NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Releases Report on the City's Immigrant Population and Initiatives of the Office. 

For Immediate Release: March 16, 2026

Contact: Shaina Torres, scoronel@cityhall.nyc.gov

NEW YORK – Today, NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Faiza N. Ali released a report on the city's immigrant population and initiatives of the office. 

The report highlights the impact of MOIA and outlines new office priorities under the Economic Justice portfolio under Mayor Zohran K. Mamdani.

“More than 3 million immigrants call New York City home.” said Mayor Zohran K. Mamdani.  “This report reflects the ongoing work necessary to support our immigrant communities: the city’s neighborhood-based legal support network, multilingual outreach, worker protection efforts, anti-fraud education, English language learning, and pathways to services that help New Yorkers build security and exercise their rights." 

“Immigrant New Yorkers are essential to our city’s economy and the strength of our neighborhoods,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “They should feel valued, safe, and able to participate in the full life of our city. We are underway across our administration to protect immigrant workers, support immigrant-owned businesses, expand opportunity, and ensure every New Yorker can access the resources they need to thrive.” 

“As the daughter of immigrants from Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, I am proud to continue my career in public service to New Yorkers as the new Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs under Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani,” said MOIA Commissioner Faiza N. Ali. “I look forward to working alongside our community partners, and all stakeholders across our city to build real pathways to stability for New York City’s diverse immigrant communities.” 

MOIA remains steadfast in its commitment to empower immigrant New Yorkers and protect and strengthen our sanctuary city laws. This report outlines the challenges that immigrant New Yorkers face, demonstrates through data the demographics of the immigrant population in New York City, and presents MOIA’s reach through our programs, robust communications and outreach to immigrant communities and interagency work that the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) has led in 2025 to improve the wellbeing of immigrant New Yorkers.

Under MOIA’s new Commissioner, Faiza N. Ali, MOIA seeks to address the many challenges, new and existing, facing immigrants by focusing on four areas:

• Protect immigrants, due process, and uphold sanctuary law and policies  

• Build durable and coordinated systems  

• Advance affordability, worker protection and empowerment, and economic inclusion      

• Reduce fear and increase public trust     

In 2025, the MOIA team engaged with nearly 37,000 immigrant New Yorkers through outreach efforts, fielded more than 10,000 telephonic interpretation calls across 64 different languages. Through MOIA's Immigrant hotline, we fielded over 25,000 calls conducted nearly 11,000 comprehensive legal screenings through MOIA Immigration Legal Support Centers. Our English Language Learning team hosted 239 classes, reaching nearly 5,000 English language learners. 

While the report presents a snapshot of the City's work in this area, it does not cover the totality of work that MOIA and other New York City agencies do to serve immigrants. To view the full report and learn more about the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, visit nyc.gov/immigrants.