In 2024, Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Delivered Critical Resources to Immigrant Communities

For Immediate Release: December 20, 2024

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

New York – New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro today celebrated the critical resources delivered to immigrant New Yorkers by MOIA in 2024. MOIA will also release a comprehensive list of accomplishments and services delivered for the immigrant community in the 2024 Report on the City's Immigrant Population and Office Initiatives.
 
“From day one, our administration has focused on creating a safer, more affordable New York City. In 2024, we continued to deliver on that vision and ‘Get Stuff Done’ for working-class New Yorkers,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Thanks to our extraordinary public servants, America’s safest big city got even safer this year, with overall crime down and thousands of illegal guns, mopeds, and ghost cars taken off city streets. We passed historic legislation to turn New York into a ‘City of Yes,’ shattered affordable housing records once again, and put billions of dollars back into New Yorkers’ pockets. We broke records for the most jobs and small businesses in city history and moved millions of trash bags off our sidewalks and into containers. But we know that there is even more we can do to continue to uplift working-class families. As we look to the future, our administration remains committed to keeping New Yorkers safe and making our city more affordable for the millions of New Yorkers who call our city home.”
 
"This year, my office is proud to have spearheaded the establishment of ambitious and innovative programs for both newly arrived and long-term immigrant New Yorkers," said MOIA Commissioner Manuel Castro. " Our office will continue to work alongside city agencies, faith-based institutions and community partners to serve our immigrant communities.”
 
A list of key resources MOIA delivered to immigrant communities in 2024, includes:
 
Providing Translations to Mayoral Offices: In efforts to deliver language accessibility of city resources to immigrant New Yorkers, our Language Access Team completed 409 translations for Mayoral offices.
 
Connecting with Immigrant New Yorkers: Our external affairs team hosted over 1,000 Days of Action events delivering key information to over 51,000 immigrant New Yorkers and distributing over 217,000 pieces of literature.
 
Launching a First of Its Kind Immigrant Peer Navigator Program: The program launched a six session New York City orientation that connected 250 long time immigrant New Yorkers to 250 recently arrived asylum seekers. Long time immigrant New Yorkers with similar immigration experiences served as mentors to newly arrived asylum seekers to give them tips on surviving and navigating life in New York City, including finding work, housing, and providing community connections.
 
Partnering with Historic Settlement Houses in Support of Newly Arrived Immigrant New Yorkers: New York City settlement houses have a long history of successfully integrating and including immigrant communities. The partnership expanded community support for recently arrived migrants by establishing 'Immigrant Support Centers' that provides an array of services to thousands of newly arrived migrants.
 
Launching over 100 English Learning and Support Centers: The centers connect immigrant New Yorkers to beginner and intermediate level English classes using an award-winning curriculum developed by the city of New York as a tool to teach English and educate New Yorkers on city resources and services. The centers also support immigrant New Yorkers by providing more information on resources introduced in the classes, making referrals to social and legal services, and acting as a hub for English language learning in their communities. Over one million of city funding went to non-profit organizations and public library branches to launch the centers. 
 
Hosting a National Convening Focused on Immigrant Inclusive Policies: MOIA hosted a national two day convening of 27 localities from across the country. Participants joined national advocacy groups, philanthropists, and business leader to discuss how to further advance immigrant inclusive policies.
 
Hosting 40 Flag Raising Ceremonies: As the ultimate city of immigrants, MOIA along with the Mayor's Office of International Affairs and Community Affairs, hosted 40 flag raising ceremonies. The flag raising ceremonies included cultural celebrations for countries including Nigeria, Philippines, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and much more.