The United States, as it exists today, would be fundamentally destabilized. This future is sadly already unfolding, in large part because of the Trump administration’s work to systematically dismantle due process and inflict undeniable cruelty on immigrants.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/28/b...

This moment demands action from New York leaders. Immigration legal services and sensible policies, like the Access to Representation and BUILD Acts, are necessary to safeguard immigrant New Yorkers and their ability to seek safety and stay in their communities.

The Trump administration is tearing families apart and destabilizing communities: federal enforcement has dramatically escalated, a record number of people are held detention, and earlier this week an ICE agent shot and killed a Minneapolis resident.

These solutions safeguard due process, family stability, and community safety and are urgently needed to support an immigration system stretched beyond its capacity. Our full statement: www.vera.org/newsroom/as-...

Together with New York state elected officials, legal service providers, advocates, and impacted families we called for:

➡️$175M investment in immigration legal services
➡️ The passage of the #AccessToRepresentation and #BUILD Acts

"President Trump’s escalated enforcement and rhetoric over the last year have placed millions of New York families in jeopardy, creating a real risk of mass deportations and separations that is endangering our communities and New York’s future.” —Vera’s Kelsey Pirnak

That means investing $175M in immigration legal defense and social services along with

passing the Access to Representation and Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense Acts, humane solutions that protect people facing deportation in a changing immigration landscape.

Immigrant New Yorkers strengthen communities. We cannot let increasing federal attacks, indiscriminate ICE raids, and human rights violations continue to tear communities and families apart. We must confront these injustices and prioritize defending due process and human dignity.

“Immigrant New Yorkers power this state’s economy and strengthen our communities. New York cannot thrive without them, and we cannot allow them to stand alone. We must be firm in our values and choose representation, due process, and dignity for every New Yorker.”

Get the facts and learn more: www.vera.org/publications...

Get the facts and learn more: www.vera.org/publications...