New York, NY—Yesterday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani released his $124.7 billion FY27 Executive Budget, which includes investments in:
- $32.9M in announced Immigration Legal Services Funding
- Childcare:
- $25M baselined for Promise NYC
- $33M to support childcare vouchers for low-income New Yorkers
- $20.5M for the implementation of Street Vendors Reform
- $40.9M for the Office of Community Safety
- $26M annually for the Office of Hate Crime Prevention
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“During an unprecedented time in this country’s history, New York City’s budget must support every New Yorker living under threat. Mayor Mamdani’s budget makes important progress by providing crucial support to hard working families, but it must go further to truly meet the needs of all immigrant New Yorkers.
“As the federal government continues to escalate its attacks on immigrant communities, legal services are the most crucial line of defense. The Mayor’s announced $32.9 million investment in legal defense and support is a meaningful step in the right direction and reflects an important recognition of the growing needs facing immigrant communities. At the same time, we know the need far exceeds current resources, and we look forward to the Mayor and Council coming together to build on this foundation and expand the range of services required to defend our communities. Too many of our most vulnerable neighbors will remain at risk of being pushed into the federal administration’s deportation pipeline. We welcome the investments in the Office of Community Safety and Office of Hate Crime Prevention, but those investments cannot make up for insufficient access to attorneys.
“By baselining Promise NYC, more New York families will have access to safe, stable childcare that allows more parents and caregivers to remain in the workforce and support their families. However, the Executive Budget also risks cuts to critical education funding, including the Immigrant Families Outreach Initiative, which is set to expire in June, and critical support for students with disabilities whose needs cannot always be met by NYC Public Schools. As the budget process continues, we look forward to working with the city to ensure that all students receive the appropriate educational services and support they are entitled to.
“We also applaud the $20.5 million investment to implement the long-overdue street vendor reform. By creating a fair and more accessible permitting system and reducing punitive measures, it will help ensure vendors can work safely and with dignity.
“We urge the Mayor and City Council to continue to build on this budget to make good on the Mayor’s promise to create a more affordable and livable New York City for all.”