The New York Immigration Coalition was founded in 1987 with one fundamental conviction: our voices are stronger together.
Our first project as an organization was to ensure that immigrants across the state had the resources they needed to take advantage of a 1986 law that allowed undocumented residents to adjust their status.
In the decades since, the NYIC has coalesced New York’s immigrant communities and the organizations that serve them to amplify the political demands of immigrant New Yorkers and advance positive social change. We’ve built a robust state-wide infrastructure—including the establishment of five regional offices—and have expanded our focus to include not just immigration law and policy, but some of the most salient issues that impact the lives of everyday New Yorkers: education, health care, and civic engagement.
Through spearheading innovative policies and ambitious campaigns to empower and protect immigrant communities, the NYIC and our members have helped to usher in historic, progressive change at all levels of government.
Learn more about our work and major highlights from our 30+ years of advocacy:
2023:
Legal Funding—NYIC won a historic $63 million dollar investment in the Office of New Americans for immigration legal and essential services in the New York State budget, which will help thousands of low-income immigrant New Yorkers receive legal representation through the Liberty Defense Project and ONA Legal Counsels
2022:
Coverage4All—NYIC and the Coverage4All Coalition Expand Medicaid Coverage to All Eligible Women, Regardless of Immigration Status, For Up to 12 Months Post-Pregnancy, and Remove the Citizenship Requirements for Access to Medicaid for Those 65 Years of Age or Older Across New York State
2021:
Our City, Our Vote—In Partnership with the OCOV Coalition and United Neighborhood Houses, the NYIC Led the Campaign to Pass Intro 1867 in the New York City Council to Expand Municipal Voting Rights to Nearly 1 Million Immigrant New Yorkers with Legal Permanent Residence Status or Work Authorization
Excluded Workers Fund—NYIC Partners with FEW Coalition to Establish $2.1 Billion Fund for NY’s Immigrant Essential Workers
Immigrant Economic Empowerment—In Partnership with the Street Vendor Project, the NYIC Helps to Pass Intro 1116 to Expand Access to Street Vending in NYC for First Time in Decades
2020:
COVID-19—NYIC Raises 2.7 Million to Provide Direct Cash Assistance to 5,000+ New Yorkers Excluded from Federal Stimulus Package
DACA Saved at SCOTUS—NYIC Plays Key Role in National Movement to Save DACA Program from Termination
COVID-19—NYIC Partners with National Coalition to Include Mixed-Status Families in Federal Pandemic Relief
ICE Out of Courts—NYIC Helps Pass Ban on Law Enforcement from Making Arrests in or Near New York’s Halls of Justice
COVID-19—NYIC Secures Free COVID-19 Testing, Evaluation, and Treatment for All Low-Income New Yorkers Regardless of Status
2019:
Green Light NY—NYIC Wins Historic Campaign to Restore Driver’s Licenses for All
Census 2020—NYIC Defeats Trump’s Racist Citizenship Question in SCOTUS Lawsuit (Trump v. New York)
Census 2020—NYIC and New York Counts 2020 Host NYC Census Summit and Upstate Census Convening to Get Out the Count Across NYS
Language Access—After 15 Years of Campaigning, NYIC and Coalition Partners Celebrate Landmark Expansion of Language Access in Westchester County
2010-2018:
Immigrant Services—NYIC Initiates Key to the City to Provide Local Access to Consular and Social Services
Leadership Development—NYIC Hosts 2015 National Immigrant Integration Conference
Statewide Advocacy—NYIC Builds Capacity throughout New York State by Opening Regional Offices in Syracuse, Buffalo, Peekskill, and Long Island
2000-2009
Civic Engagement—NYIC Registers 250,000+ Immigrant New Yorkers Through New-Citizen Voter Registration Campaign
Capacity Building—NYIC Establishes Immigrant Concerns Training Institute (2001) to Provide Education and Training to New York State's Nonprofit Agencies and Legal Service Providers
Leadership Development—NYIC Partners with Coro to Launch the Immigrant Civic Leadership Program
Federal Advocacy—NYIC Plays Key Role in Fighting for Immigrant Inclusion in Federal Safety Net
1990-1999
Immigrant Services—NYIC Develops the City Access Project to Push for Immigrant Inclusion in New York City Services
Federal Advocacy—NYIC Hosts Its First Federal Advocacy Day to Mobilize Members Around Concerns over 1990 Immigration Act
Civic Engagement—NYIC Begins Citizenship Campaign to Expand Access to Citizenship for Immigrant New Yorkers
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