Joint Family Defense Providers’ Legislative Priorities for 2022
March 28, 2022 Hon. Kathy Hochul Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Hon. Andrea Stewart-Cousins Democratic Leader, New York State Senate 188 State Street LOB – Room 907 Albany, NY 12247 Hon. Carl Heastie Speaker, New York State Assembly New York State Capitol Room 349 Albany, NY 12247 RE:…
Joint Public Defenders’ Letter Re: Operation Lone Star
April 6, 2022 Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General Lisa Monaco, Deputy Attorney General Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General United States Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20530 Re: Operation Lone Star Dear Attorney General Garland, Deputy Attorney General Monaco, Associate Attorney General Gupta, Assistant Attorney General Clarke:…
Letter Re: Public Comment on the NYPD’s Draft Impact & Use Policies for the Criminal Group Database and Social Network Analysis Tools
Sent via Email The New York City Police Department 1 Police Plaza New York, NY 10038 postact@nypd.org Re: Public Comment on the NYPD’s Draft Impact & Use Policies for the Criminal Group Database and Social Network Analysis Tools To Whom It May Concern, On behalf of The Bronx Defenders (“BxD”), Center for Constitutional Rights (“CCR”), …
Joint Family Defense Providers’ Legislative Priorities for 2021
Together with 17 other family defense organizations across New York, we wrote to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie outlining legislative priorities for 2021 which seek to shrink the state’s foster systems while offering families and communities the support and resources they need to raise the next generation…
A Tenant’s Guide to Housing Rights During COVID-19
New York State recently enacted an eviction moratorium that protects most tenants from eviction until May 1, 2021. The Covid-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act pauses most eviction cases and bans most evictions until at least February 26, 2021. If you experienced a COVID-related hardship, the law extends the eviction ban until at least…
COVID-19 Vaccine Lawsuit
Verified Petition OSC Attorney Affirmation Alberto Frias Affidavit Affirmation of Drs. Adewunmi and Fenig Affirmation of Dr Gonsalves Randy Johns Affidavit Charles Holden Affidavit
Letter to ICE Re: Release of people from ICE custody pursuant to January 20 memorandum
February 3, 2021 Via Email only – thomas.decker@ice.dhs.gov Thomas Decker Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 201 Varick Street New York, NY 10014 Re: Release of people from ICE custody pursuant to January 20 memorandum Dear Director Decker, We write on behalf of the three NYIFUP programs at Brooklyn Defender Services,…
NYIFUP Letter Re: Bergen County Jail’s Lack of Heat
January 29, 2021 Via Email only – thomas.r.decker@dhs.ice.gov Thomas Decker Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 201 Varick Street New York, NY 10014 Dear Director Decker, We have received several alarming reports over the last 36 hours from clients at Bergen County Jail that there is no heat in various…
Demand Letter Re: Vaccination of People Held in Prisons and Jails
Via e-mail January 27, 2021 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of the State of New York New York State Capitol Building Albany, New York 12224 Re: Vaccination of People Held in Prisons and Jails Dear Governor Cuomo: As science and experience have both made clear, jails and prisons perpetuate the COVID-19 pandemic, both…
Demand for Reparations on Behalf of the Mott Haven Collective
January 26, 2021 Mayor Bill de Blasio City Hall New York, NY 10007 Comptroller Scott M. Stringer Office of the Comptroller of New York City One Centre Street New York, NY 10007 Re: Demand for Reparations on behalf of the Mott Haven Collective Dear Mayor de Blasio and Comptroller Stringer: We represent two dozen people…
A Public Defender’s Immigration Priorities
The Bronx Defenders’ Policy Brief Outlining Executive Actions for the Biden Administration to Repair the Immigration Harms of the Trump Presidency.
