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Albany, NY—Today, the Campaign for Access, Representation, and Equity for Immigrant Families (CARE4IF) Coalition, allies, elected officials, and immigrant New Yorkers rallied and held a press conference at the State Capitol to demand $175 million in funding for immigration legal services and the passage of the Access to Representation Act (ARA) and the Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense (BUILD) Act for the 2026 New York State Legislative Session.
As leaders in Albany consider proposals to safeguard safety, family unity, and due process for immigrant New Yorkers, advocates are pressing for urgently needed investments in the state budget. Every day, immigrant families across New York face escalating attacks driven by the Trump administration’s mass detention and deportation agenda. As ICE acts with unlawful impunity, New York must stand firm in ensuring due process and access to justice for immigrant New Yorkers. Our state must remain a beacon of justice by making concrete investments and taking bold action to push back against federal anti-immigrant attacks.
The ARA would be a first in the nation, guaranteeing immigrants facing deportation the right to legal counsel in New York State and ensuring they have a fair chance to fight for their freedom and dignity. The BUILD Act lays the groundwork for ARA by investing in the critical legal infrastructure needed for service providers to create, maintain, and expand programs to protect immigrant New Yorkers.
“While the Trump administration is ripping immigrant New Yorkers from their families and stripping them of due process, New York must step up and meet the historic need for legal representation. Fully investing $175 million in immigration legal services is essential to ensuring fairness, dignity, and justice for immigrant families. The State Legislature must pass the Access to Representation and BUILD Acts to guarantee that no New Yorker is forced to face the immigration legal system alone, which all too often leads to a fast track to detention and deportation. New York has the power and responsibility to protect our immigrant neighbors. Albany must act expeditiously to ensure due process for every New Yorker as Trump and ICE escalate their attacks on immigrants and separate New York families,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
“While ICE abuses its power, New York must ensure access to a good legal defense. We must be uncompromising in defending New Yorkers against the heinous actions of the federal government and defend their constitutional rights,” said Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris, District 12.
“New York has always been a sanctuary for those seeking safety, opportunity, and justice. But without legal representation, too many of our immigrant neighbors are forced to fight for their futures alone in a system designed to push them out. As we confront the escalated attacks of mass deportation and family separation, we must meet this moment with action. Passing the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act is not just about policy—it’s about standing up for the fundamental right to due process. Our state must invest $175 million in legal services to ensure that no New Yorker is left without a fighting chance. This is how we uphold our values, protect our communities, and push back against the injustice of an immigration system that too often denies fairness to those who need it most,” said Assemblymember Catalina Cruz, District 39.
“I strongly support expanding access to legal services for our immigrant communities because no one should have to face detention or deportation without guidance and representation. Our immigrant families are the backbone of New York. They work, care for their loved ones, and strengthen our neighborhoods every day. When we ensure access to trusted legal advocates, we protect children from unnecessary separation, give families stability, and allow people to participate fully in their communities without fear. This is about more than the legal process. It is about dignity, fairness, and the values that make New York a place of opportunity for everyone,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos, District 13.
"At a time when the Trump White House is spending billions to sow fear, tear families apart, and destabilize our economy, New York must step up to protect our communities. Fully funding immigration legal services will help keep families together, support due process, and bolster workforce development throughout our overwhelmed and underfunded immigration court. The Access to Representation Act and Build Act are absolutely necessary at this moment to ensure New York remains a home where fairness and opportunity are more than promised, but practiced. Many thanks to Senator Mike Gianaris, Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, and the thousands of advocates across the state who are relentless in the fight to make sure these critical investments are available to help protect immigrant New Yorkers," said State Senator John Liu, District 43.
"Immigrants who have access to legal counsel in deportation proceedings are up to 10 times more likely to remain in their homes, communities, and here in New York State. The Trump administration has put its crosshairs on immigrants who are playing by the rules, following our laws and immigration procedures, and doing their best to make a living as our neighbors and community members. As ICE continues its cruel crackdown across the country, we have an opportunity with access to representation to protect our immigrant communities, keep families together, and resist the Trump administration's all out assault on our communities,” said State Senator Patricia Fahy, District 46.
“Access to legal representation should never depend on where you were born or how much money you have. I am proud to cosponsor the Access to Representation Act, which is about ensuring fairness, due process, and dignity for immigrant New Yorkers who are navigating a complex and often unforgiving legal system. That’s why we must fully fund immigrant legal services, because when people have representation, families stay together, communities are stronger, and justice is better served,” said State Senator Lea Webb, District 52.
“The right to an attorney is one of the cornerstones of our justice system, and immigration court should be no exception. I’m a proud co-sponsor of the Access to Representation Act because financial barriers should not prevent someone from living in our country. With reprehensible action and rhetoric coming from this federal administration, due process and fairness are needed in all court proceedings now more than ever to ensure that everyone is provided the same resources and assistance in navigating our legal system,” said State Senator Jeremy Cooney, District 56.
“Access to legal representation is vital to due process and to basic fairness. It is our responsibility to ensure New Yorkers are supported with the legal resources they need to navigate complex government systems, protect their rights, and thrive in our shared communities. Funding immigrant legal services and enacting the Access to Representation Act reflects the compassion and commitment to justice we hold paramount in our state and our nation,” said Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, District 22.
