New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, and Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday, Aug. 12, stood together against what they described as the Trump administration’s “aggressive” immigration enforcement, reminding Caribbean and other immigrants of their rights and protections. In addition, Hochul announced $7.25 million in new funding to provide legal services for about 1,400 unaccompanied Caribbean and other immigrant children and youth in New York who are facing deportation, including the more than 250 children who are currently detained. The governor said the funding will help vulnerable children access legal representation following the Trump administration’s July 31 contract expiration. “No child in our state should ever face the fear and uncertainty of the immigration process without advocates and legal support in their corner,” Hochul said. “While the Trump administration is walking away from these children, New York is stepping up to help bridge the gap and ensure their continued access to the services they need and deserve. “When we lose sight of our shared responsibility to protect children, we lose sight of who we are as a country, and as governor, I will not let that happen,” she vowed. Hochul said that, for nearly two decades, the federal government has been required by law to protect immigrant children, and that both Democrat and Republican administrations have complied with that law. She said legal representation is necessary, as unaccompanied minors are more likely to be trafficked, abused, and endangered. “The Trump administration's lack of clarity surrounding replacement contracts creates instability for thousands of children in New York and across the country and, ultimately, will harm vulnerable children who rely on these services,” the governor warned. In response, she said the New York State Office for New Americans (ONA) is executing contracts totaling $7.25 million with a coalition of legal services providers, led by the Hispanic Federation, to support children previously served under the federal program. This builds on the work that Hochul said she has already done to protect Caribbean and other immigrant communities, including nearly $87 million for the Office for New Americans, a 27% increase compared with last year. The governor said ONA, through their network of community providers, operates a hotline, provides rapid legal assistance, conducts know-your-rights trainings, and supports other key services for adults and children. Following an unprecedented escalation in “aggressive” federal immigration enforcement, Hochul said she has been fighting to protect New Yorkers from federal actions aimed at hurting our vulnerable Caribbean and other immigrant communities. Earlier this year, she signed one of the most comprehensive laws in the nation to rein in ICE and prevent the Trump administration’s overreach by prohibiting local governments, state and local police, and state and local corrections from entering into 287(g) Agreements or similar agreements with the federal government that allow for state and local law enforcement personnel and facilities to be used for civil immigration enforcement purposes. The laws also prohibit state, local and federal officers from wearing face covering while interacting with the public; establishing a state law under which New Yorkers can bring a lawsuit against federal, state and local government officials for a violation of their constitutional rights; and safeguard interactions with public employees. In addition, the laws keep immigration authorities out of sensitive locations; and ensure Caribbean and other immigrant students can access education, codifying the right to a free public education, regardless of immigration status. James vowed that “New York will never stand by while vulnerable children are left to navigate our immigration system alone. “We will continue fighting to protect immigrant New Yorkers and push back against federal overreach that puts families and communities at risk,” she said. “Every New Yorker deserves a fair day in court and access to justice, and I thank Governor Hochul for taking the initiative to fund these critical legal services.” Mamdani said, “New York refuses to stand idly by while the federal government abandons immigrant children and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and deportation. “I’m proud to stand alongside state and city leaders as we reject the cruelty on display and recommit to protecting the immigrant communities that help form this city’s backbone,” he said. The mayor said New York City has invested a record $153 million in legal representation for immigrants, expanded Know Your Rights outreach in dozens of languages, and strengthened the firewall between city agencies and federal immigration enforcement. “We will not stop until the values our city was built upon are truly felt across the five boroughs,” he pledged. “We are together today to speak out against a grave injustice: the federal government’s refusal to renew its contract with the Acacia Center for Justice and nearly 100 more legal services providers after withholding more than $65 million in payment. “As a de facto consequence of this decision, more than 25,000 unaccompanied immigrant children have had their legal representation abruptly ended, leaving them to navigate a broken immigration system alone,” the mayor added. “And for those