actually better fits.
7:35:10
But we know they take multiple years.
7:35:12
So how do we protect that initial investment in legal services to make sure that folks can make it through this, through this pathway?
7:35:21
So what is the projected, fiscal budget in 26 for legal services?
Jacques Jiha
7:35:26
Again, as I said, I'm gonna come back to you because as I said, we have a number of programs, and I I don't have the breakdown in front of me to give you for each one of these program.
7:35:35
But I I I I sympathize and I understand exactly what you're saying.
Alexa Avilés
7:35:41
Okay.
7:35:41
I I would like to know what the This
Jacques Jiha
7:35:43
is a long term process.
Alexa Avilés
7:35:44
What the commitment is in 26.
7:35:46
Since I know you budget out for many years, I'd love to see what the hard commitment is.
Jacques Jiha
7:35:50
You you you got it.
Alexa Avilés
7:35:51
And then if, how much funding will be directly allocated to legal service vendors?
7:36:00
You can get back to me on that if you want.
Jacques Jiha
7:36:01
I would get back to you.
7:36:02
Because when you say legal service vendor vendors, because we have a lot of legal services.
7:36:06
Okay?
Diana Ayala
7:36:06
Well,
Alexa Avilés
7:36:06
in the immigration company.
Jacques Jiha
7:36:08
Oh, in immigration.
7:36:08
Okay.
7:36:09
Yes.
7:36:09
Thank you.
Alexa Avilés
7:36:10
I look forward to that.
Jacques Jiha
7:36:11
We'll get get back to you.
Alexa Avilés
7:36:12
Similar to the HIV AIDS related to contract reductions, are there any anticipated contract reductions for the immigration legal service vendors?
7:36:21
If so, how much do you anticipate that reduction?
Jacques Jiha
7:36:24
Again, as I said, I don't wanna talk, I don't wanna give you, a, a, an answer that is not, based on actual data.
7:36:34
Okay.
7:36:34
But I don't have it, but I will give you I'll get back to you on this as well.
Alexa Avilés
7:36:38
Thank you.
Jacques Jiha
7:36:38
Okay.
7:36:38
I appreciate
Alexa Avilés
7:36:40
it.
7:36:41
In terms of how has any of the asylum seeker funding that the city has received from the state and federal government been allocated?
7:36:50
How much?
7:36:50
Excuse me.
7:36:51
Or has two different questions, has any of the asylum seeker funding that's been received by the state and federal government been allocated to immigration legal services?
7:37:03
And if so, how much?
Jacques Jiha
7:37:05
Yeah.
7:37:06
I believe about $10,000,000 from the state has been used, for case management, and I believe immigration is a big part of it.
Alexa Avilés
7:37:17
So case management could be
Jacques Jiha
7:37:20
It's a number of things, but immigration is part of it.
Alexa Avilés
7:37:22
Okay.
7:37:23
But that could you could you report to us how much of that 10,000,000 is actual
Althea Stevens
7:37:28
legal services?
Jacques Jiha
7:37:29
For that particular bucket of resources, I would have to dig and to give you because I know it's basically allocated for, for for, case management.
7:37:43
There's an additional $30,000,000 committed, also by the state.
7:37:48
So again, we will come back to you with a breakdown of all these, services, what services are purchased, okay, or will be purchased with those resources.
Alexa Avilés
7:37:58
Okay.
7:37:59
And distinction between case management and
Jacques Jiha
7:38:01
service.
7:38:01
Management and immigration services.
Alexa Avilés
7:38:02
And and just for the record, you said 10,000,000 and then you said 30,000,000 different state pots.
Jacques Jiha
7:38:08
Yeah.
7:38:08
There is.
7:38:08
Yeah.
Alexa Avilés
7:38:09
And are there any federal funding allocations for this service?
Jacques Jiha
7:38:14
We added okay.
7:38:16
Put it this way.
7:38:16
Let me I I think that I'm I'm getting this information that we need right now.
7:38:21
No.
7:38:21
No federal.
7:38:22
We added the $6,000,000 in fiscal year 24 to support the launch of the asylum application help center.
7:38:29
Okay?
7:38:30
So that so could help folks with the work authorization and, permits and so on and so forth.
7:38:38
Separate the state provided $20,000,000 in case management.
7:38:44
Okay?
UNKNOWN
7:38:44
Mhmm.
Jacques Jiha
7:38:45
And there is a $30,000,000 in this line for OCJ immigration.
7:38:53
But, again, we will provide you as as a follow-up, a breakdown of all the services.
Alexa Avilés
7:38:58
Okay.
7:38:58
Great.
7:38:58
And, lastly, does the city track the number of immigrants that have applied for and a bit and been approved for work permits?
Jacques Jiha
7:39:08
I think they do, but I don't have it in front of Okay.
Alexa Avilés
7:39:10
That's okay.
7:39:11
You can report back.
7:39:12
I I wanna get the questions on
Jacques Jiha
7:39:13
the record.
7:39:14
Has that information.
7:39:15
I would provide that
Alexa Avilés
7:39:16
So we can expect the response.
Jacques Jiha
7:39:18
CPS.
7:39:18
I mean, CPS applicants, they probably they have that information.
Alexa Avilés
7:39:21
Yeah.
7:39:21
They they have the number that they've sent.
7:39:24
They don't have the number that has been approved.
7:39:26
So that's the number that we'd like to know Okay.
Jacques Jiha
7:39:28
I gotcha.
Alexa Avilés
7:39:29
What the
Jacques Jiha
7:39:29
Okay.
