What New York City Is Doing For Immigrants: Most Notable Achievements and Helpful Programs

Dear New Yorkers. I am both sad and happy to write this appeal. I am leaving the de Blasio administration after seven years at the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and three years as its head.

Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we worked tirelessly to counter the xenophobic rhetoric of the Donald Trump administration. From the suspension of the public burden rule and the threat to cancel the DACA program, to the separation of families at the southern border and more, these egregious examples of immigration policies have sown fear and confusion in society during the largest global public health crisis of our time.

Today, we see a shift towards more inclusive federal immigration policies and economic recovery plans from the COVID-19 crisis, centered on social justice and based on the knowledge and experience of unique places such as New York City.

And while there is still a lot of work to be done, I am proud of our many accomplishments and the example we are setting local leaders across the country by building the trust they need in government and ensuring that immigrants are entitled to the care and support that they need. must be available to all residents of the city, regardless of their immigration status.

In keeping with the City's commitment to New York City immigrants, City Mayor Bill de Blasio has made significant investments in programs and initiatives managed and supported by MOIA to further engage New York City immigrants in the social, economic and cultural spheres of life. of our city.

We have significantly increased investment in the availability of justice programs such as the local program ActionNYCto ensure that every New Yorker can get free and safe immigration legal assistance.

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We have expanded the availability of our services by providing translation services and IDNYC Is the nation's largest municipal program that enables millions of New Yorkers to access many of the services, benefits, and savings opportunities with an IDNYC card.

In addition, the city's guaranteed access to health care program NYC Care, English language training program We Speak NYC и "Know your rights" Are just a few examples among the many free city resources that are available to all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, ability to pay, or employment. You can find more information and resources on the website. nyc.gov/immigrants.

This work would not have been possible without my incredible team at MOIA, colleagues in various departments of administration, and many partners in the community who have worked with us. I am grateful to the Mayor for this opportunity and for his commitment to making New York a fairer and more accessible city for immigrant families.

We know that immigrants have always been the backbone of our city and played a central role in its extraordinarily diverse and unique cultural, economic, civil and social structure. Roughly 40 percent of the city's population was born abroad, more than 200 languages ​​are spoken here, and more than a third of the frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis are immigrants.

Therefore, the voices of immigrants living in New York City are critical to the city. As we prepare for the June primaries and the November general elections, it is important that those who have the right to vote exercise that right and have the opportunity to make their voices heard.

This year, for the first time in a citywide primary in June, we will vote for elected officials in our city using a new system called Ranked Choice Voting. This means that instead of voting for just one candidate, you can select up to five candidates in order of preference. This voting system will be used for all positions in local government: mayor, public advocate, financial controller, heads of district councils and city councilors.

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This system has already been used in different cities and states of the country, and it was confirmed that it gives more opportunity to voters, that is, us, to influence who will be elected.

For more information on how how rating voting workshow to request an absentee ballot and where will translation services be provided in different languages ​​in early voting period (June 12-20) and on the primary election day (June 22), visit the website voting.nyc.

Remember that you have the right to bring an interpreter to the polling station. This can be a family member or friend of yours, or anyone else of your choice other than your employer or union representative. See website for more details nyc.gov/cec.

Plan to vote and encourage family members, friends, and neighbors to come to the polls. As we saw in last year's presidential elections, our votes are critical to democracy, and by using our votes, we will help our city remain friendly and inclusive for all.

I am honored that I have been given such trust during such stressful years in the lives of so many immigrants and that I have had the opportunity to serve our great city of immigrants.