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Q&A
MOIA immigration legal support hotline funding and operations discussion
2:48:21
·
10 min
Council Member Avilés questions MOIA officials about the immigration legal support hotline's funding reduction and its potential impact on operations. The discussion covers staffing, hours of operation, call volume, and services provided.
- FY25 hotline funding is $1.3 million, with a proposed reduction to $283,998 for FY26
- The hotline currently has 15 staff lines under Catholic Charities
- Hours of operation are 9 AM to 6 PM on weekdays
- In FY24, the hotline received 64,000 calls
- For the first half of FY25, the hotline has received over 23,000 calls
- Services include providing basic information, referrals to legal providers, and know-your-rights information
Alexa Avilés
2:48:21
Let's quickly talk about the hotline.
2:48:24
So the hotline, again, shows a funding gap of $1,000,000, and I know you're talking.
2:48:35
However, we just also hear that there's a $1,000,000,000 potential gap with state money.
2:48:40
So I don't I don't feel high confidence here.
2:48:47
How would this kind of budget reduction impact operations of the hotline?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:48:56
So I'm a bit unclear about the $1,000,000
Alexa Avilés
2:49:01
Billion.
2:49:02
You talked to Mali.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:49:04
Oh, okay.
2:49:05
So for our hotline, for the Moya hotline, what I will say is that we actually have increased funding for this fiscal year.
2:49:16
Currently the Moya immigration legal services hotline is funded at over hundred thousand dollars
Alexa Avilés
2:49:28
Right, so we for fiscal twenty five the Moya support legal hotline at 1,300,000.0 total.
2:49:36
Are we operating on different numbers?
2:49:39
And then with the preliminary, a $1,000,000 reduction And so the hotline is at 283,998.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:49:52
I'll circle back with you on that, you know, clarity, but that's what we have budgeted for.
Alexa Avilés
2:50:05
Say that again.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:50:06
$740,000 for the legal immigration hotline.
Alexa Avilés
2:50:24
Yeah so this is, these are your numbers.
2:50:27
So I'm a little
Jasniya Sanchez
2:50:29
Oh my apologies I think I'm Confused.
2:50:31
The wrong one.
2:50:32
I'm so sorry.
Rita Joseph
2:50:35
Give me one sec.
Alexa Avilés
2:50:38
For the Moya immigration legal support hotline, fiscal twenty five was 1,300,000.0.
2:50:45
Fiscal 20 fiscal 20 6 preliminary budget is at $283,009.09 8, a $1,000,000 reduction.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:50:54
Was reading off the wrong numbers.
Sarah Nolan
2:50:56
I'm sorry.
Alexa Avilés
2:50:57
That's okay.
2:50:58
I thought I was crazy.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:51:00
So for yes.
2:51:02
For for fiscal twenty twenty five, yes, we the hotline is we have been able to we have been able increase that funding to meet the current demand, so about $300,000.
2:51:20
For FY twenty six, again right now that's what is reflected in the preliminary FY26 budget.
2:51:31
We continue to have active conversations with OMB to finalize what this will look like for FY26.
Alexa Avilés
2:51:40
So tell me what this reduction represents what in terms of impact in service.
2:51:48
Like, what does a million dollar reduction mean for the hotline in terms of staffing, hours of operation, services?
2:51:56
What would that cut mean?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:51:59
I mean, right now the services are to are ongoing.
2:52:07
We hope to have a final number definitely in the coming months before the start of the fiscal year.
2:52:15
So right now, we don't have a reduction in services.
Alexa Avilés
2:52:19
Right.
2:52:20
Because we are in a different fiscal year.
2:52:22
But this is the budget hearing for fiscal twenty six.
2:52:26
Yes.
2:52:26
And the proposal is a $1,000,000 reduction in this program.
2:52:31
So do you have an estimation of what that would mean for this service delivery?
Manuel Castro
2:52:37
If I can
Alexa Avilés
2:52:38
And I can answer this question if y'all don't.
Manuel Castro
2:52:40
Yeah.
2:52:40
If I can step in.
2:52:41
Yeah.
2:52:41
We would have to work closely with our partner Catholic Charities to reduce services and staff available for this.
2:52:53
Again, the the the budget is not final.
2:52:58
We'll continue to work with OMB to determine the final allocation for this program and service, and we'll continue to share the incredible needs that our communities have for this hotline.
Alexa Avilés
2:53:13
So in terms of so Catholic Charities is nonprofit that runs the helpline, which we were there recently.
2:53:19
How many how many people are currently currently staff the hotline?
2:53:24
Excuse me.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:53:29
We would have to get back to you in terms of the actual numbers.
