Res. No. 729
Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.2689/S.4538, in relation to enacting the building up immigrant legal defense or BUILD Act
By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Joseph , Encarnación and Louis
Whereas, Under the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, immigrants are being demonized, harassed, and taken in increasing numbers; and
Whereas, Thousands of immigrants whose protected immigration status has been eliminated, such as Temporary Protected Status, are now desperately looking for legal support, including over 5,400 Haitians in New York City; and
Whereas, Immigrant children whose legal services were covered by a now expired federal government contract are expected to face deportation without attorneys; and
Whereas, Documented reported seeing children, as young as 11, in immigration court without a lawyer or an adult to speak on their behalf; and
Whereas, In May 2026, New York Focus reported that the Trump Administration fired more than 100 immigration judges, was pressuring courts to order more deportations, and noted that fired judges seemingly granted asylum more often than the national average and had experience practicing immigration law; and
Whereas, According to The City Reporter, deportation orders for immigrant New Yorkers surged as Trump’s Department of Justice accelerated ‘mega master’ hearings, which are large-scale court proceedings; and
Whereas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in New York City reportedly peaked in July, as noted by the Deportation Data Project, with many being released the same day; and
Whereas, Immigration attorneys suspect this peak comes from more immigrants, who have never been in deportation proceedings, reporting to ICE for the first time; and
Whereas, NBC News reported that ICE arrested 50,000 people in the month of August, continuing their record pace of arrests; and
Whereas, Legal services are beyond paramount for immigrants facing removal proceedings under federal immigration law because they are not provided a government-paid lawyer in immigration court; and
Whereas, Immigrants and their families subject to deportation are responsible for the expense of counsel, locating a non-profit for legal support, or representing themselves even though the government will be represented by a professional attorney; and
Whereas, The likelihood of being granted protection from deportation is much more challenging under the Trump Administration’s remade immigration courts, however, it has been shown by studies from Fordham University Law Review and University of Pennsylvania Law School that immigrants are significantly more likely to win their case to remain in the United States when represented by a lawyer; and
Whereas, The instability and chaos caused by the Trump Administration have severely increased the need for immigration legal services and many providers are reportedly stretched beyond capacity; and
Whereas, This year the New York Legal Services Coalition published a report detailing the overwhelming stress that legal service providers have faced since the beginning of the second Trump Administration; and
Whereas, The report calls for increased funding to immigration service providers and the passage of legislation supporting immigration legal service funding, including the BUILD Act; and
Whereas, A.2689, introduced by Assembly Member Catalina Cruz and pending in the New York State Assembly, and companion bill S.4538 introduced by Senator John C. Liu and pending in the New York State Senate, seeks to amend the executive law, in relation to enacting the building up immigrant legal defense or BUILD Act; and
Whereas, The BUILD Act would provide competitive workforce development and capacity building grants to eligible entities that are seeking to expand access to representation for individuals facing deportation by increasing the workforce and strengthening the legal services infrastructure needed to provide such representation; and
Whereas, Although New York State and New York City have increased their budgets for immigration legal services, including the state’s recent investment of $7.25 million to provide legal services for 1,400 unaccompanied minors, the continued dehumanization of immigrants, decimation of immigration statuses and pathways, and weaponization of immigration courts by the Trump Administration, require cities and states to respond tenfold; and
Whereas, Now more than ever, immigrant New Yorkers need reliable, competent and well-funded legal services, and as immigrants continue to be targeted in the Trump Administration’s mass deportation agenda, legal service capacity and funding must continue to increase in response; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, A.2689/S.4538, in relation to enacting the building up immigrant legal defense or BUILD Act.
LS #25841
08/28/2026
RLB