Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Paulina Cohen, Staff Attorney at New York City Anti Violence Project
6:11:35
·
3 min
Paulina Cohen, a staff attorney at the New York City Anti Violence Project (AVP), testified about the critical need for sustained and increased funding for immigration legal services, particularly for LGBTQ and immigrant communities. She highlighted AVP's role in providing culturally competent legal services, including humanitarian immigration relief, alongside holistic support for vulnerable populations.
- AVP handled over 280 cases in fiscal year 2024, with nearly 70% being immigration-related.
- Cohen shared a success story of a client named Daisy, whose complex immigration case was resolved with AVP's intervention.
- She emphasized the growing need for services, especially among transgender clients targeted by federal policies, and the importance of AVP's colocation model connecting legal and social services.
Paulina Cohen
6:11:35
Afternoon everyone.
6:11:37
It's good to see some of you from the preliminary hearings and I know it's been a long day of testimony so I appreciate your commitment.
6:11:43
I'm Paulina Cohen.
6:11:44
I'm a staff attorney at the New York City Anti Violence Project.
6:11:48
You heard from a lot of great legal service providers that are doing a lot of great immigration work, but I'm here to talk about AVP, which has long been at the forefront of New York's fight against hate and oppression.
6:11:58
Our crisis hotline is open twenty four hours a day and we offer critical support to LGBTQ and immigrant communities, including clients in all of your districts.
6:12:07
So I wanna thank you for your ongoing support.
6:12:10
It's becoming harder for LGBTQ and immigrant New Yorkers to access justice and safety and there's no guarantee of legal representation in the immigration system, which leaves thousands to face serious legal and human rights challenges all alone.
6:12:23
We at AVP however are committed to serving the most vulnerable and we recognize the council's commitment to protecting immigrants.
6:12:31
We recently filed an amicus brief supporting your lawsuit against the mayor's office for allowing ICE at Rikers And I'm here to ask you to help complete this puzzle by ensuring sustained and increased funding for immigration legal services.
6:12:44
AVP is the only LGBTQ specific victim services agency in the city.
6:12:49
We provide culturally competent legal services including humanitarian immigration relief alongside holistic support.
6:12:57
We do outreach to ensure survivors know about and can access our services and we advocate on a broader scale like by filing the amicus in your case to lift up the issues our clients face.
6:13:07
I want to tell you quickly about one of my clients.
6:13:09
I'm gonna call her Daisy.
6:13:11
Daisy came to us with really complex immigration case.
6:13:15
Her case had been bouncing between the immigration agencies and immigration courts and she didn't have a clear grasp on the status of her application with ambiguity leaving her vulnerable to wrongful apprehension by immigration authorities.
6:13:28
We intervened, filed the right motions, got her asylum application properly filed, and she was also able to finally get her work permit which was years overdue.
6:13:37
Thanks to AVP's continued support, Daisy now has clear legal status and the ability to work which allows her to continue the positive life she's building here in New York.
6:13:46
Daisy is just one of many.
6:13:48
In fiscal year twenty four, ABP's legal department handled over two eighty cases, nearly 70% immigration related.
6:13:56
This need is growing, especially among our transgender clients who have been specifically targeted by hateful federal policies.
6:14:03
We fill critical service gaps where the city resources fall short.
6:14:07
And our colocation model connects legal and social services, helping survivors holistically rebuild their lives.
6:14:13
With your support, we can expand that work.
6:14:16
Especially in light of cuts to our federal funding, funding from you all will allow us to provide direct services, outreach, and advocacy that are all really essential in this acute moment of crisis.
6:14:27
Simply put, without your help we cannot continue to keep our communities safe.
6:14:33
AVP is committed to ensuring that our community members have access to justice and safety and I'm asking this committee to show that same dedication.
6:14:41
Thank you for your ongoing support and for the opportunity to testify.