Q&A
Clarification on legal support centers and Action NYC program
2:28:55
ยท
3 min
Council Member Alexa Aviles seeks clarification on the relationship between immigration legal support centers and the Action NYC program. Commissioner Manuel Castro explains that they are moving away from the term Action NYC due to feedback about its difficulty to understand. He outlines plans for new legal support centers in immigrant communities.
- MOIA is transitioning away from the Action NYC branding
- Plans to establish 25 new legal support centers throughout New York City
- Centers aim to provide accessible services in immigrant communities and in multiple languages
- Selection process for nonprofit providers to run these centers is ongoing
Alexa Aviles
2:28:55
For in taking a quick shift back to the legal support, centers, are the immigration legal support centers inclusive of Action NYC?
2:29:07
Or is it just rebranding of I think this Action NYC?
Manuel Castro
2:29:11
This might be get a little confusing because we're talking about different, programs and, you know, we don't we no longer use the term Action NYC.
2:29:21
We received a lot of feedback about
Alexa Aviles
2:29:22
Yet some of your materials still say Action NYC.
2:29:25
Exactly.
Manuel Castro
2:29:25
So we're trying to move away from that because we receive feedback that that is just it's difficult it's difficult to understand from the perspective of our migrant communities what Action NYC means.
2:29:38
But that's besides the point that that there's a number of different programs, that we fund and do this work through nonprofit contracted partners that we're looking at.
2:29:51
Doctor Schaeffer mentioned a number of things that we're exploring.
2:29:55
I don't wanna get too ahead of myself so that so as not to confuse the providers.
Alexa Aviles
2:30:03
They're coming through this already.
Manuel Castro
2:30:04
However, the ongoing, process to selecting the pro the nonprofit providers that will be part of the, Moyer Immigration Legal Support Centers is ongoing.
2:30:16
It is a process that is currently open.
2:30:18
So I cannot say too much about that.
2:30:21
As you know, these things are very delicate.
2:30:25
But we will, be selecting the those providers very soon.
2:30:29
And our timeline is to have that program launch by July 1st this summer and have, enough or ample time for these providers to prepare to launch, these services.
2:30:43
This may or may not include existing nonprofit providers, but, again, I need to be very careful about the what I say here because the process is ongoing.
2:30:53
However, as director Schafer mentioned, we're exploring ways that we can continue to support existing nonprofit providers and, legal service providers who will see additional work as a result of whatever may come next.
Alexa Aviles
2:31:10
So I think you said the immigration legal support centers is is broader than what is currently existing for Action NYC?
Manuel Castro
2:31:26
That program
Alexa Aviles
2:31:27
Potentially.
Manuel Castro
2:31:27
That program, you know, we we laid out the specifics in our RFx, consist of, contracting with nonprofit providers to establish legal support centers in immigrant communities.
2:31:41
So the goal is to establish 25 of these centers throughout New York City so that immigrant communities can access these services in the communities that they live and in the languages that they speak.
2:31:53
And that is those are principles really important to us.
2:31:56
We understand that there's often fear and concern for immigrant communities to leave their neighborhoods to access these services.
2:32:03
So that is the ongoing process.
2:32:05
We will be selecting those providers very soon.
2:32:08
They will be informed if they did receive the contract, and we will be working with them to establish, these centers, these programs, and hope to launch by July 1st.
2:32:21
Aside from that, there are a number of different programs with existing, nonprofit providers.
2:32:27
We're going to be in conversation with them about ways we can continue to support their work.