City Bar Applauds Enactment of Standby Guardianship Legislation as a Vital Family Preparedness Tool for Immigrant Families

The New York City Bar Association applauds the enactment of A.7899-A/S.6217-A, which broadens a standby guardian’s authority should an “administrative separation” between a parent and their child take place. This legislation will serve an important function for parents facing potential federal immigration matters such as deportation or removal, providing them with the legal tools necessary to plan for the care of their children should they be separated. With increasingly aggressive federal immigration enforcement resulting in an even more uncertain and ever-changing landscape, it is critically important that immigrant families be given every opportunity to plan for their child’s continuing care. The New York State Legislature and Governor are providing a valuable legal protection to immigrant families and we commend their action.

The City Bar Justice Center’s Immigrant Justice Project will hold its sixth clinic in its ongoing Emergency Family Preparedness series in July, working with pro bono volunteers to explain various legal options and help families create emergency plans. Please visit the Justice Center’s website for more information as it becomes available. The Justice Center’s Immigrant Justice Project also seeks pro bono assistance for pending immigration cases, many of which present the risk of family separation. Potential volunteers should contact Kurt M. Denk, Pro Bono Counsel, at kdenk@nycbar.org.

About the Association
The mission of the New York City Bar Association, which was founded in 1870 and has 24,000 members, is to equip and mobilize the legal profession to practice with excellence, promote reform of the law, and uphold the rule of law and access to justice in support of a fair society and the public interest in our community, our nation, and throughout the world. www.nycbar.org

About the City Bar Justice Center
The City Bar Justice Center, the pro bono affiliate of the New York City Bar Association, increases access to justice by leveraging the resources of the New York City legal community. The Justice Center operates the city’s busiest legal hotline and annually provides direct legal representation, information and advocacy to over 20,000 New Yorkers in areas including immigration, homelessness, veterans assistance, elderlaw, cancer advocacy and micro-entrepreneurship. The Justice Center’s Immigrant Justice Project (IJP) assists asylum seekers fleeing persecution in their home countries, survivors of violent crimes and trafficking here in the United States, and individuals seeking humanitarian protection and other forms of relief. They match immigrants with pro bono attorneys and provide mentoring, training and guidance throughout the representation. IJP also provides representation before U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services and the Executive Office for Immigration Review. https://www.citybarjusticecenter.org/