NYLAG and other legal service providers have served newly arrived migrant families through their various community-based sites. However, there have not been enough resources or funding to allow providers to meet their needs. Jodi Ziesemer, NYLAG’s director of the Immigrant Protection Unit, testified to the Committee regarding the city’s response and delivery of services to migrants. Below is an excerpt from her testimony:
“In the absence of viable resources from the city to serve this population, there has been a small input of funding from the state and private funders. However, these sources are not sufficient to build sustainable programming to properly address the overwhelming and ongoing need. NYLAG, in collaboration with two of our existing partners, received a small increase in existing funding from the state of New York Office of New Americans. This allows us and our partners to serve newly arrived migrants who already have removal orders due to the chaos at the Immigration Courts and the failing of due process for this population. However, comprehensive funding to build new programs and sustainably serve the full needs of this population is still desperately needed.”
