Deborah Lee of Legal Aid Society testifies on DOC-ICE coordination
Deborah Lee of the Legal Aid Society says sanctuary laws protect all New Yorkers but the audit found serious gaps, especially DOC's continued coordination with ICE. She says DOC responded to 24 ICE detainer requests and urges passage of Intro 396, Intro 209, and Intro 395, plus public quarterly EO 13 reports.
Good morning, Chair Encarnacion and members of the committee.
My name is Deborah Lee, and I'm the attorney in charge of the Immigration Law Unit at the Legal Aid Society.
I'm testifying on behalf of legal aid, including our criminal defense practice, whose attorneys witness firsthand the consequences when the Department of Corrections and NYPD collaborate with federal immigration enforcement.
New York City should be proud of its sanctuary laws and their role in protecting non-citizen New Yorkers, safeguarding due process, promoting access to essential services, and building trust in government institutions.
All New Yorkers are safer when people can access schools, shelters, health care, courts, and other public services without fear of immigration enforcement.
The EO-13 audit highlights serious gaps that require attention, though.
Most concerning is DOC's continued coordination with ICE.
The audit found that DOC responded to 24 ICE detainer requests by providing release notifications and facilitating transfers to federal custody.
No New Yorker's information should be shared with ICE absent a judicial warrant.
We urge the Council to reintroduce and pass Intro 396 to close this loophole.
We also urge the Council to pass the New York City Trust Act, Intro 209 and Intro 395.
Sanctuary laws are only meaningful when they can be enforced.
New Yorkers whose rights are violated should have a clear path to accountability.
Accountability also requires transparency.
We urge the administration, Moya, to make the
the quarterly EO-13 reports public so New Yorkers can assess whether sanctuary laws are being faithfully implemented.
Finally, Legal Aid supports Resolution 626 calling for the restoration of TPS for Haiti.
As ICE intensifies efforts to detain and deport Haitian nationals following the termination of
TPS protections, Haitian New Yorkers face family separation, loss of work authorization, and removal to a country still experiencing profound instability.
At a time of escalating federal immigration enforcement, New York City must strengthen its sanctuary laws, close remaining loopholes, promote transparency, and ensure meaningful accountability.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.