PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Airenakhue B. Omoragbon, New York Policy Manager of African Communities Together (ACT)
3:51:00
ยท
4 min
Airenakhue B. Omoragbon from African Communities Together (ACT) testified on the urgent need for the New York City Council to protect immigrant communities in light of potential threats from the incoming Trump administration. She highlighted ACT's work supporting migrants and asylum seekers, and called for strengthened policies and legislation to safeguard immigrant rights.
- Emphasized the vulnerability of ACT's membership, which includes many women, Muslims, and low-income individuals from various African countries
- Recalled ICE enforcement actions during the first Trump administration and their impact on African immigrants
- Urged the City Council to pass Intro 214, increase funding for immigration legal services, and support state-level legislation like the NY for All Act and Access to Representation Act
Airenakhue B. Omoragbon
3:51:00
My name is Aynakwe, b immigration for holding today's hearing.
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My name is Ayanakwe b Omuragban, and I'm the daughter of immigrants from Trinidad and Nigeria.
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I'm also the New York policy manager at African Communities Together.
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We're located on a 100 and 27th Street up in Harlem.
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I'm testifying today to urge the city council to act swiftly and do all that is in your power to protect the safety, of immigrant communities living in New York.
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Since launching as an organization, ACT has been at the at the front lines of supporting arriving migrants with immigration legal services, navigating New York social service agencies, and advocating for quality housing, placements.
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In response to the 200,000 plus new arrivals and asylum seekers who've arrived in the city since 2022, ACT has challenged the city to provide Muslim, prayer spaces, language interpretation, and other culturally sensitive services to Africans living in the city shelter.
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We have also led 7, policy campaigns aimed at getting new temporary protective status designations and work permits for Africans coming from countries in conflict.
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We are fully aware of the hardship that is to come in the next administration.
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When you look at our membership, you'll see that we have 60 to 65% of our members are women, 2 thirds of our members of our New York chapter are Muslim, and the majority of our members are low income and living below the federal poverty line.
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Our members also hail from countries like Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Ethiopia, just to name a few, and all of a lot of our members were forced to leave their home countries because of extremist groups, ethnic tensions, sexual and gender based violence against women and girls, and being subjected to arbitrary arrests and physical assault for being members of the LGBTQIA plus community.
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You know, during the first Trump administration, we experienced a lot.
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ICE detained many of our Africans in subway stations, at their homes, workplaces, and immigration appointments, and many of our members were detained with little to no access to legal services and interpreters who can speak languages like Wolof, Mandingo, and and Pilar.
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For New York's African community, delayed asylum applications, Muslim bans, and other things like that are are simply are not simply, unfortunate circumstances.
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These decisions are a matter of life and death for our community.
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When ACT heard President Trump and Mayor Adams and border czar Tom Homans, their intimidations, we took that seriously, and we are planning, to act accordingly.
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So we're acting we're asking the New York City Council to come with the same type of energy and meet these threats of ICE collusion and deportation with oversight, enforcement, and innovation.
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I think a lot of the people on this panel talked about the the policy, recommendations that we have, but I just wanna highlight once again, we need you all to pass intro 214.
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We need you all to advocate for the passage of historic funding package for immigration legal services.
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We also need you all to secure compliance with local law 228, which would prohibit the use of city resources for immigration enforcement.
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And we need you all to pass all of the resolutions that were mentioned today by council member Hanif, Hudson, and Aviles introduced the ones that you all introduced calling for the passage of New York for all act and access to representation act.
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All of these things would prohibit the disclosure of immigration status by New York state entities and establish the right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings.
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I'll finish here in saying that, you know, if anyone was at that rally this morning, you heard migrants, you heard advocates, you heard immigrants, and asylum seekers chanting a series of things, but the one that stood in my ear was, when immigrants are under attack, we stand up and fight back.
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The people who have spoken, and it's time for city council to get information.
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We look forward to continuing to be in partnership with you all in this matter.
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Thank you, everyone.