Dozens of advocates urge passage of Know‑Your‑Rights signage and contract ban as community fear grows

Dozens of advocates and service providers told the City Council Committee on Immigration that official signage, stronger training and enforceable remedies are necessary to make New York City’s sanctuary protections meaningful for the people who rely on city services.

Speakers representing legal‑service providers, hospitals, schools, child‑welfare and youth programs, and community groups testified in support of Intro 55, the Know Your Rights Act, which would require the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, in consultation with the Law Department, to develop clear multilingual signage identifying nonpublic areas of city property and explaining the rights people may invoke when interacting with federal immigration authorities.

Melissa Chua of the New York Legal Assistance Group described detained clients who she said had been held in violation of ICE’s own procedures and urged the committee to pass the signage bill to clarify rights at the point of contact. Lucia Goin of Catholic Charities and Lauren Migliaccio of Immigrant Justice Corps said signage, plain‑language materials and training for frontline staff (in schools, hospitals, shelters and city offices) would reduce fear and encourage New Yorkers to seek services.

Advocates also emphasized accountability. Speakers from The Bronx Defenders and other legal groups described cases where NYPD or DOC practices, including joint task‑force activity, had led to people being transferred into ICE custody. Several witnesses urged the council to pass the New York City Trust Act to create remedies and stronger deterrents for agency violations; others asked the council to explicitly name public hospitals (H+H) and similar entities in contract restrictions and to review existing contracts with vendors that may assist enforcement.

Health care and public‑health witnesses told the committee that ICE activity in hospitals and uncertainty about data sharing have caused patients and medical staff to delay or avoid care. "When federal immigration agents are present in health care facilities, they interfere with the privacy, safety, and care for all patients and staff," a public‑health witness said, urging explicit H+H protections and contractor reviews.

Several community panels urged investment in multilingual outreach, increases in legal‑services funding and expansion of Project Open Arms school supports. Younger witnesses and youth‑service providers highlighted that fear of enforcement is causing students to miss school and courts, undermining both education and legal processes for young people.

Across panels there was broad support for both Intro 55 and Intro 261 (the proposed contract prohibition), and many speakers asked the council to add enforcement mechanisms, clearer definitions of covered entities, and language‑access requirements. The hearing closed with the chair thanking witnesses and adjourning; no votes were taken at this session.