On Thursday, January 16, Policy and Advocacy Associate Juan Diaz submitted testimony to the New York City Council Subcommittees on Immigration for an Oversight Hearing on immigration protections. On behalf of CCC, the testimony details actions that can be taken by city leaders to invest in services and programs to support vulnerable New York families, regardless of immigration status, as well as uplift legal options and opportunities for immigrant and mixed-status families. In NYC, half of all children have at least one immigrant parent.

Read the testimony below.

Testimony of Juan Diaz
Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York
Submitted to The New York City Council Subcommittees on Immigration
Oversight – Protection for Immigrant Communities
January 16, 2025

Thank you, Chair Avilés, and members of the Committee on Immigration for the opportunity to submit testimony at this hearing regarding Protection for Immigrant Communities in New York.

Since 1944, Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York has served as an independent, multi- issue child advocacy organization. CCC does not accept or receive public resources, provide direct services, or represent a sector or workforce; our priority is improving outcomes for children and families through civic engagement, research, and advocacy. We document the facts, engage and mobilize New Yorkers, and advocate for solutions to ensure that every New York child is healthy, housed, educated, and safe.

The incoming federal administration has openly shared intentions of mass deportations and enhanced immigration enforcement. Protecting immigrant children, families, and communities must be a priority for city and state leaders in New York. Children with undocumented parents already experience heightened stress and a greater likelihood of experiencing poverty concentration, educational barriers, and fewer employment opportunities.[i] Furthermore, recently arrived immigrant children face difficulties adjusting to a new school system and language, as well as heightened risk of prejudice and discrimination, harming their educational and economic potential.[ii]

Over half of New York City households have at least one immigrant parent, and New York’s children will be severely impacted by federal immigration enforcement and attacks on immigrant-serving programs and services. New York City immigrant and mixed-status families already face far more barriers to access to services and programs due to language and eligibility criteria. A recent CCC report revealed that immigrants are five times more likely than citizens to lack health insurance. The same reports highlighted that immigrant children are enrolled less in early childhood education programs than their peers and English Language Learners in public schools have the lowest passing rates in state tests.

Now more than ever, New York leaders must pass legislation and funding to support immigrant communities facing federal cuts and threats of deportation or heightened immigration enforcement. Additionally, City leaders must advocate and work with State leaders to invest in services and programs to support vulnerable New York families, regardless of immigration status.

City Investments

Housing Support

CCC is a steering committee member of the Family Homeless Coalition (FHC), a coalition comprised of 20 organizations representing service and housing providers, children’s advocacy organizations, and people with lived experience with family homelessness. We are united by the goal of preventing family homelessness, improving the well-being of children and families in shelter, and supporting the long-term stability of families with children who leave shelter. We urge city leaders to take the following steps to support immigrant communities:

• Implement and fund the CityFHEPS expansion, which would significantly remove administrative and eligibility barriers and would expedite access to housing support for families in the community and in shelters, regardless of immigration status.
• Eliminate the 60-day rule for migrant families with children. 60 days is not sufficient time for shelter staff to work with families to secure public benefits assistance and find permanent housing, and migrant students often miss weeks of school due to mid-year transfers. As such, the 60-day rule should be eliminated to provide sufficient time for migrant families with children to gain self-sufficiency and thrive.
• Increase the budget for Homebase by $37.9 million to a total of $100 million. Since the pandemic, Homebase providers have taken on tremendous increases in caseload as well as an ever-expanding set of responsibilities. This has not been accompanied by funding

levels to match the new post-Covid reality. As a result, wait times have increased for

critical Homebase services like help with eviction prevention, emergency rental

assistance and obtaining benefits. Mixed-status families face additional barriers to access Homebase essential services.

Economic Support

• Invest $80 million for Legal Services for Migrant Families. Immigrant families in New York City face unprecedented legal challenges. We urge the City Council to advocate for more legal resources to prevent family separation and more suffering for migrant children.
• Restore $5 million for Community Interpreter Bank and Language Services.
• Invest $3 million in Workforce Development Programming for immigrants.
• Expand Fair Fares income eligibility to 200% of FPL to ensure that all low-income families have access to public transportation.

Education and Child Care Support

• Baseline $4 million in funding for Immigrant Family Communications and Outreach at the Department of Education
• Baseline $25 million for Promise NYC.
• Baseline $5 million for outreach and education regarding Early Care and Education options, and enhance community-based, multilingual outreach to immigrant communities

State Investments to Support Immigrant Families

Housing Support

• Support a State-funded housing voucher: The current housing affordability and shelter capacity crises call for a more inclusive statewide housing voucher. Currently, there is legislation and widespread support from advocacy groups and key stakeholders to pass and fund a housing voucher program that would mirror Section 8. More notably, it will be more inclusive by having a higher income threshold to qualify, and it will support families regardless of immigration status.

Economic Support

• Support legal services for migrant families: We urge State elected officials to support $150 million to fund deportation defense legal services for immigrant New Yorkers.
• Increase by 100% the NYS cash assistance program, which funds services including cash aid, shelter, and utilities assistance for low-income families. Cash assistance grants are available to any eligible household with a child with a valid social security number, which includes thousands of mixed-status families throughout the state.
• Increase the Empire State Child Credit (ESCC) credit amount from $330 per child to $1,500. Additionally, expand the reach of the ESCC to include low-income families with children who are currently excluded due to a minimum earning requirement. Households who file taxes with an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) number are eligible for this benefit.

Anti-Hunger support

• Create a state funded nutrition program for that ineligible for federal SNAP because of immigration status

Additionally, CCC supports:

• Resolution 2970 (Hanif) – The New York for All Act, which would prohibit and regulate the discovery and disclosure of immigration status by New York state and local government entities.
• Resolution 2971(Hudson) – Access to Representation Act, which establishes the right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings and provides for the administration thereof (A.270/S.141).

Thank you for the opportunity to testify. We look forward to working together on behalf of New York City immigrant families.

[i] Yoshikawa, H., Kholoptseva, J., & Suárez-Orozco, C. (2013). The role of public policies and community-based organizations in the developmental consequences of parent undocumented status. Social Policy Report, 27(3), 1-17. iii Adelman, H., & Taylor, L. (2015)
[ii] Adelman, H., & Taylor, L. (2015). Immigrant Children and Youth in the USA: Facilitating Equity of Opportunity at School. Education Sciences, 5(4), 323–344.