CUNY Law Hosts Immigration Roundtable Convened by Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez
Elected Officials, Community Advocates, and Policymakers Join Forces at CUNY Law in Response to New Executive Orders
On January 31, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez convened a roundtable on immigration at CUNY School of Law, bringing together policymakers, legal advocates, and grassroots organizers to discuss the impact of the Trump administration’s recent immigration actions. The conversation focused on strategies to protect immigrant communities amid expanded deportation efforts and increased enforcement measures.
The gathering, one of two roundtables convened by Velázquez that day, provided space for legal experts, service providers, and community organizations to coordinate responses and strengthen collective efforts in the face of shifting federal policies.
Strategic Partnerships in the Fight for Immigrant Justice
Opening the event, Dean Sudha Setty underscored the Law School’s role in training public interest lawyers, partnering with grassroots organizations, and shaping policy at every level to advance immigrant justice.
“This gathering comes at a pivotal moment, as recent federal actions continue to impact our communities profoundly,” said Dean Setty. “At the Law School, many of our students come to us already deeply engaged in immigrant justice work in their own communities. They bring this lived experience and advocacy perspective into our classrooms and clinics, where they develop the legal tools to amplify their impact.”
Ongoing work in the Law School’s Immigrant and Non-Citizen Rights Clinic (INRC), includes students engaging directly in legal defense and advocacy. Recently, the clinic partnered with the Immigrant Defense Project to develop a multilingual guide for noncitizen clients facing criminal charges, helping them navigate the complex intersection of immigration and criminal law. Clinic students are also mobilizing to support asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, developing resources for DACA recipients impacted by policy changes, and leading Know Your Rights workshops to equip immigrant communities with critical tools to protect themselves from ICE and local law enforcement.
The Law School’s Community Legal Resource Network (CLRN) further extends this impact by connecting alumni attorneys with New Yorkers across all boroughs, offering free legal advocacy and community education. Through partnerships with elected officials and grassroots organizations, CLRN has expanded efforts to provide Know Your Rights training, legal guidance, and critical support in response to intensifying enforcement actions.
“But what makes CUNY Law special isn’t just what happens within these walls—it’s how our students and alumni join you, our community partners, in the daily work of justice,” Dean Setty said. “Whether through the curriculum, summer placements, post-graduate fellowships, or career-long collaboration, we measure our success by how effectively we help expand access to justice for all New Yorkers.”
Collaborating for Impact: Key Partners in the Room
Local elected officials, many of whom join CUNY Law in mission alignment and community advocacy and organizing, weighed in. Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris commented: “As we see families too scared to go to school and jobs, punitive enforcement that ensnares American citizens, and reductive policies including the unconstitutional effort to end birthright citizenship, it is more important than ever to organize to protect New Yorkers’ rights.” Council Member Julie Won stated in the official press release: “In the wake of harmful and xenophobic Presidential policies, we need to protect our neighbors who live in our sanctuary city. The immigration roundtable at CUNY Law highlighted plans and strategies to provide legal assistance and other critical aid to vulnerable communities being targeted.”
Throughout the discussion, CUNY Law’s community and advocacy partners—organizations that work alongside the Law School’s clinics, faculty, and students—provided critical insights into on-the-ground realities for immigrant New Yorkers and the legal interventions necessary to protect them.
Among the participants were Make the Road New York, a longtime collaborator in immigrant rights advocacy that has worked with CUNY Law on legal services, policy research, and movement lawyering strategies to defend immigrants against deportation and workplace abuses. The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), another key partner, continues to play a central role in coordinating advocacy and legal services for asylum seekers and undocumented New Yorkers.
UnLocal, an immigrant justice organization that provides direct legal representation and community education, has collaborated with CUNY Law students and alumni on removal defense, asylum applications, and emergency legal clinics in response to shifting federal policies. African Communities Together (ACT), a grassroots organization serving Black immigrants, brought crucial perspectives on the intersection of racial justice and immigration enforcement, an issue deeply embedded in CUNY Law’s own legal curriculum and advocacy efforts.
As immigration enforcement policies evolve, CUNY Law’s commitment to working alongside these and other frontline organizations remains unwavering. By continuing to convene spaces where legal experts, advocates, and community leaders can coordinate strategy, the Law School plays a vital role in ensuring New York’s immigrant communities have access to the legal resources and protections they need.
Read the press release from the Congresswoman’s office for more details.