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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sophie Dalsimer, Co-Director of Health Justice at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
4:53:25
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140 sec
Sophie Dalsimer testifies on behalf of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, requesting continued and enhanced support for the city council's immigrant health initiative. She highlights the critical need for their services in the face of federal challenges to immigrant communities and healthcare access.
- Requests $650,000 allocation for the upcoming fiscal year
- Outlines four main areas of increased demand: medical advocacy for ICE detainees, support for unrepresented asylum seekers, health advocacy and insurance navigation, and guidance for healthcare workers
- Emphasizes the importance of providing timely, accurate, and trusted advice to immigrant communities facing healthcare barriers and fear of ICE enforcement
Sophie Dalsimer
4:53:25
Good afternoon.
4:53:26
My name is Sophie Dalsimer.
4:53:28
I'm co director of the health justice program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
4:53:32
Thank you council member and chair of Villas and members of the council for the opportunity to testify today.
4:53:38
I'm also very privileged to testify with my colleagues here.
4:53:40
I'm in complete agreement with all of them.
4:53:43
I wanna speak to you this afternoon about the city council's immigrant health initiative, which we are privileged to be a part of and ask that you continue enhanced support for this program with a $650,000 allocation to our organization for this upcoming fiscal year.
4:54:00
This work could not be more critical in the face of unprecedented federal assaults on immigrant communities and healthcare.
4:54:07
I was concerned today about the lack of specificity and urgency from Moya when it comes to healthcare access mental health needs of immigrant New Yorkers and their families.
4:54:17
At our organization, we are receiving and responding to increased demand across four main areas.
4:54:22
First, more and more people are being arrested and detained by ICE as we know.
4:54:27
And, we field many requests from Knife Up and other partners for medical advocacy on behalf of immigrant New Yorkers in ICE detention.
4:54:35
Including forensic psychological evaluations that are critical to their immigration cases.
4:54:40
Many of the individuals who the city supported with pro se asylum assistance are now coming up on their final hearings and they are unrepresented.
4:54:49
And we are hearing from many of those folks who are chronically ill or people with disabilities who would have to face these proceedings unrepresented.
4:54:57
We also continue to provide comprehensive health advocacy and insurance navigation to support non citizen New Yorkers who face barriers to accessing healthcare, including advocacy with New York City Health and Hospitals and connecting individuals to NYC care.
4:55:12
This is even more critical now as many individuals are foregoing vital medical services in fear of ICE enforcement.
4:55:19
It has been critical to provide timely, accurate, and trusted advice for these communities.
4:55:25
And finally, NILPH is responding to unprecedented demand from healthcare workers themselves who are unsure about how they can create safe medical spaces for their patients and also protect their own safety.
4:55:37
With your continued and enhanced support, we look forward to meeting these urgent needs and representing and advocating for our immigrant communities.
4:55:44
Thank you.