2:53:32
I don't have them in front of me in terms of the staffing for the hotline.
Alexa Avilés
2:53:37
Okay.
2:53:38
Like quickly.
2:53:41
Okay.
2:53:43
I guess the hours of the hotline operation was nine to five.
2:53:47
I think we talked about that earlier.
2:53:49
Or nine to six.
2:53:50
I can't remember.
2:53:52
To six.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:53:52
Nine to six.
Alexa Avilés
2:53:56
And we already established that if you if you call after, somebody will maybe call you back.
2:54:03
If you call at 7PM, maybe somebody will call you back at another time.
2:54:08
A voicemail system.
Manuel Castro
2:54:10
Yeah.
2:54:11
In fact, when we both visited hotline, they demonstrated the system that they've just implemented to be able to capture those calls that are incoming.
2:54:20
And again, this is an ongoing work with Catholic charities.
2:54:25
Again, they they have to train and hire, and and so we, you know, we hope to be able to meet the growing needs that our communities have for Hotline, and it's it's ongoing work.
2:54:36
But I am very happy with with how they've been able to absorb some of the funds that we were able to provide in the last fiscal year and and grow their program.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:54:48
And chair, I have the numb I have the number.
2:54:51
So currently for the the staffing lines for the hotline, we're at 15 under Catholic Charities.
Alexa Avilés
2:54:59
So under under the $1.1300000.0 dollar budget, they have 15 staff lines for this hotline.
Lorena Lucero
2:55:11
Okay.
Alexa Avilés
2:55:13
I'm just I'm just trying to make sure I understand for the record what we're talking about.
2:55:19
So back to my earlier point, a million dollar cut to this program would essentially gut it.
2:55:25
We would lose most of those staffing and the service delivery component of it.
2:55:33
So in terms of how many how much of the hotline is is actual provision of service versus a referral to a nonprofit?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:55:49
So when folks call the hotline, know, they get a basic, you know, information and they get referrals to to legal providers and or any other type of service that they're looking for.
Alexa Avilés
2:56:11
Do you have a sense have you assessed the incoming?
2:56:15
How much of it is actually call make the road New York versus you can triage question and respond and close out the case at that point?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:56:27
We'll get back to you on that.
2:56:28
I know we do have some of that breakdown, but I don't have it in front
Alexa Avilés
2:56:31
of you.
2:56:32
Okay, I'd definitely like to see that.
Manuel Castro
2:56:34
And to add to this, your question's important and something that we are closely monitoring.
2:56:40
You know, we've had to adjust over the last couple of years as needs have changed.
2:56:45
And in the the visit we were both at together, we discussed the need for to provide actual know your rights information to those who call so that they understand their rights and understand their options.
2:57:02
And Catholic Charities is working to build their capacity to do more of that in addition to, you know, connecting folks or people to legal providers that we fund.
Alexa Avilés
2:57:14
Are are you keeping track of how many people are calling after hours?
Manuel Castro
2:57:19
We'll have to ask Catholic charities, but my understanding is yes.
Alexa Avilés
2:57:24
Great.
2:57:25
I'd love to see what the trend is there in terms of calling after 6PM.
2:57:31
And the weekends.
2:57:32
Right?
2:57:32
The the legal hotline is not available on the weekends.
Manuel Castro
2:57:36
It's not at this moment.
Alexa Avilés
2:57:38
I'm sorry?
Manuel Castro
2:57:39
It's not at this moment.
Alexa Avilés
2:57:40
It's not available on the weekends.
2:57:43
Do you know how many people used the hotline last year?
2:57:46
I think you did mention this in your testimony.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:57:55
That was about 64,000 calls came in.
Alexa Avilés
2:58:01
64,000 calls to this hotline.
2:58:07
Okay.
2:58:11
And this year?
2:58:13
And we're talking fiscal year or calendar year?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:58:16
That's fiscal year.
Alexa Avilés
2:58:18
Correct.
Jasniya Sanchez
2:58:20
For fiscal year twenty five up until about the first half of fiscal year twenty five, the hotline has received about over 23,000 calls so far.
Alexa Avilés
2:58:37
And the 64,000 was which fiscal year?
Jasniya Sanchez
2:58:41
FY '24.
Alexa Avilés
2:58:45
So potential potential significant decline.
2:58:49
Strange.
2:58:51
Okay.
Lorena Lucero
2:58:59
Yeah.
2:59:00
There's a good breaking point on a company Rivera at this back end of the question.
Alexa Avilés
2:59:03
Oh, yes.
2:59:05
Well, I'll turn it over to council member Rivera.