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Asian American Federation, RISE Partners, and Legislators Demand Full Funding for Immigrant Protection Services

$3.5M Investment Would Deliver Critical Services to 1.5 Million Asian New Yorkers

View the Press Conference Here and Images Here 

New York, NY — The Asian American Federation and Rapid Immigrant Support and Empowerment (RISE) partner organizations gathered at New York City Hall today to demand the City Council fully fund the RISE Network at $3.5 million in the FY2027 budget–resources urgently needed as immigration enforcement targeting Asian New Yorkers reaches historic levels. They were joined by Senator John Liu and Councilmembers Susan Zhuang, Alexa Aviles, and Tiffany Caban, who spoke on the importance of protecting and supporting immigrant New Yorkers.

RISE is the only coordinated effort connecting Asian-led community organizations with trusted legal service providers across New York City. The network’s 15 member organizations serve 1.5 million Asian New Yorkers in over 12 languages, and they are already at capacity. Asian immigrants make up nearly 30% of New York City’s non-citizen population, but the safety net designed to support them is fraying under immense pressure.

In just the last six months, RISE partners served over 2,200 people seeking legal support. That number will only grow, as Asian immigrants make up nearly 30% of New York City’s non-citizen population, and without funding support the network will be unable to keep pace with the need.

“Coming off AAPI Heritage Month–and the announcement that New York will see the largest surge of immigration enforcement agents in recent memory–we have heard local officials pledge their support for our communities. But pledges are not protection,” said Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer, Asian American Federation. “A fully funded RISE Network is the answer. The demand is real, the need is urgent, and our communities cannot afford to wait.”

Among other ethnic groups, Asian New Yorkers are seeing a dramatic surge in enforcement. Arrests of Chinese immigrants have skyrocketed 1,044% and Bangladeshi immigrants 1,000% since 2024, a sevenfold increase over the previous administration. And the consequences are immoral and traumatizing: when Chinese father Fei Zheng brought his 6-year-old son, Yuanxin, to a routine ICE check-in in New York City last November, he was detained on the spot. Yuanxin was taken into federal custody, separated from his father on Thanksgiving eve, just weeks into his first grade year at a Queens public school. Situations like Yuanxin are not unique–nearly 65% of Asian New Yorkers are foreign-born, and nearly 90% of Asian American children live with at least one immigrant parent.

“At a time when communities across our city are living in heightened fear because of the federal government’s abhorrent persecution of immigrants, organizations like RISE Network are fulfilling our shared duty to support immigrant New Yorkers by connecting them with trusted legal services,” said City Council Speaker Julie Menin. “Immigrants are best served by organizations rooted in their own communities — people who speak their language, understand their culture, and have already earned their trust. That is why the City Council is fighting for a more than $80 million increase in funding for community-based organizations doing this work. Immigrant New Yorkers deserve to know that their city has their back.”

“Immigrant New Yorkers are the backbone of our communities, and they deserve access to the legal support and resources they need to thrive. The RISE Network plays a vital role in connecting Asian-led organizations across our city to provide immigration legal referrals, Know Your Rights education, and critical services for families who need them most. As demand for these services continues to grow, I am proud to stand with the RISE Network in calling for continued and expanded support for the immigrant New Yorkers and the organizations that serve them, ” said Council Member Susan Zhuang, District 43.

“The need for legal services has skyrocketed- we’ve served over twice as many community members through our immigration navigation services as this time last year, yet funding remains limited, and nearly 500 community members are on a waiting list. The RISE Network has allowed CPC to serve over 1,300 community members in the past year. We must fund this critical, one-of-a-kind support for community-based organizations to provide linguistically and culturally responsive wraparound legal support at $3.5 million in this fiscal year,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC).

“Behind every immigration case is a family trying to stay safe and together,” said Diya Basu-Sen, Executive Director of Sapna NYC. “Through the RISE Network, we’ve helped families create emergency plans, connected survivors of violence to legal support, and guided community members through complex systems in a language they understand. As demand continues to rise, continued investment in the RISE Network will ensure immigrant New Yorkers can access the support they need with dignity and confidence.”

“We are deeply grateful to the AAPI RISE Network for helping us protect and empower immigrant families. Through this support, we were able to expand our immigration services and serve significantly more community members over the past year. As immigration cases become increasingly complex and denial rates continue to rise, sustained funding and support are more critical than ever.” said Myoungmi Kim, President & CEO of Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc.

“At Homecrest Community Services, we see every day how important trusted community-based organizations are for immigrant families,” said Wai Yee Chan, President & CEO of Homecrest Community Services. “As immigration policies and procedures become more complex, many individuals and families who otherwise would be subject to misinformation and fraud rely on organizations like ours for guidance, language assistance, referrals, and support. RISE funding helps community organizations provide these essential services, protect immigrant rights, and ensure families can access the resources they need with dignity, confidence, and security.”

“More than ever, impacted immigrants are seeking support and guidance while also becoming increasingly vulnerable to scams and misinformation. This is precisely why community-based organizations that can provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services are so critical. RISE funding strengthens the legal service capacity of CBOs to safeguard immigrant rights and due process while protecting them from fraud and unnecessary harm,” said Yoon Ji Kim, Executive Director, MinKwon Center for Community Action.

“Community based organizations are the first place immigrant families turn when fear spreads faster than facts. At COPO, we meet families who are trying to protect their children, care for their elders, keep food on the table, and make sense of an immigration system that has become increasingly frightening and difficult to navigate. The RISE Network gives trusted organizations like ours the ability to respond before fear becomes exploitation, before misinformation becomes harm, and before families are left isolated in moments of crisis. This funding is not charity, it is protection, prevention, and justice. Fully funding RISE at $3.5 million is a clear statement that New York City will not abandon immigrant communities when they are most vulnerable. If we believe immigrant families are essential to the fabric of this city, then we must fund the organizations that keep them safe, informed, and connected,” said Dr. Aasma Nuzzi, COO and Clinical Director of Council of Peoples Organization (COPO). 

“In crisis situations immigrant families often turn to Community Based Organizations because they know that these are trusted and safe spaces. Families are assured of finding someone that speaks their language, explain complex policies and connect them to resources. In the past few months we are seeing families worry about losing essential healthcare and food benefits. RISE funding SACSS enabled SACSS to assist 160 clients with immigration related case management assistance and organize Know Your Right Workshops in multiple Asian languages. We urge the City Council to support and enhance this funding so CBO’s can keep pace with the rising needs of our communities and continue to provide essential legal services in linguistically and culturally competent ways, ” said Sudha Acharya, Executive Director, South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS)

In addition to AAF, the following AAPI groups are  part of the RISE NETWORK:

  • Arab American Association of New York (AAANY)
  • Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE)
  • Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
  • Brooklyn Chinese-American Association (BCA)
  • Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC)
  • Council of Peoples Organization (COPO)
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations, New York (CAIR-NY)
  • Hamilton Madison House (HMH)
  • Homecrest Community Services (HCS)
  • Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York (KCS)
  • Mekong NYC
  • MinKwon Center for Community Action
  • Parent-Child Relationship Association (PCR)
  • Sapna NYC
  • South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS)*

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