Immigration

Strengthening Immigrant Communities

New York City is home to more than three million immigrants, making it one of the most diverse cities in the world. When immigrant New Yorkers have the tools to succeed and participate in City life—whether through employment, healthcare, or civic activity—it contributes to the overall resilience and vibrancy of our economy and our neighborhoods.

However, immigrant communities are facing unprecedented threats. The de Blasio Administration is committed to leveraging public resources to protect immigrant communities and this work requires investments and collaboration across sectors. Through the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City, the Office of Strategic Partnerships has worked with the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) and leading foundations to create a robust, privately funded, Know Your Rights campaign, which includes forums to inform immigrant New Yorkers about city services and opportunities to become more involved in their communities. As of Summer 2018, the Mayor's Fund and MOIA partnered with 10 community-based non-profits across New York City to deliver or schedule approximately 500 Know Your Rights presentations.

Additionally, there are approximately 650,000 legal permanent residents in New York City and helping put New Yorkers on a pathway to citizenship is the most effective way to provide greater access and opportunity for our immigrant neighbors. In 2016, NYC Citizenship was launched, a privately funded public-private partnership, with our city's library systems to install comprehensive citizenship assistance at library branches citywide to increase naturalization rates. In 2017, NYCitizenship reached over 7,200 individuals and filed over 850 citizenship applications, and based on program's first-year success, the Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity invested $795,000 in public funds in year two of the program.

Understanding the centrality of local government leadership in addressing the challenges impacting immigrant communities throughout the country, New York City and other key partners have developed the only coalition advocating for pro-immigrant policies and sharing local best practice that is organized by local government, for local government. In 2014, with support from the philanthropy and in partnership with 25 other cities around the country, Mayor de Blasio launched Cities for Action (C4A), a bipartisan coalition of U.S. cities and local governments that strives to further federal and local policies and programs that serve immigrant residents