Group calling for access to representation for immigrants forced to navigate court system

ALBANY, NY (WRGB) — Advocates are calling on Governor Hochul and legislative leaders to support the Access to Representation Act.

The bill would establish the right to counsel for immigrants who cannot afford a lawyer during court proceedings.

According to Campaign for Access, Representation & Equity (CARE) for Immigrant Families, they say that the passage of the ARA would help thousands of New Yorkers to avoid navigating "an overburdened and under-resourced court system without any legal resources".

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"Having a lawyer in an immigration hearing can be the difference between life and death. Non-detained people in immigration hearings are over three times more likely to achieve a successful outcome if they have representation. Our Access to Representation Act will help immigrants get the legal representation they need. I am grateful to Assembly Member Catalina Cruz, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Vera Institute of Justice, and Immigrant-ARC, for their advocacy in support of this critical bill," said State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.