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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Deborah Lee, Attorney in Charge of the Immigration Law Unit at Legal Aid Society
4:44:10
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145 sec
Deborah Lee from Legal Aid Society testifies about the urgent need for increased funding and flexibility in immigration legal services contracts in response to aggressive federal deportation efforts. She emphasizes the importance of the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NIFUP) and Immigrant Opportunities Initiative (IOI) in defending non-citizen New Yorkers.
- Requests $11,060,000 for each NIFUP provider to meet complex needs of detained deportation defense
- Calls for prioritizing legal representation in immigration court through IOI funding
- Asks for $1,750,000 for UMF five funding and continued support for low wage worker initiative
- Emphasizes need for funding to reflect full staffing needs and costs
Deborah Lee
4:44:10
My name is Deborah Lee, and the attorney in charge of the immigration law unit at the Legal Aid Society.
4:44:14
Thank you to the Committees on Immigration and Finance for this opportunity and your ongoing support.
4:44:19
I'm testifying in coalition with the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project Partners, but as well also the Immigrant Opportunities Initiative contractors.
4:44:28
We are now one hundred and twenty seven days into this presidential administration and its priority is to detain and deport as many people as it can.
4:44:35
This federal government is trying to funnel more non citizens towards removal orders or otherwise ready them for immediate deportation.
4:44:42
In the past month, the Department of Homeland Security began requesting that the immigration court re calendar thousands of previously administratively closed cases nationwide.
4:44:51
Additionally, ICE is now detaining non citizens at immigration court, targeting those who are complying with our immigration laws and trying to have their day in court.
4:45:00
How can we fight against this onslaught?
4:45:02
We must take bold stands like this council's fight to keep ICE out of Rikers.
4:45:07
We stand with you and will not be complicit in sending more into this federal government's deportation machine.
4:45:12
Overall, in addition to continued and additional support, we need flexibility in our contracts.
4:45:17
We are eager to do all we can to defend non citizen New Yorkers, but also win our contracts to appreciate that immigration detention may continue to expand and immigration court cases require constant but prolonged dedication.
4:45:30
Critically, we need more NIFIP funding.
4:45:32
We are the cities and states experts in defending against imminent removal, but must have resources to meet the complex reality of detained deportation defense.
4:45:41
Our NIFA clients are now fighting in immigration court but also in federal courts against unlawful removals under the Alien Enemies Act and to third countries.
4:45:49
Legal aid is asking for 11,060,000.00 for each NIFA provider.
4:45:53
For IOI funding, we must prioritize legal representation in immigration court.
4:45:59
This is the most pressing need that non citizen New Yorkers face, and our funding must reflect that.
4:46:05
I do also want to clarify Moya's testimony regarding services.
4:46:10
That is not accurate.
4:46:11
We do not have a continuum of services for somebody who is not detained and suddenly becomes detained.
4:46:17
Legal aid is also asking for 1,750,000.00 for our UMF five funding and continued funding for our low wage worker initiative.
4:46:24
Finally, we ask that all funding reflects our full staffing needs and costs as our staff are our frontline responders in these tumultuous times, and we must be able to provide for them.
4:46:34
Thank you for this opportunity.