Attorneys Call on Albany to Address Years of Underfunding and Crushing Workloads for Attorneys Serving Children Throughout New York State

The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), advocacy organizations, and a number of New York City elected officials sent a letter to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, condemning her five-point plan that includes the deployment of National Guard and state law enforcement personnel to conduct searches in New York City subway stations, legislation expanding judicial discretion to ban New Yorkers from public transit, and expansion of co-responder models that utilize New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers as part of a mental health crisis response team.

Jackie Gosdigian, Supervising Policy Counsel at Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) testified before an Oversight Hearing on Examining NYPD Investigative Procedures and Safeguards Relating to Wrongful Convictions held by the New York City Council's Committee on Public Safety.

The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and Queens Defenders issued a joint statement in response to Mayor Eric Adams’ call this afternoon to modify New York City’s detainer law to allow local law enforcement to transfer anyone “suspected of committing serious crimes” to U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE).

"We are proud to be part of the movement of advocates, impacted parents, and legal and social work professionals advocating for the passage of the Family Miranda Rights Act, which would require ACS caseworkers to inform parents of their existing rights — both verbally and in writing — at the start of every investigation. This includes the right to know what parents are being accused of, the right to deny entry into their home without a warrant, and the right to speak with an attorney."

The Bronx Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, and The Legal Aid Society - New York City’s defender organizations providing free legal representation to detained immigrants through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) - issued a statement in response to calls from lawmakers to erode New York City’s sanctuary and detainer laws.