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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Deborah Lee, Attorney in Charge of the Immigration Law Unit at Legal Aid Society
3:53:35
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129 sec
Deborah Lee from the Legal Aid Society testified about the urgent need to protect noncitizens in New York City amid increased ICE enforcement and proposed changes to sanctuary city policies. She called for increased funding for legal services and programs supporting immigrants.
- Expressed concern over mass deportations and the climate of fear among noncitizens in NYC
- Criticized the mayor's alignment with the Trump administration and plans to dismantle sanctuary city laws
- Requested increased funding for NYIFUP (New York Immigrant Family Unity Project) providers, unaccompanied minors and families programs, and the low wage worker initiative
Deborah Lee
3:53:35
My name is Deborah Lee, I'm the attorney in charge of the Immigration Law Unit, the Legal Aid Society.
3:53:39
Thank you, Chair Aviles, for this opportunity and for this committee for its support.
3:53:44
Mass deportations are well underway nationwide, along with a cruel marketing effort intended to terrorize all of us.
3:53:50
With each passing day of this presidential administration, our noncitizen family members, neighbors, and loved ones are being told again and again that ICE will hunt them down.
3:54:00
Noncitizens in New York City, whether recent arrivals or long term residents, no longer feel safe accompanying their children to school, seeking medical care, attending a religious service, or even going to their own immigration court hearing because they fear that ICE will summarily detain and deport them.
3:54:18
Our mayor's aligning himself with the Trump administration, his intention to dismantle our sanctuary city laws and his embedding of the New York Police Department with ICE agents is unacceptable.
3:54:30
These not only reinforce the message that noncitizens are not safe in the city, but also that our local government agencies cannot be trusted.
3:54:38
The Legal Aid Society calls upon city council to meet this historic moment by doing whatever it can to protect noncitizens in New York City, including fighting any attempt to bring ICE back to Rikers.
3:54:49
And more than it has generously done before, we asked City Council to robustly support organizations fighting on behalf of noncitizens.
3:54:56
As the Bronx Defenders and Brooklyn Defender Services have testified, we are already seeing more noncitizen New Yorkers being detained by ICE.
3:55:03
NIFA providers are the experts in defending these New Yorkers who are at imminent risk of being removed from The United States and likely forever separated from their families here.
3:55:13
We are best positioned to meet the challenge needed now to help these vulnerable New Yorkers.
3:55:18
To that end, legal aid is asking for a desperately needed increase in NIFA funding, dollars 11,060,000.00 for each provider.
3:55:26
Legal aid is also asking for 1.75 for unaccompanied minors and families funding and continued funding for our low wage worker initiative.
3:55:34
Finally, we request a fair, robust, and comprehensive RFX process for the Immigrant Opportunities Initiative, one that preserves full legal representation services.
3:55:44
Thank you.