Civil Rights Group Demand AirBnB Reform Discriminatory Policy on Arrest and Conviction Records Used to Ban People from Platform
A broad coalition of civil rights organizations sent a demand letter to Airbnb today urging them to end a company policy that discriminates against individuals with arrest and conviction histories and allows users to be banned without explanation or a meaningful chance to appeal. New York, NY – A broad coalition of civil rights organizations, including…
Government Misconduct and Convicting the Innocent: The Role of Prosecutors, Police and Other Law Enforcement
“This is a report about the role of official misconduct in the conviction of innocent people. We discuss cases that are listed in the National Registry of Exonerations, an ongoing online archive that includes all known exonerations in the United States since 1989, 2,663 as of this writing. This Report describes official misconduct in the…
Unemployment Insurance Benefits Brief
Nationwide, millions of people have been out of work due to the Covid-19 crisis. Unemployment Insurance Benefits are a critical option available-nearly 32 million people are currently supported by unemployment insurance benefits as they balance paying for food, rent, loans and other costs & bills with looking for a job. In New York City, close…
Property Retrieval
In the wake of protests and increased police violence and misconduct, as well as the ongoing difficulties and office/court closures due to COVID-19, we know that many have been harmed when police officers seize or even lose track of essential property such as phones, keys, wallets, medication, and transportation including bicycles, scooters and cars. If…
Notice of Claim
In the wake of protests and increased police violence and misconduct, we know that many have been harmed fighting for justice. If you have experienced abuse at the hands of the police, such as physical violence or the destruction of your property, filing a Notice of Claim is a step towards holding them accountable. What…
Tahanee Dunn Presents Testimony at New York City Council Committee on Criminal Justice and Committee on the Justice System Re: COVID-19 in City Jails and Juvenile Detention Facilities
New York City Council Committee on Criminal Justice and Committee on the Justice System Re: COVID-19 in City Jails and Juvenile Detention Facilities May 19th, 2020 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Tahanee Dunn, Robyn Goldberg, Martha Grieco, Deborah Lolai & Julia Solomons Good afternoon Chair Powers, Chair Lancman, and committee members. My name…
April 28, 2020 Habeas Filings in Coronel et al v. Decker et al.
Case 2:20-cv-05061-JMV Case 2:20-cv-05053
Coronel et al v. Decker et al
The Bronx Defenders and The Legal Aid Society today filed a lawsuit in federal court against U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) to seek the immediate release of seven individuals in immigrant detention who are at imminent risk of serious illness or death in the event of a COVID-19 infection because of their age or underlying health conditions….
Sophia Gurulé Presented City Council Testimony re: Oversight – ICE’s Escalated Attacks on NYC Policies Protecting Immigrants
New York City Council Committee on Immigration and Committee on Hospitals Hearing re: Oversight – ICE’s Escalated Attacks on NYC Policies Protecting Immigrants February 28, 2020 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Sophia Gurulé, Policy Counsel, Immigration Practice Good afternoon Chairs Rivera and Menchaca, my name is Sophia Elena Gurulé and I am Policy…
Olivia Scheck Presented Testimony at City Council re: The Technology Gap Between Public Defenders and DAs
New York City Council Committee on Justice System Hearing re: The Technology Gap Between Public Defenders and DAs January 29, 2020 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Olivia Scheck, Forensic Practice Group, Criminal Defense Practice Chairman Lanceman, my name is Olivia Scheck, and I am an attorney in the Criminal Defense Practice of The…
Alice Fontier Presented Testimony at City Council Re: Int 0487-2018: Creating Comprehensive Reporting and Oversight of NYPD Surveillance Technologies
New York City Council Committee on Public Safety Re: Int 0487-2018: Creating Comprehensive Reporting and Oversight of NYPD Surveillance Technologies. December 18, 2019 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Alice Fontier, Managing Director, Criminal Defense Practice Over the course of a decade, the New York Police Department has adopted surveillance technologies as a central…
Ivan Bohorquez Presented Testimony at Hearing re: Local Law to amend NYC charter, in relation to mandating a citywide audit of collateral consequences for drug arrests and conviction
Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Ivan Bohorquez, Civil Legal Advocate, Civil Action Practice New York City Council Committee on Justice System Hearing Regarding T2019-5492, A Local Law to amend the NYC Charter, in relation to mandating a citywide audit of collateral consequences for drug arrests and convictions December 11, 2019 The Civil Action…
Eli Northrup Presented Testimony at City Council Hearing re: Sealing of criminal records and expansion of youthful offender status
New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Codes and Standing Committee on Correction Hearing re: Sealing of criminal records and expansion of youthful offender status December 10, 2019 Written Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Eli Northrup, Policy Counsel to the Criminal Defense Practice The sealing of criminal convictions is critical if New York wants…
Stacey Kennard Presented Testimony at Oversight Hearing on Implementation and Expansion of RTA
New York City Council Committee on Justice System and Committee on Criminal Justice Oversight Hearing on Implementation and Expansion of RTA December 3, 2019 Testimony of The Bronx Defenders By Stacey Kennard, Team Leader and Adolescent Defense Project Attorney, Criminal Defense Practice The Bronx Defenders forms relationships with hundreds of young clients every year. The…