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New York, NY—Today, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), member organizations, allies, immigrant New Yorkers, and elected officials rallied and held a press conference at the City Hall Steps to call for a New York City budget and legislation that includes the needs of immigrant New Yorkers, as the Trump administration escalates its attack on immigrant communities.
Advocates called on New York City to invest $188 million for immigration legal ñservices; $50 million for adult literacy; $4.5 million for Access Health NYC; $5.8 million for the Community Interpreter Bank and Language Services Cooperative; $4 million for the Immigrant Family Communications and Outreach Initiative; along with investments in civic and census programs; pass legislation to protect immigrant students; strengthen the City’s sanctuary laws; expand CityFHEPS housing vouchers to all residents regardless of immigration status; prohibit any collaboration between city agencies and federal immigration enforcement; among other measures.
New York City must act with urgency to ensure strong protections and resources for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, to ensure the stability of New York families, communities, and the city’s economy.
“New York has long prided itself on being a place of opportunity, safety, and belonging for everyone, but those values must be reflected in action, especially now. Budgets are moral documents and as federal attacks on immigrant New Yorkers escalate, too many immigrant families have found themselves excluded. They are being pushed into the shadows, forced to navigate growing barriers to legal services, housing, and basic support. New York City must meet this moment with bold action by delivering a budget and passing policies that ensure every New Yorker can truly thrive, not just survive. That means making strong investments in immigration legal services, adult literacy, language access, food assistance, multilingual education, and community health. Anything less will put our most vulnerable neighbors at risk of being pushed into the federal administration’s deportation pipeline and undermines the stability and future of our city,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
“New York City is stronger because of its immigrant communities, and in Lower Manhattan we see every day how immigrants shape the life, culture, and economy of our neighborhoods. I’m proud to stand with the New York Immigration Coalition and the many organizations fighting for a city budget and legislative agenda that meets this moment. At a time when immigrant New Yorkers are facing so much uncertainty, our city must be clear that we will protect immigrant families, invest in the services they rely on, and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect,” said Councilmember Christopher Marte, District 1.
“New York City’s growth and vitality comes from its immigrant communities,” said Council Member Harvey Epstein. “As the federal government expands the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents across the country, our city must respond with action: by expanding protections for immigrant New Yorkers and ensuring city resources are used to support, not target, our communities. I’m proud to stand with the New York Immigration Coalition in calling for a city budget and legislative agenda that meets this moment: one that protects immigrant families, invests in language access, community outreach, and legal services, and ensures every New Yorker is treated with dignity and respect,” said Councilmember Harvey Epstein, District 2.
“Immigrants coming here to build a better life is what has built our city, but today, too many New Yorkers are living with fear and uncertainty. The city budget reflects our values, and we have a responsibility to invest in the essential supports immigrant families rely on every day. When we stand with immigrant New Yorkers, we are strengthening our communities and securing the future of our city, ” said Councilmember Virginia Maloney, District 4.
“Immigrant justice is not optional; it is fundamental to who we are as a city and as a people. New York has always been a place of opportunity, built by the strength, resilience, and contributions of immigrant communities who continue to shape our neighborhoods every single day. This moment calls for more than words; it demands action. We must fight to ensure that every immigrant New Yorker has access to quality education, the opportunity to secure good-paying jobs, and the full protection of their civil and human rights. We must also be clear and unwavering in our commitment to ending policies that criminalize, detain, and deport members of our communities,” said Councilmember Rita Joseph, District 40.
“As an immigrant, I know firsthand the struggles the community faces. New York City was built by immigrants, including the railroad built by Chinese immigrants – who, despite their hard work and contributions, faced cruel working conditions and were later barred from immigration and citizenship by the Chinese Exclusion Act. We should not let history repeat itself, and instead we must support immigrant New Yorkers,” said Councilmember Susan Zhuang, District 43.
“New York is a city fundamentally built by immigrants. It is our responsibility to remain loyal to these communities. Investing in immigrant legal services means reaffirming a commitment to democracy and a fair system. Every day families are torn apart because they can’t afford adequate representation and when even one family is failed we are failing to uphold the beliefs this city and this country are built on,” said Janay Cauthen, Director, Families For Freedom.
"Language access is at the heart of equity. When immigrant youth and their families can understand and be understood, doors open to learning, to belonging, and to full participation in community life," said Darnell Benoit, Director, Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project.
“Internationals Network for Public Schools is grateful that NYCPS provided very early guidance in December 2024 to the central staff, district leaders and its schools on how to keep immigrant students safe so they can learn and thrive. However, the level of awareness and readiness across NYCPS is uneven. To ensure more consistency across the NYCPS, training on how to respond to these issues must be included in the routine safety training that school leaders complete every year with their staff. In addition, school safety agents, bus operators and any other adults who come in contact with students should receive such training. NYCPS must also provide more explicit guidance on safety protocols during travel to and from school and during school trips. These protections are critical to uphold the rights of all students—especially immigrant and refugee youth—to learn and thrive in supportive school environments,” said Lara Evangelista, Executive Director, Internationals Network for Public Schools.
“Education is power, and adult literacy education builds the individual and collective power of immigrants and their communities. That is precisely why the Trump administration is seeking to exclude large numbers of immigrants from federally-funded adult literacy classes and why they are calling for the complete elimination of federal funding for adult literacy education in the 2027 federal budget. New York City needs to increase its investment in adult literacy education from $26.5 million to $50 million so that we no longer need to rely on Washington for this funding and so that immigrant New Yorkers seeking adult education classes don’t have the doors closed on them by a ruthless regime,” Ira Yankwitt, Executive Director, Literacy Assistance Center.
“As Jewish New Yorkers, we are especially stricken by the cruelty and xenophobia embedded in the federal government’s deportation machine. We have been organizing in solidarity with the most vulnerable New Yorkers in our neighborhoods and at federal immigration court. But defense is not enough. New York City must go on offense with legislation to prevent any city agency from colluding with ICE, and a budget that expands access to necessary legal services, healthcare, literacy and translation, and education for immigrant New Yorkers. So many American Jews live here today because our ancestors arrived in this city – many seeking asylum – and were able to find work and build a future. The folks arriving here today simply want to do the same. We urge the City Council to ensure our new neighbors can make their homes here, just as our ancestors did,” said Paula Galowitz, Member, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice.