PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lauren Migliaccio, Training and Legal Technical Assistance Director at Immigrant Justice Corps
4:39:39
ยท
150 sec
Lauren Migliaccio from Immigrant Justice Corps testifies about the impending challenges for immigrant communities under the new administration. She emphasizes the urgent need for legal services, funding, and training to protect New Yorkers from mass deportations and legal changes.
- Highlights the insufficiency of current sanctuary laws in protecting immigrants from federal agencies
- Stresses the importance of access to legal representation and the New York for All and Access to Representation initiatives
- Emphasizes the value of "Know Your Rights" presentations as preventative measures for community protection
Lauren Migliaccio
4:39:39
Good afternoon, Chair Aviles.
4:39:41
I have submitted written testimony, so in the interest of time, it's been a long day with a lot of very powerful testimony.
4:39:48
I'm going to keep it brief and put a finer point on some of the questions that you have asked other people who have testified today and summarize what is presented in our written testimony.
Lauren Reiff
4:39:59
I would like to start by saying
Lauren Migliaccio
4:40:00
my name is Lauren Migliaccio.
4:40:02
I am the training and legal technical assistance director at Immigrant Justice Corps.
4:40:06
We are the 1st legal fellowship program that places fellows at immigration legal service providers.
4:40:13
What is coming in the next few days in this new administration does promise mass deportations.
4:40:21
After reviewing Project 2025 line by line, what has been clear is that there are going to be sea changes in immigration law that are going to impact our communities here, our neighbors, our friends.
4:40:34
And something that has come up several times today is that this is no longer a mere threat.
4:40:39
And one of the tools that the administration used the first time was chaos, confusion, and massive changes to law.
4:40:47
Staying on top of this is going to require legal service providers in partnership with agencies to stay on top of these changes in the law, but also to understand what this means for our communities.
4:41:00
And New York for all and access to representation are examples of what we can do to protect New Yorkers.
4:41:08
It is an urgent matter that is going to come into play because access to counsel is something that has come up even today in mitigation.
4:41:18
When there is harm done to our community members and state and local law enforcement agencies cooperate and collude with immigration, agencies, mitigation no longer speaks to what can be undone.
4:41:31
Things have been put in place that cannot be undone, and representation and adequate training and funding for legal service providers is the only remedy.
4:41:40
And even that does not mean that, people will be protected from deportation.
4:41:46
The last thing I would like to say is that sanctuary laws are also not enough.
4:41:51
Sanctuary laws here in New York merely exist, but as we have heard today, that does not stop federal agencies from detaining people in our communities and on our streets.
4:42:01
And lastly, I would just like to point out that what has come up again today is know your rights presentations, and that is preventative medicine that can and will help our communities.