Immigration Advocates Demand Release of People in Detention in Light of New ICE Guidance
February 4, 2021 Contacts: Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, AILopez@legal-aid.org, 917-294-9348 Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Immigration Advocates Demand Release of People in Detention in Light of New ICE Guidance In Letter to ICE Field Office, Defense Attorneys and Advocates Call for the Release…
Public Defenders, Advocates Sue New York, Claim Vaccine Denial Violates Constitutional Rights of Incarcerated People
Public Defenders, Advocates Sue New York, Claim Vaccine Denial Violates Constitutional Rights of Incarcerated People February 4, 2021 CONTACT Sam McCann, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (smccann@ndsny.org) Arianna Fishman, New York Civil Liberties Union (afishman@nyclu.org) Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (rhaskins@legal-aid.org) Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org) Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services (Dball@bds.org) (NEW…
Press Release: Marijuana Legalization Advocates Hold Lobby Day to Urge Lawmakers to Center Racial & Economic Justice by Passing MRTA
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Marijuana Legalization Advocates Hold Lobby Day to Urge Lawmakers to Center Racial & Economic Justice by Passing MRTA February 4, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Advocates from across New York State are holding a virtual Lobby Day today to call on the legislature and Gov….
NYIFUP Condemns ICE for Heat Outage at Bergen County Jail on Coldest Day in Tri-State in Two Years
January 29, 2020 Contacts: Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, AILopez@legal-aid.org, 917-294-9348 Daniel Ball Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYIFUP Condemns ICE for Heat Outage at Bergen County Jail on Coldest Day in Tri-State in Two Years (New York, NY) – The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender…
Defenders to Gov. Cuomo: Stop Blocking COVID-19 Vaccinations for Our Incarcerated Clients
January 29, 2021 Contact: Redmond Haskins The Legal Aid Society (929) 441-2384 rhaskins@legal-aid.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Defenders to Gov. Cuomo: Stop Blocking COVID-19 Vaccinations for Our Incarcerated Clients (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem, The Bronx Defenders, Legal Aid Society…
24 Protestors Assaulted by NYPD in The Bronx Ask City to Create Reparations Fund for Victims of Police Violence
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** 24 Protestors Assaulted by NYPD in The Bronx Ask City to Create Reparations Fund for Victims of Police Violence Demand Letter Sent By The Bronx Defenders to Mayor and Comptroller on Behalf of 24 Individuals Attacked Attacked by Police in the South Bronx Last Spring January 26, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The…
Bronx Defenders Statement on Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Bronx Defenders Statement on Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State January 14, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Governor Andrew Cuomo today delivered his 2021 State of the State Address, outlining his key priorities ahead of the new legislative session. Scott Levy, Chief Policy Counsel for…
Public Defenders Nationwide Announce Plan for Immigration Justice; Provide Ten-Point Plan to Biden Administration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2021 MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Ibarra – San Francisco Public Defender’s Office – (628)249-7946 – Valerie.Ibarra@sfgov.org Lindsey Hortenstine – New Orleans Public Defender’s Office – (404)520-3087 – LHoretnstine@opdla.org **PRESS RELEASE** Public Defenders Nationwide Announce Plan for Immigration Justice; Provide Ten-Point Plan to Biden Administration Public Defenders Urge Federal Government to Take Bold Steps to…
NYIFUP Statement on Egregious Treatment of Immigrants on Hunger Strike in ICE Detention
January 8, 2020 Contacts: Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, AILopez@legal-aid.org, 917-294-9348 Daniel Ball Brooklyn Defender Services, dball@bds.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYIFUP Statement on Egregious Treatment of Immigrants on Hunger Strike in ICE Detention Attorneys Demand Transparency from Jail Officials and Release of All Immigrants in ICE Custody (New…
Bronx Defenders Respond to Governor Cuomo’s Call for Marijuana Legalization
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** January 6, 2021 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced his proposal for marijuana legalization as a part of his 2021 State of the State address. Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel for the Criminal Defense Practice at The Bronx Defenders, issued the following reaction: …
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act
Statement from Driven By Justice Coalition: Gov. Cuomo Signs Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act Compromise Reached With Gov. Cuomo to End License Suspensions for People Unable to Pay a Traffic Fine January 4, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Jag Davies, Fines and Fees Justice Center, jdavies@ffjc.us NEW YORK – Governor Andrew Cuomo…
NYIFUP Statement on Detained Immigrants’ Hunger Strike and New COVID-19 Outbreak in Hudson County Jail
(New York, NY) – This week, Brooklyn Defender Services, The Bronx Defenders, and The Legal Aid Society – New York City’s defender organizations providing free legal representation to detained immigrants through the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) – received multiple reports from people served by the program of an ongoing hunger strike in…
ICE Defied Court Orders, Maintained Secret No-Release Policy: NYCLU, Bronx Defenders
NEW YORK – In papers filed Friday evening, the New York Civil Liberties Union and The Bronx Defenders requested court enforcement in Velesaca v. Wolf, their case challenging the ICE New York Field Office’s use of a secret policy to jail virtually all of the thousands of people they have arrested over the last three…
