Immigration Advocates Host Virtual Press Briefing On Biden Administration’s Border Response Plan, Local Impact, & Available Resources For New York Immigrants

ALBANY, NY – Today, New York immigration advocates hosted a virtual press briefing to highlight resources available to support New York immigrants, especially recent arrivals at the Southern Border and those formerly in the “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP) program, as well as the Biden Administration’s efforts to address immigration challenges left behind by the previous Administration. Participants included Camille Mackler, Executive Director of Immigrant ARC (I-ARC);  Elisa Gahng, Managing Attorney of Kids in Need of Defense - New York (KIND); Julina Guo, Senior Staff Attorney at the Justice Center at Albany Law School - Immigration Law Clinic; and Elise de Castillo, Executive Director of the Central American Refugee Center.

During the press briefing, immigration advocates discussed the mobilization of resources to address the current immigration challenges being faced and to support New York’s immigrant communities. Participants emphasized that advocates are ready, willing, and able to support immigrants coming to our state, including the thousands of individuals seeking asylum who are expected to arrive in New York from facilities at the Southern Border. Home to more than 4.3 million immigrants, participants noted the positive impact of immigrants on New York and the many that have successfully sought refuge and started new lives here over the decades. More information on the resources available can be found on the I-ARC website: https://www.immigrantarc.org/state-local-responses. 

Advocates also discussed the imminent logistical and humanitarian challenges posed by the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, including the authorization of individuals into the U.S. who were previously forced to remain in Mexico under the MPP program and the arrival of unaccompanied children at the border. Participants noted that the Biden Administration inherited a broken immigration system that created a backlog of refugees and people seeking asylum from entering the U.S., and that the Biden Administration has now been left to pick up the pieces in what will be a long-term plan to better manage migration across the southern border. 

Under President Biden and with a new Congress, our country has the unique opportunity to undo the damages caused by both the previous Administration and decades of inaction on immigration reform. Participants noted that building back a better immigration system will take time, will not be easy, and will require overcoming any hurdles in the transition. But for the first time in decades, there is an Administration at the helm that is committed to durable solutions rooted in American values, and they deserve a chance to fix these issues once and for all.

A recording of today’s briefing can be found here and participant quotes can be found below. Should you like to connect with one of today’s participants, please email Alexandra Russo at press@immigrantarc.com:

Camille Mackler, Executive Director of the Immigrant ARC said, "New York is a state built by immigrants, and the statue in our harbor reminds us that when we have extended a welcoming hand, we have been made better and stronger every time. These individuals, fleeing harm and coming to us asking for protection, are the next generation of New Yorkers. If we take the time now to welcome them and provide them the services they need to recover from their trauma, we know they will give back economically, culturally, and civically for generations to come." 

Elisa Gahng, Managing Attorney at the Kids in Need of Defense - New York (KIND) said, “KIND is working at the border and with the children when they arrive in New York and other cities to provide the pro bono representation they desperately need to have a fair chance to make their claim for U.S. protection. We are grateful that the Biden Administration is doing the right thing and allowing unaccompanied children to seek protection once again in the United States instead of being pushed back into Mexico or deported to their home countries and the dangers they fled, as was the fate of thousands of children during the year that the border was closed to them under the Trump Administration. We are ensuring the children referred to us in New York have the representation that is vital to their cases as well as access to social services that can help them address the trauma they have endured.”

“The Trump administration’s MPP policies were inhumane. People seeking asylum who were forced to remain in Mexico while their cases were pending in U.S. courts effectively had no access to justice. We must provide legal representation and support to people seeking asylum and their families in New York and throughout the country, so that they can exercise their rights in court,” said Julina Guo, Senior Staff Attorney at The Justice Center at Albany Law School - Immigration Law Clinic.

Elise de Castillo, Executive Director of the Central American Refugee Center said, "Long Island, with its long legacy of receiving Central American refugees, is an example of how the most successful communities are those that are magnets to immigrants.  However, Long Island, which is positioned to receive the majority of these newcomers, has a fraction of the resources of other parts of New York state.  Additional support will be the defining factor in our ability to help these immigrants as is our moral imperative and in the best interest of Long Island socially and economically." 

About Immigrant ARC: I-ARC is a collaborative of over 80 organizations and professional associations providing legal services to New York’s immigrant communities throughout the State. Born out of the legal effort at JFK Airport during the Muslim Travel Ban in 2017, our goal is to increase access to justice for all immigrants in New York and beyond.