Caribbean immigration advocates demand inclusive NYC budget

Caribbean immigration advocates and legislators are calling for a city budget that addresses the urgent needs of immigrant New Yorkers as threats to these communities increase.

At a rally on the steps of City Hall in lower Manhattan on Monday, April 20, advocates called on New York City to allocate US$188 million in the City Budget for immigration legal services and expanded support, including adult literacy, health access, language services, and immigrant family outreach initiatives.

Advocates are also demanding, among other things, investments in civic and census programs and the passage of legislation to protect Caribbean and other immigrant students. They want the strengthening of the city’s sanctuary laws, expansion of housing vouchers to all residents regardless of immigration status, and prohibition of collaboration between New York City agencies and Trump immigration enforcement agencies.

“New York City must act with urgency to ensure strong protections and resources for all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status. This is essential for the stability of New York families, communities, and the city’s economy,” said Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella organization of over 200 immigrant and refugee groups.

“New York has long prided itself on being a place of opportunity, safety, and belonging for everyone, but those values must be reflected in action, especially now,” he added. “Budgets are moral documents. As federal attacks on immigrant New Yorkers escalate, too many immigrant families have found themselves excluded. They are being pushed into the shadows. They are forced to navigate growing barriers to legal services, housing, and basic support.

“New York City must meet this moment with bold action. It must deliver a budget and pass policies that ensure every New Yorker can truly thrive, not just survive,” Awawdeh continued. “That means strong investments in immigration legal services, adult literacy, language access, food assistance, multilingual education, and community health.
“Anything less will put our most vulnerable neighbors at risk of being pushed into the federal administration’s deportation pipeline and undermine the stability and future of our city,” he said.

Brooklyn Council Member, Rita Joseph.Marc Baptiste Photography

Echoing the call for action, New York City Council Member Rita Joseph, the Haitian-born representative for the 40th Council District in Brooklyn, said: “Immigrant justice is not optional; it is fundamental to who we are as a city and as a people.

“New York has always been a place of opportunity, built by the strength, resilience, and contributions of immigrant communities who continue to shape our neighborhoods every single day,” she said. “This moment calls for more than words; it demands action.
“We must fight to ensure that every immigrant New Yorker has access to quality education, the opportunity to secure good-paying jobs, and the full protection of their civil and human rights,” Joseph added. “We must also be clear and unwavering. We are committed to ending policies that criminalize, detain, and deport members of our communities.”

The emphasis on language access was further underscored by Darnell Benoit, director of the Flanbwayan Haitian Literacy Project, who said that language access is at “the heart of equity.”
“When immigrant youth and their families can understand and be understood, doors open to learning, to belonging, and to full participation in community life,” Benoit said.

Janay Cauthen, director of Families For Freedom, said New York is “a city fundamentally built by immigrants.
“It is our responsibility to remain loyal to these communities,” she said. “Investing in immigrant legal services means reaffirming a commitment to democracy and a fair system.

“Every day, families are torn apart because they can’t afford adequate representation. When even one family fails, we are failing to uphold the beliefs this city and this country are built on,” Cauthen added.

Ira Yankwitt, executive director of the Literacy Assistance Center, said, “Education is power, and adult literacy education builds the individual and collective power of immigrants and their communities.

“That is precisely why the Trump administration is seeking to exclude large numbers of immigrants from federally-funded adult literacy classes and why they are calling for the complete elimination of federal funding for adult literacy education in the 2027 federal budget,” he said.

“New York City needs to increase its investment in adult literacy education from US$26.5 million to US$50 million. This way, we no longer need to rely on Washington for this funding. Immigrant New Yorkers seeking adult education classes should not have the doors closed on them by a ruthless regime,” Yankwitt added.