Neighbors Link Recognized By Governor Cuomo

Neighbors Link, a nonprofit organization based in Westchester County, was prominently featured in a recent announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo as one of several organizations selected to be part of the Rapid Response Program (as part of the Liberty Defense Project) to assist immigrants in urgent, time-sensitive legal jeopardy. “While the federal government continues to threaten our immigrant communities, New York will not stop fighting to protect the rights of new Americans,” said Governor Cuomo.

In response to increasingly aggressive anti-immigrant policies from the federal government, Governor Cuomo created the Liberty Defense Project to fund legal and educational assistance for the immigrant community. Neighbors Link has received funding through the state Office for New Americans (ONA) to serve as the designated Liberty Defense provider in the Hudson Valley.

Carola Otero Bracco, executive director of Neighbors Link said, “Neighbors Link is proud to be part of a state that welcomes newcomers. We take pride in being named a New York State Office for New Americans Opportunity Center and in now being part of the Rapid Response Program to provide dedicated attorneys who can deliver urgent legal assistance to immigrants who are in immediate legal jeopardy.”

The Liberty Defense Project was developed specifically to assist immigrants, regardless of status, in obtaining access to legal services and information. Programs included in the Liberty Defense Project include direct legal representation for immigrants, ongoing legal consultation and assistance with the naturalization process, as well as community workshops on immigrant rights, emergency preparedness and citizenship preparation. The new Rapid Response program builds on the services currently being provided to ensure access to emergency legal services for immigrants targeted by ICE raids and arrests. To learn more, visit https://www.neighborslink.org/about-us/ona-opportunity-cent.