MOIA Commissioner Highlights Haitian Response and Rapid Response Collaborative
MOIA Commissioner Faiza Ali details the baselining of the Haitian Response Initiative (HRI) at $1.7 million and the expansion of the Rapid Response Legal Collaborative in schools.
Moving on to the Haitian Response Initiative, Moya coordinates HRI an innovative program designed to support both newly arrived and long-standing Haitian residents.
The initiative funds seven Haitian-led community-based organizations to provide case management and social services, while Catholic charities delivers immigration legal services and capacity building trainings.
Established in FY22, HRI was baselined last year at nearly 1.7 million dollars.
HRI also partners, HRI partners have also organized legal clinics across the city, helping hundreds of Haitian New Yorkers access legal assistance related to deportation protections, legal remedies, and work authorization.
Catholic charities regularly conduct conducts train the trainer workshops to equip community organizations with real time information needed to support residents navigating immigration related issues independently.
This work remains especially urgent as we know amid growing instability in Haiti and a pending Supreme Court decision that will determine the future of TPS.
In FY26 alone, HRI has completed six legal clinics with an additional asylum application review clinic scheduled today, May 28, 2026, at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
I will skip now to and talk a little bit about the Rapid Response Legal Collaborative.
Moya has significantly expanded our Rapid Response Legal Collaborative, which provides legal assistance to immigrant New Yorkers who are detained or at imminent risk of detention or deportation.
To meet the growing demand, Moya increased our investment in rapid response legal efforts by $3 million this fiscal year.
Moya also coordinates rapid response efforts in schools to ensure that immigrant families receive timely information and support when immigrant and when immigration enforcement activity occurs in or near their communities.
It includes connecting schools, families, and community partners to legal resources, newyer rights information, and direct services.
Referrals are centralized through Project Open Arms, a dedicated team within New York City public schools that coordinates across public schools, including charter schools, District 75, and District 79 schools as well, to support immigrant families and help ensure access to a full range of services.