For Immediate Release: September 21, 2023
Contact: Shaina Coronel, scoronel@cityhall.nyc.gov
New York–Today, NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro released a report on the city's immigrant population and initiatives of the office.
The report highlights the impact of MOIA and showcases the work done by the Adams administration to respond to the challenges that many new immigrant and long-time immigrant New Yorkers faced during calendar year 2022.
"Amidst a global humanitarian crisis that has led to tens of thousands of people seeking refuge in New York City, the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs has, time and again, stepped up to the challenge by helping guide policy related to our newest New Yorkers and provide critical core services such as language access and individualized referrals," said Anne Williams-Isom, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services. "This report provides a snapshot of that work and recognizes the team at MOIA that gets stuff done every day for immigrant families and individuals, whether they just arrived to seek asylum or came to call NYC home through another path. Thank you to Commissioner Castro and his dedicated team for their work to serve immigrant communities all across the city."
"As someone who immigrated to this country as a child with my mother, and grew up in New York City, I understand the critical work of this office and its importance," said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs. "Under the leadership of Mayor Eric Adams, and Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom, the city mobilized a colossal humanitarian operation to support our newest New Yorkers. No other city in the nation has responded to this scale. The outpouring of compassion and support from New Yorkers at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, modern-day Ellis Island, has been truly inspiring. This report highlights our efforts in responding to a global humanitarian crisis while continuing to serve longtime immigrant New Yorkers."
In 2022, the Adams administration responded to multiple global humanitarian crises. From the Russian war on Ukraine to the influx of asylum seekers crossing the US/Mexico border, many immigrants came to New York City seeking refuge and a chance at the American Dream. This report reviews the critical role MOIA played in developing initiatives to support our newest New Yorkers while continuing to serve longtime immigrant New Yorkers.
Some of these initiatives include creating the City's first Ukrainian Response Initiative and continuing to serve Haitian New Yorkers through our Haitian Response Initiative. The MOIA team also engaged with 10,643 immigrant New Yorkers through our AskMOIA hotline, delivered 1,536 translations of over 300 different source documents in 49 different languages. Through MOIA's Immigrant hotline, we fielded nearly 40,133 calls conducted over 11,467 comprehensive legal screenings through the city funded immigration providers. Our English Language Learning team hosted 74 courses, reaching over 4,578 English language learners, and trained 146 volunteers online.
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.