currently being held in detention centers, without access to their lawyers, there is no longer anyone tasked with ensuring that they are healthy, safe and protected. “That is a betrayal of some of the most vulnerable people in our city, and an insult to the very ideals upon which our nation was built,” he continued. New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “This funding is a testament to the fact that, here in New York, we will not stand idly by while immigrant communities across our state and country are targeted by the cruel actions and volatile rhetoric coming out of Washington. “We will not compromise on our core values of justice, dignity and equality, and we have a responsibility to ensure that every person, regardless of immigration status, can live without fear, access essential services, and be a part of the communities that they call home,” she said. “That responsibility is especially urgent when it comes to the children of our state, who should never be forced to navigate a complex and intimidating legal system alone. New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, whose grandfather hailed from the Bahamas, said, “Immigrant communities are under siege by a federal government that has lost sight of the very fabric of our nation. “Here in New York, we will continue to fight back, and today’s announcement of $7.25 million for the legal services of unaccompanied minors illustrates just this,” he said. “Thank you to Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani and Attorney General James for their steadfast leadership in ensuring the vulnerable in our community will receive the representation they deserve as well as their strong stance against the aggressive actions of ICE agents in our state.” New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin said, “The Trump administration's decision to strip legal representation from unaccompanied children facing immigration proceedings abandons some of the most vulnerable young people imaginable at the moment they need help most." “New York has always stood for due process, compassion and the rule of law, and we will continue fighting at every level of government to ensure every child has access to the legal representation they deserve,” Menin added. State Senator Zellnor Myrie, who represents the 20^th Senate District in Central Brooklyn, said, “For centuries, people from every corner of the world have come to know two words that stand for dignity, freedom and opportunity: ‘New York.'" “Our state has always worked to live up to this promise, and we are more committed than ever to protecting New Yorkers from unconstitutional and unjust treatment by the federal government,” added Myrie, whose grandmother hailed from Jamaica. “Our message is simple: whether you've been here for six months or six generations, New York has your back.” New York City Councilmember Rita Joseph, who was born in Haiti, said, “Every child deserves safety, dignity and a fair chance to build a future not to navigate our immigration system alone. “This $7.25 million investment is a powerful commitment to ensuring that every unaccompanied child has access to legal representation and due process,” she added. “We must continue to stand together to protect immigrant families and ensure that our city and state remain places where every child is welcomed, protected and given the opportunity to thrive.” New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh said, “New York families belong together. No one should have to live in fear that simply stepping outside their home, going to work, or taking their children to school could result in their family being torn apart. “In recent weeks, we have seen a disturbing increase in ICE enforcement in immigrant communities across New York City,” he said. “But our communities will not be intimidated or divided. Meantime, as the Haitian community reels from the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for almost 350,000 nationals by the Trump administration, Mamdani said that New York City will “do everything in its power” to support Haiti TPS recipients. “Every affected employee is being connected with agency staff to understand their options, including non-disciplinary separation or resignation, pathways to reinstatement if work authorization is restored or another legal status is obtained, and support throughout this process,” he added. Mamdani said the City of New York was “forced by federal law, as recently decided by the Supreme Court, to review the work authorization of Haitian TPS holders and separate from any employees who have not established alternative paths to legal work." Mamdani noted that only President Trump has the power to restore TPS or grant “Deferred Enforced Departure” (DED) to affected TPS holders. In a special visit to the Caribbean community in Brooklyn on July 30, Gov. Kathy Hochul also reaffirmed her support for Haitian TPS recipients. The governor, accompanied by her running mate, former New York City Speaker Adrienne Adams, described as a “tragedy” the US Supreme Court’s concurrence with the Trump administration to end TPS for nearly 350,000 Haitians living in the United States. “I will continue to stand up to the cruelty the Trump administration is taking,” Hochul told Caribbean Life exclusively at her first stop at Allan’s Bakery on Nostrand Avenue and Maple Street in Brooklyn, urging Haitian nationals: “Don’t give up hope."