Bronx Defenders Statement on DOI Report on NYPD Violence and Misconduct
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** December 18, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – The New York City Department of Investigation today released its report on the NYPD’s conduct during the summer’s protests against the killing of George Floyd and the endemic police violence against the Black community. Justine Olderman, Executive Director…
Federal Court Rules That Detained Immigrants Must Receive Timely Access to Judges
FEDERAL COURT RULES THAT DETAINED IMMIGRANTS MUST RECEIVE TIMELY ACCESS TO JUDGES Ruling Creates 10-Day Requirement, is First in the Nation to Establish Presentment Standards In Immigration Court FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2020 MEDIA CONTACT: Peter Markowitz, Cardozo Immigration Justice Clinic, peter.markowitz@yu.edu, 718-877-8817 Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, media@bronxdefenders.org, 917-635-4326 Ben Schaefer, NYCLU, media@nyclu.org,…
Legal Advocates Announce Launch of ‘Health is Justice’ Website to Support Decarceration Efforts During COVID-19 Pandemic
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** November 30, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Today, The Bronx Defenders, along with partner advocacy organizations, announced the launch of the ‘Health is Justice’ Litigation Hub, a powerful tool that will allow lawyers, journalists, academics, and advocates to access vital information about the impact of…
NYC Defenders Renew Call for Urgent Reforms of the Criminal Legal System Following New Democratic Supermajority
November 23, 2020 Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services (Dball@bds.org) Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (RHaskins@legal-aid.org) Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (SMccann@ndsny.org) Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services (LToddmedina@nycds.org) ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** NYC Defenders Renew Call for Urgent Reforms of the Criminal Legal System Following…
NYIFUP Statement About Hudson County’s Contract with ICE
November 17, 2020 NYIFUP Statement About Hudson County’s Contract with ICE The New York Immigrant Family Unity Project (NYIFUP) provides free, high-quality representation to detained people facing deportation in New York City. Our clients are New Yorkers who are detained in county jails that include the Hudson County Jail in New Jersey. NYIFUP is run…
Bronx Defenders Urge City and State Officials to Assist Incarcerated People with Stimulus Check Applications
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** Bronx Defenders Urge City and State Officials to Assist Incarcerated People with Stimulus Check Applications Nationwide Injunction Issued Recently Found that Incarcerated People Are Entitled to Benefits October 5, 2020 Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – A federal court ruled that thousands of incarcerated people and their children…
Bronx Defenders & New York Giants Announce Partnership in Fight for Social Justice
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** August 10, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) Jennifer Conley, New York Giants (Jennifer.Conley@giants.nfl.net) NEW YORK – The Bronx Defenders and the New York Giants are proud to announce they have partnered together in the fight to combat inequities in the criminal, immigration, family, and civil legal systems. 10 Giants players and 3 Giants coaches have partnered with…
Attorneys for Detained Immigrants Demand Their Release from Bergen County Jail Amid Heat Wave and Reports of Broken Air Conditioning
July 27, 2020 CONTACTS: Alejandra Lopez, The Legal Aid Society, 917-294-9348, AILopez@legal-aid.org Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders, 917-635-4326, rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Dan Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services, 203-213-9303, dball@bds.org ***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*** (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, and The Bronx Defenders – New York City’s defender organizations providing free legal representation to…
NY Legislature Sends Driver’s License Suspension Reform Bill to Gov. Cuomo’s Desk
Driven By Justice drivenbyjustice.org For Immediate Release: July 22 Contact: jdavies@ffjc.us rkarerat@bronxdefenders.org Legislation Would End Widespread Driver’s License Suspensions for Unpaid Traffic Debt Today, the New York Senate joined the Assembly in passing the Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act. The vast majority of New York driver’s license suspensions are for traffic tickets that residents…
Bronx Defenders Statement on Passage of Protect Our Courts Act
July 22, 2020 CONTACT Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org) (NEW YORK, NY) – Sarah Deri Oshiro, Managing Director of the Immigration Practice at The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement in response to the passage in the New York State Senate today of the Protect Our Courts Act: “We applaud the New York State…
NYC Public Defenders File Federal Lawsuit to Halt OCA’s Rushed and Dangerous Decision to Reconvene In-Person, Non-Emergency Court Matters
July 14, 2020 Redmond Haskins, The Legal Aid Society (RHaskins@legal-aid.org) Daniel Ball, Brooklyn Defender Services (dball@bds.org) Esther Kao, The Bronx Defenders (estherk@bronxdefenders.org) Lupe Todd-Medina, New York County Defender Services (LToddmedina@nycds.org) Sam McCann, The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (SMccann@ndsny.org) Hettie Powell, Queens Defenders, (hpowell@queensdefenders.org) NYC Public Defenders File Federal Lawsuit to Halt OCA’s Rushed and…
BxD v OCA
The Bronx Defenders, The Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services, New York County Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem and Queens Defenders filed a lawsuit today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) to prevent the rushed, dangerous, and…