A slew of elected officials and advocacy groups in New York are pushing for legal protections for migrant families ahead of Donald Trump’s second term as president — and his promise of mass deportations.
Last month, President-elect Trump said that he planned on executing an order upon taking office that would result in tens of thousands of migrants and undocumented immigrants being detained and deported — building on a promise he made during a campaign rally in late October at Madison Square Garden.
“On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out,” he said during his Oct. 27 rally. “I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible.”
Trump’s re-election last month left many non-native New Yorkers scared of what the future may hold. On Tuesday, a coalition of potentially impacted families, elected officials, and advocates from the likes of the immigration coalition and the Vera Institute of Justice gathered at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan to say they were preparing for the worst and seek legal protections for those who could potentially face deportation.
“The Constitution doesn’t care who is president. The Constitution doesn’t care which party is leading. The Constitution doesn’t care if you came here five minutes ago or 50 years ago. The constitution is meant to protect us all,” Assemblymember Catalina Cruz said. “I represent the 39th district in Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst, the community with the highest number of undocumented folks.”
The advocates called for the passage of the Campaign for Access, Representation, and Equity (CARE) for Immigrant Families, a state legislative package that aims to not only ensure that immigrants have access to legal representation but also provide a substantial increase in funding for attorneys to prevent the separation of families.
“This investment of $165 million is an investment in our future and our progressive future in New York state. It makes sense, and it’s about time that we enact the Access to Representation Act. We need it today, and we need it now,” Brooklyn Assembly Member Phara Souffrant Forrest said. “We have to look back at the numbers; one in three students, children in New York City, in New York State, have parents who are immigrants like mine.”
Advocates say that those facing deportation are not guaranteed access to legal counsel during the process and often have to face the process without guidance or representation. The Vera Institute also reported that over 172,000 people are unrepresented in New York immigration courts, a number that has more than doubled since last year.
Elected officials are calling these services a practical solution to help meet the needs of immigrants who are working for a chance to provide for their families and seek stability. With access to legal representation, immigrant New Yorkers are protected from federal actions and promote safety.
“Legal representation can quite literally determine if thousands of parents are separated from their children or not. By investing in immigrant legal services, we can protect vulnerable communities, stop family separation and reform our broken immigration court system, before Donald Trump has the chance to damage it even further,” said Manhattan state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
