Mayor Adams Creates New Mayor’s Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance, Announces $76 Million New Investment in Legal Services for Immigrant Communities in “Best Budget Ever”

July 1, 2025

New Office Will Connect New Yorkers With Free Legal Services, Focused on Protecting Constitutional and Civil Rights

Building on Mayor Adams’ Best Budget Ever, New York City’s Adopted Budget Invests More Funding on

Immigration-Related Legal Services Than Any Other Major City in United States

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams today established the Mayor’s Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance, a mayoral office dedicated to protecting New Yorkers’ constitutional and civil rights by connecting them with free, existing legal services and resources throughout the five boroughs. This new office will serve as a centralized repository that gathers legal resources and connects New Yorkers needing legal representation for constitutional or civil rights facing violations and who are unable to afford their own counsel with existing legal and support services for pro bono representation. Mayor Adams today also appointed Makousse Ilboudo as executive director of this office. Ilboudo previously served as general counsel at the New York City Mayor’s Office of Asylum Seeker Operations (OASO).

This announcement comes on the heels of the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget, which includes $76.3 million in funding for free legal assistance to immigrants, bringing the coming year’s immigrant legal services budget to $120.7 million — a record level. The Mayor’s Office of Pro Bono Legal Assistance will work closely with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, which will be administering the funding for the legal supports recently added through the Adopted Budget. To serve these communities, nearly $42 million is slated to go toward programs providing free legal assistance to immigrants, including representation for those facing deportation and assistance with applications for various immigration benefits. Additionally, over $12 million of the funding will go towards funding for pro-bono attorneys to assist unaccompanied minor immigrants in removal proceedings.

“In the United States, everyone is entitled to legal representation, but too often, the cost of legal fees places effective counsel out of reach for too many,” said Mayor Adams. “That is why, through the Mayor’s Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance, we will help New Yorkers access a directory of existing, free legal services and reduce barriers so that they can bring legal actions, defend themselves, and protect their civil liberties. This office will serve as a centralized information hub, helping our city’s residents navigate the complex process of finding a pro bono lawyer. And, at a time when many immigrants in our city live in fear of being detained or deported, the new budget includes $121 million in related legal services for New Yorkers, more than any other major city in America, and the most in the city’s history. The launch of the Mayor’s Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance and our investments in the American Dream are another way how we are making New York City safer, more affordable, and the best place to raise a family.”

“This is the logical extension of this administration’s successful efforts to match asylum seekers with pro bono counsel,” said First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro. “This is what a city should do that cares about helping people in need, so I could not be prouder of Mayor Adams for putting forward this mayoral initiative at a time when people need legal services to protect their rights more than ever, and, with the latest budget allocation of more than $120 million for legal services, we are helping immigrants defend their legal right to stay in this country and keep their families together. Because of these investments, we are able to continue delivering the kinds of legal services this administration has skillfully spearheaded for this community over the past three years as we have managed the asylum seeker crisis.”

“Access to legal counsel should not be reserved for only those who can afford it,” said Mayor’s Office to Facilitate Pro Bono Legal Assistance Executive Director Makousse Ilboudo. “As someone who has dedicated my career to public service, I am grateful to Mayor Adams and First Deputy Mayor Mastro for selecting me to lead this exciting new office, which I know will serve all New Yorkers, especially our most vulnerable, and I am looking forward to continuing the work I started to protect asylum seekers and immigrants in-need of legal services.”

Rather than directly providing legal representation, the office will act as an information hub that streamlines access to pro bono attorneys in the private sector, at law school clinics, at not-for-profit legal services organizations, and at government-sponsored programs. This initiative will facilitate accessibility, visibility, and coordination for those in need of legal support and serve as a resource to match New Yorkers unable to afford counsel with pro bono legal services.

In addition to serving as a centralized information hub, the office will aim to improve public awareness of available legal aid by working closely with the New York City Bar Association, legal aid groups, and law school clinics. It will also offer guidance on alternative assistance programs that can supplement legal aid — ensuring that residents are aware of financial, housing, and social services that may be available to them, while also connecting them with the appropriate city agencies. Finally, the office will serve as a repository for attorneys seeking to offer pro bono services and connect them with organizations and individuals in need of assistance.

About Makousse Ilboudo

After immigrating to the United States at a young age, Makousse Ilboudo built a distinguished legal career advocating for justice and supporting individuals navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system.

Previously serving as general counsel for OASO, Ilboudo provided comprehensive legal oversight for the city's response to the asylum seeker crisis. In this role, she led legal strategy, compliance, and risk management — ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local laws governing immigration, housing, and public benefits.

Working alongside the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the New York City Department of Social Services, and the New York City Law Department, Ilboudo has advised on high-impact policies affecting asylum seekers, ensuring compliance with right-to-shelter mandates and immigration regulations, while also negotiating agreements with government agencies and nonprofit organizations regarding data sharing and protection.

Ilboudo previously served as an assistant district attorney with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, and earlier was an immigration attorney at Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy LLP, one of the world’s leading immigration law firms.

Ilboudo earned her Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law, where she was a member of the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development. She also holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The New School and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Boston University.

Executive Director Ilboudo will report directly to First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro.

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