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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sierra Kraft, Executive Director of ICARE
5:26:49
ยท
122 sec
Sierra Kraft, Executive Director of ICARE, testifies about the urgent need for increased funding to provide legal representation for unaccompanied immigrant children in New York City. She highlights the vulnerabilities faced by immigrant youth in the complex legal system and the critical role of city funding in ensuring their protection.
- ICARE is requesting $6,297,250 to support 2,013 children and families across seven organizations.
- Kraft emphasizes the importance of city funding, especially given the unreliability of federal support, as demonstrated by a recent federal stop work order.
- She notes that court backlogs are at an all-time high, with cases taking about seven years to resolve, and without legal representation, children are almost certain to lose their cases.
Sierra Kraft
5:26:49
Good afternoon, chair Aviles.
5:26:51
My name is Sierra Craft, and I'm the executive director of iCare, a coalition dedicated to ensuring unaccompanied immigrant children in New York City have access to free legal representation.
5:27:01
Now you've been a long fierce champion for immigrant communities, and right now, they need you more than ever.
5:27:07
Families are living in fear, attorneys are on the front lines fighting to protect them, and yet we're being stretched beyond capacity.
5:27:14
The federal stop work order just two weeks ago jeopardized 26,000 kids' lawyers overnight.
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And though it was reversed, it was definitely a wake up call.
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We just cannot rely on federal funding to protect immigrant youth.
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New York City must step up.
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Court backlogs are at an all time high, and cases are now taking about seven years to resolve according to our providers.
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Without an attorney, children are nearly guaranteed to lose.
5:27:41
A 16 year old boy recently came to eye care after showing up for his hearing at 26 Federal Plaza.
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He asked a security guard for directions and was misled and sent to the wrong building.
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By the time he found the right courtroom an hour later, he had already been ordered removed by the judge.
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Fortunately, he reached out to Eye Care and we were able to reopen his case, but many kids in his position never get that second chance.
5:28:04
A simple mistake, something as small as being given the wrong direction, can have life altering consequences.
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And these are the cruel systems we have in place and why legal representation is essential.
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For over a decade, the city council's investment in the unaccompanied minors and families initiative has been a lifeline.
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But while demand has surged, funding has remained flat for six years.
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So iCare is requesting $6,297,250 to support 2,013 children and families, and this is an ask across seven organizations.
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These numbers represent the difference between safety and deportation.
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These young people who wanna go to school, make friends, and be part of their communities.
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This isn't just a buzz budget decision.
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It's about who we are as a city.
5:28:48
So thank you for your leadership, and we look forward to fighting alongside with you.