New York Invests $7.25 Million for Immigrant Children's Legal Aid

Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, and Attorney General Letitia James announced on August 12, 2026, that New York State will invest $7.25 million to provide legal services for approximately 1,400 unaccompanied immigrant children facing deportation. The funding, awarded by the New York State Office for New Americans to providers led by the Hispanic Federation, addresses a gap created after the Trump administration allowed a federal legal aid contract to expire on July 31.

State officials characterized the federal government's failure to maintain these services as "cruel" and "preposterous," alleging that experienced providers were replaced with unqualified firms. The investment comes amid reports of increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity across New York City, including arrests in Queens and a detention at a Manhattan hospital.

In addition to the funding, the state is implementing laws to ban local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents. These measures also allow individuals harmed by federal agents to seek damages in state court.