PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ellen Pachnanda, Director of Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services
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Ellen Pachnanda, Director of Immigration Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services, testifies about protecting New York City's immigrant communities. She highlights the harmful effects of entanglement between criminal and immigration legal systems and calls for strengthening NYC detainer laws and supporting state legislation to protect immigrants.
- Emphasizes the need to prevent non-citizens in DOC and NYPD custody from being transferred to ICE
- Recommends expanding NYIFUP funding and passing Intro 214 to strengthen NYC detainer laws
- Calls for support of state legislation including the Youth Justice and Opportunities Act and the New York For All Act
Ellen Pachnanda
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Good afternoon.
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My name is Ellen Patchnanda, and I'm the director of the immigration practice at Brooklyn Defender Services.
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Along with my colleagues here today from the Bronx Defenders and Legal Aid Society, we make up New York City's Immigrant Family Unity Project Providers.
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I thank the committee on immigration, particularly chair Aviles, for inviting us to testify today about how we can continue to collaborate in protecting New York City's immigrant communities.
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In my time at BDS, I have witnessed firsthand the direct harmful results of the entanglement between the criminal and immigration legal systems.
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ICE has long relied on local and state law enforcement to target, arrest and deport people, tearing people from their families and their communities.
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Today, we call on the city council to strengthen the New York City detainer laws and support pending New York State legislation designed to protect immigrant New Yorkers.
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The detainer laws were intended to prevent non citizens detained in DACA NYPD custody from being transferred state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the state of the This is especially concerning giving the provisions of the Lake and Riley Act, now pending before the US Senate, that it would allow for mandatory detention of those merely accused of crimes.
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Immigrant communities are facing the threat of increased ICE detention, coupled with the threat to go beyond the basis of criminal legal contact to detention near our schools, churches and shelters.
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The city can and should do more to ensure the residents are not unnecessarily targeted for detention or deportation because of
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some action or failure to act by the city.
Ellen Pachnanda
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In our written testimony, we have recommendations, including, as my colleague mentioned, renewed commitment to defending immigrant New Yorkers by investing in expanding NYFA funding.
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We also recommend strongly that New York City strengthen the New York City detainer laws by passing intro 214.
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Finally, we ask that this council consider calling on the state legislature to pass the Youth Justice and Opportunities Act, which is Myrie s 3426, and again echo the calls to pass the New York For All Act, and finally, to fund know your rights in education for our communities.
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Thank you for your time.