"An attack on immigrant communities is an attack on New York, and we are under attack right now. The federal government has unleashed a massive campaign to criminalize, kidnap, and deport immigrant New Yorkers, without any regard for due process or the rule of law. Ensuring that every New Yorker facing a removal order has access to a lawyer is an essential part of fighting back and protecting our people. The Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act will make that vision a reality, and I am fighting for both in this year's budget,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, District 50.
“At a time when immigrant communities are facing heightened fear and uncertainty, access to legal representation is a critical lifeline. As Chair of the Task Force on New Americans, I am proud to support the Access to Representation Act to increase funding for legal services so that no one is left to face the system alone. We must also fund legal services for unaccompanied migrant children in this year’s budget to ensure that our youngest and newest New Yorkers have access to attorneys and are not left to face immigration proceedings alone. We must act now - our communities cannot wait,” said Assemblymember Phara Souffrant-Forrest, District 57.
“Due process and access to representation are fundamental to justice; no New Yorker should be left without representation in court. We are calling for the passage of the ‘Access to Representation Act’ and $175 million in this year’s budget to strengthen immigration rights services in our state. Thank you to the CARE for Immigrant Families Coalition and Assemblymember Catalina Cruz for their leadership on this legislation,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee, District 65.
“For immigrant families, access to legal services is not a policy debate it is the line between safety and separation, between home and heartbreak. We have witnessed the pain of families torn apart and the lasting trauma of living in constant uncertainty. And we refuse to stay silent while our neighbors are forced to navigate a broken system alone. That is why we are demanding an additional $102 million for immigrant legal services, beyond the Governor’s proposal, and pushing for the full passage of the Access to Representation Act. New York has a responsibility to lead not just in words, but in action by protecting families and upholding justice. We are fighting to keep our families together. We are fighting to protect our communities. And we will not stop until dignity, due process, and justice are guaranteed for all,” said Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos, District 72.
“Failure to fund Access to Representation would be failure to stand up for immigrant New Yorkers. Immigrants are the heart and soul of our culture and economy, the core of our history and our future. Without fully funding Access to Representation, immigrant New Yorkers will face life altering proceedings without an advocate by their side which is unacceptable in a State that stands for due process, dignity and democracy,” said Assemblymember Tony Simone, District 75.
“New York has a choice. We can stand by while immigrant families are torn apart, or lead the nation by guaranteeing fairness, dignity, and due process. The Access to Representation Act would make New York the first state in the country to ensure immigrants facing deportation have the right to legal counsel. Paired with the BUILD Act, this investment strengthens the legal infrastructure our communities rely on and sends a clear message that, in the face of federal cruelty and chaos, New York will remain a beacon of justice and humanity,” said Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera, District 149.
“New York is at a crossroads. As federal enforcement grows more aggressive, our state has a choice: invest in meaningful legal protections or allow harmful enforcement practices to continue unchecked. The Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act ensure immigrants have a real chance to defend themselves, stay with their families, and continue contributing to the community. Fully funding immigration legal services at $175 million is the minimum New York must do to put words of support into practice,” said Ellen Pachnanda, CEO, Immigrant ARC.
“Immigration court is one of the most complex legal systems in the country, yet children are not guaranteed an attorney. Right now, whether a child stays safe often comes down to whether they can find a lawyer in time. That’s not a service gap — it’s a policy gap. Lawmakers must pass the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act and fully fund legal services so every child in New York has a lawyer and not just the lucky few,” said Sierra Kraft, Executive Director, ICARE Coalition.
"The demand for immigration legal services in New York State is skyrocketing due to new aggressive federal enforcement tactics, an exponential increase in detentions without bond, expedited removals and deportations, and a rapid surge in federal resources devoted to immigration. New York must act now to ensure that immigrant New Yorkers can access sustainable and comprehensive legal help so they can stay with their families, work, go to school, and remain in their communities. New York must rise to this moment by fully funding immigration legal services at $175 million and passing the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act,” said Carola Otero Bracco, Executive Director, Neighbors Link.
“Legal representation can determine whether or not immigrant families are separated, lives are uprooted, or a loved one is deported to a country where their life is at risk. As federal immigration authorities aggressively ramp up arrests to meet cruel immigration quotas, New York lawmakers must step up and pass the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act to ensure legal funding is guaranteed for immigrants who need it. Access to a lawyer shouldn’t be incumbent on how much money someone has in their pocket,” said Zach Ahmad, Senior Policy Counsel, New York Civil Liberties Union.
"The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, flush with cash and with a cruel mandate for mass detention and deportation, is tearing apart families, shattering the safety of our communities, and destabilizing the economy. In response, we are raising our voices to demand that New York meet the scale of this crisis with urgently needed investments in essential services. Nothing short of $175 million to fully fund legal services and immediate passage of the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act will suffice. No one should face deportation without counsel. This commitment is essential to protecting our communities, ensuring due process, and safeguarding New York’s economic future and moral standing,” said Kelsey Pirnak, Advocacy Manager, Vera Institute of Justice’s Advancing Universal Representation Initiative.