Governor Hochul Announces $7.25 Million To Provide Legal Services for 1,400 Unaccompanied Minor Children After Trump Administration Guts Crucial Contract
New State Funding Will Ensure All Children In Active Removal Proceedings Have Access to Representation
Governor Highlights Commonsense Measures To Protect New Yorkers Against Aggressive Federal Immigration Enforcement
Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Attorney General Letitia James stood together today against the Trump Administration’s aggressive federal immigration enforcement and reminded New Yorkers of their rights and protections. In addition, Governor Hochul announced $7.25 million in new funding to provide legal services for approximately 1,400 unaccompanied immigrant children and youth in New York who are facing active removal proceedings, including the more than 250 children who are currently detained. The funding will help vulnerable children access legal representation following the Trump administration’s July 31 contract expiration.
“No child in our state should ever face the fear and uncertainty of the immigration process without advocates and legal support in their corner,” Governor Hochul said. “While the Trump Administration is walking away from these children, New York is stepping up to help bridge the gap and ensure their continued access to the services they need and deserve. When we lose sight of our shared responsibility to protect children, we lose sight of who we are as a country, and as Governor, I will not let that happen.”
For nearly two decades, the federal government has been required by law to protect immigrant children and both Democrat and Republican administrations have complied with that law. Legal representation is necessary as unaccompanied minors are more likely to be trafficked, abused and endangered. The Trump Administration's lack of clarity surrounding replacement contracts creates instability for thousands of children in New York and across the country and ultimately will harm vulnerable children who rely on these services.
In response, the New York State Office for New Americans (ONA) is executing contracts totaling $7.25 million with a coalition of legal services providers, led by the Hispanic Federation, to support children previously served under the federal program. This builds on the work Governor Hochul has already done to protect immigrant communities including nearly $87 million for the Office for New Americans, a 27% increase compared with last year. ONA, through their network of community providers, operates a hotline, provides rapid legal assistance, conducts know-your-rights trainings and supports other key services for adults and children.
Following an unprecedented escalation in aggressive federal immigration enforcement, Governor Hochul has been fighting to protect New Yorkers from federal actions aimed at hurting our vulnerable immigrant communities. Earlier this year, Governor Hochul signed one of the most comprehensive laws in the nation to rein in ICE and prevent federal overreach by:
- Prohibiting local governments, state and local police, and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes;
- Prohibiting state, local, and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public;
- Establishing a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights;
- Safeguarding interactions with public employees;
- Keeping immigration authorities out of sensitive locations; and
- Ensuring immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education regardless of immigration status.
Attorney General Letitia James said, “New York will never stand by while vulnerable children are left to navigate our immigration system alone. We will continue fighting to protect immigrant New Yorkers and push back against federal overreach that puts families and communities at risk. Every New Yorker deserves a fair day in court and access to justice, and I thank Governor Hochul for taking the initiative to fund these critical legal services.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said, “New York refuses to stand idly by while the federal government abandons immigrant children and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and deportation. I’m proud to stand alongside state and city leaders as we reject the cruelty on display and recommit to protecting the immigrant communities that help form this city’s backbone. New York City has invested a record 153 million dollars in legal representation for immigrants, expanded Know Your Rights outreach in dozens of languages, and strengthened the firewall between city agencies and federal immigration enforcement. We will not stop until the values our city was built upon are truly felt across the five boroughs.”
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