Immigrant ARC Responds to Oversight Hearing on Protection for Immigrant Communities
Testimony of Camille Mackler
Founder and CEO, Immigrant ARC
Before the New York City Council
Oversight Hearing on Protection for Immigrant Communities
January 16, 2025
Good morning, Councilwoman Avilés and members of the Committee. My name is Camille Mackler, and I am the Founder and CEO of Immigrant ARC. I am honored to testify today on the critical role of cities in advancing protections for immigrant communities and driving policies that reflect the realities of today’s global migration.
Immigration: A Local Issue with National Implications
Across the United States, immigrants are facing increasingly dire challenges. Anti-immigrant sentiment and misinformation are on the rise, fueled by political rhetoric that seeks to cast immigrants as scapegoats for broader societal issues. Many immigrants live under the constant threat of detention and deportation, often without access to legal counsel or the ability to navigate a complex and unforgiving immigration system.
For those seeking safety, outdated asylum laws have left them vulnerable to punitive border policies and restrictive measures that often deny them a fair opportunity to present their cases. Immigrants working in essential industries frequently face exploitative conditions, with little recourse due to their immigration status. And even those who contribute to our communities daily—our neighbors, co-workers, and friends—are denied pathways to stability and citizenship.
This hostile environment affects not just immigrants but also the communities they enrich. Without comprehensive immigration reform and strong local protections, the barriers faced by immigrants ultimately erode our shared social and economic resilience.
The last decade or so has highlighted how immigration while operating under a federal construct, is fundamentally a local issue requiring local strategies. With the return of Donald Trump to the White House next week, it has never been more urgent for cities to lead the way in protecting our communities from aggressively anti-immigrant agendas and to seek solutions to the growing global displacement crisis that upholds the fundamental humanity and dignity of each individual.
Investing in immigrant communities helps safeguard cities’ cultural, economic, and democratic resiliency. Immigrants fill critical workforce gaps, drive entrepreneurship, and enhance global competitiveness, strengthening local and national economies. Inclusive immigration policies at the city level can counter the rise of nationalism and authoritarianism by promoting democratic values, social cohesion, and trust in public institutions. And finally, cities can set the tone for how we receive - and benefit from - immigrants throughout the country by showing that balanced and generous policies serve as down payments for years of economic growth and opportunities for all.
These truths - and the risk posed by those determined to ignore them - have forced cities like New York to bear the brunt of bad policy choices. Community members desperate to reunite with families or help others flee from harm face seemingly insurmountable navigating an opaque and unduly adversarial legal system. Local businesses face aging workforces, declining populations, and labor shortages, while a lack of long-term legal pathways stymies immigrants eager to contribute. And agressive rhetoric and policies designed to incite fear erode trust in law enforcement and all levels of government.
New York City’s Leadership in Sanctuary Protections
New York City has long been a leader in addressing the gaps in federal immigration policy through local action. The City’s sanctuary-related laws for example—Local Law 228 of 2017, Local Law 246 of 2017, and Local Law 247 of 2017—are critical examples of how local governments can protect immigrant communities and promote trust, and the investments in legal services have led to some of the most innovative and impactful program designs that have paved the way across the country.
We are not in 2016 anymore, when President Trump was first elected to office on a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. Nor are we in 2022, when the Governors of Texas and Arizona chose to use immigrant lives as political pawns in an effort to call out New York City’s so-called hypocrisy. While those pivotal years showed us the depth of the ideological divide over how to address immigration, it was also a moment for many New Yorkers to stand up and remind each other and the country that, regardless of what elected leaders may say, our commitment to immigrant communities remains unwavering.
From those years of adapting, organizing, and resisting, we have created networks that are stronger than ever. Immigrant ARC is one such example - born out of the legal effort at JFK Airport during the Muslim Ban, we have spent the last eight years improving on how legal services can collaborate and support each other to ensure a maximum number of people get access to legal help as they navigate the immigration system. We know that the lessons we’ve learned and the foundation we have built will carry us through the next four years.
At the same time, New York City must continue to wear its leadership status with pride when it comes to common sense policies that protect immigrants and their families. To do so, we urge the New York City Council and the Mayor’s Administration to:
Listen to and support the organizations that are addressing the needs directly. Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution, and providers have worked tirelessly for nearly a decade, responding to each successive crisis. Support the non-profit sector by providing them with funding not only to hire adequate staff but to pay those staff a living wage and provide them with professional development and career growth opportunities. Reform contract processes so that organizations do not take on financial risks simply to receive funding from the City, and so that small organizations, particularly those rooted in the communities they serve and/or who are immigrant-led, are not de-facto excluded from City funding because of onerous and overly-technical application and reporting requirements.
Heal the rifts between providers and government that have become all too prevalent since 2022. Government agencies now operate at a high deficit of trust with many in the non-profit sector, who have felt the brunt of unrealistic expectations for little to no funding over the last three years. The non-profit sector has always played a critical role in bridging the gap between government and constituents, particularly in low-income and immigrant communities. That role should be recognized and the partnerships solidified, not broken apart.
Make it clear beyond any shadow of a doubt that New York City stands behind its sanctuary protections - both those codified in law and those enacted through policy. Uphold the separation of criminal and civil systems, and leave no doubt that we will not let a broken criminal system fuel an unjust immigration one.
Create natural pathways for New Yorkers to support immigrant communities, through internship programs, partnerships with local law schools, and connections between New York City’s many various corporate sectors, the City can use its role as a convener to bring all together and help find ways to provide volunteer opportunities.
The Role of Cities in Advocating for Comprehensive Solutions
Local governments like New York City also play a crucial role in advocating for broader reforms. This includes supporting resolutions like the New York for All Act, which would codify privacy and non-cooperation policies statewide, and the Access to Representation Act, which I had the privilege of working on since its inception. These measures reflect the understanding that access to justice and protection from harmful federal policies are not privileges but rights that ensure equity and dignity for all residents. As such, we wholeheartedly support the resolutions calling for passage of both of those bills.
The Importance of Immigration Legal Services Funding
Finally, and as we enter this year’s budget process, the City’s investment in immigration legal services must be maintained and expanded. Programs like the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project have set a national standard by ensuring that immigrants facing deportation have legal representation. This funding not only protects individuals and families but also stabilizes entire communities. Without it, we risk the destabilization of families, the displacement of workers, and the erosion of trust in government institutions.
A Call to Action
New York City has an opportunity—and a responsibility—to lead by example. Our sanctuary-related laws, robust funding for immigration legal services, and commitment to legislative advocacy are models for other cities to follow. But we cannot stop here. We must continue to push for comprehensive reform at the state and federal levels while addressing the urgent, immediate needs of our communities.
I urge the Council to reaffirm its commitment to immigrant protections, increase funding for legal services, and support the resolutions under consideration today. Together, we can ensure that New York remains a beacon of hope, fairness, and opportunity for all who call it home.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to your questions.
