Invest in LGBTQ+ Immigrant
New Yorkers!
$15 Million for a New Initiative: LGBTQ+ Immigrant Legal Services Fund
The new initiative led by the Caribbean Equality Project (CEP), a steering committee member of New York City Trans & Queer Coalition (NYCTQC), outlines a strategic, transformative investment in legal services specifically designed for LGBTQ+ immigrants in New York City.
Right now, CEP serves over 650 LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, and 90 percent of our undocumented community members do not have access to legal services.
The proposal calls for the creation of a dedicated LGBTQ+ Immigrant Legal and Justice Fund allocating $15 million annually to address critical gaps in immigration legal services, cultural competency, accessibility, and community-centered legal advocacy for this uniquely vulnerable population.
As a cruel federal enforcement agenda threatens to devastate New York's immigrant communities, workforce, and families, investing in compassionate immigration policies is not just a moral imperative but a strategic move for our collective safety and economic prosperity. Immigrants facing deportation risk permanent separation from their families and forced return to dangerous or deadly conditions in another country, yet they are not guaranteed a lawyer if they cannot afford one.
Transgender immigrants sit at the intersection of the federal administration’s most vicious and dehumanizing attacks. TGNCNB immigrants need access to specialized legal services
Cost barriers: immigration legal services range from $1,000–$5,000+; most LGBTQ+ immigrants cannot afford representation.
Fear of immigration enforcement prevents help-seeking, despite acute legal needs.
Current legal service funding does not prioritize LGBTQ+-affirming capacity or cultural competency.
LGBTIQA+ youth are already overrepresented in homelessness. For queer youth seeking asylum, the rapid rule changes, limited access to legal services, and loss of housing vouchers further endanger a vulnerable population.
The Crisis
Estimated 150,000–200,000 LGBTQ+ immigrants in NYC, with approximately 60– 70% unable to access needed legal services.
Only 1 immigration attorney per 1,000 undocumented immigrants nationwide; NYC faces acute provider shortages, particularly in LGBTQ+-affirming representation.
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face significantly slower processing times and lower approval rates than their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts.
Language barriers prevent 60% of undocumented immigrants from accessing legal help.
2026 Invest in TGNC New Yorkers Rally, City Hall Park, NYC
2026 Invest in TGNC New Yorkers Rally, City Hall Park, NYCThe Fiscal Year 2027 City Council Enacted Budget must allocate $15 million to meet urgent and long-term legal and social service needs of LGBTQ+ immigrant New Yorkers.
This investment should comprise:
$7.5 million to create a new Speaker City Wide Initiative
$7.5 million to create a new Speaker City Wide Initiative to be allocated to non-profits that applied to the City Council’s discretionary funding.
$7.5 million allocated to Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs
$7.5 millionallocated to expand the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs’ existing services to include additional LGBTQIA+ specialized attorneys and social workers.
LGBTQ+ immigrants in New York face compounded barriers - from legal insecurity to housing instability and lack of access to affirming services. Yet, there is currently no dedicated funding stream to support their unique needs. No one should be left behind - regardless of immigration status or identity.
$15 Million will:
Provide legal services, Know Your Rights trainings, and immigration support
Fund community-based organizations serving LGBTQIA+ immigrant communities
Expand access to safe housing, healthcare, and social services
Ensure culturally competent, language-accessible, and affirming care
2026 Invest in TGNC New Yorkers Rally, City Hall Park, NYC
2026 Invest in TGNC New Yorkers Rally, City Hall Park, NYCProtect Immigrant LGBTQ+ Youth
Many LGBTQ+ youth arrive in NYC with deep trauma after fleeing systemic persecution, abuse, and family or community rejection based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. This is especially true for transgender refugees and asylum seekers, whose visible gender nonconformity makes them highly vulnerable to violence and persecution both in their home countries and along migration routes. Even after leaving, the trauma continues, as LGBTQ+ asylum seekers face disproportionate violence in transit and often arrive in the United States with little to no financial resources or support.
Without the proper services:
Mental health
Immigration
Legal Aid
Housing
LGBTQ+ youth are increasingly vulnerable to mental health crises. Many immigrants are currently ineligible for forms of shelter or housing assistance available to citizens or to those with lawful status, such as green cards.
Without access to Section 8 or CityFHEPS benefits, folks find themselves forced into homelessness, exacerbating pre-existing trauma and creating additional life stressors.
The financial difficulties of navigating an increasingly expensive immigration system play a key role in shaping our clients’ experiences with housing, employment, and mental health. Most notably, the constant changes to federal filing fee waivers, Employment Authorization, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.
To best serve the needs of youth, there is a need for lawyers who understand the legal landscape for unaccompanied youth and for increased funding to cover the rise in legal fees currently borne by non-profits with no extra support.
About the NYC Trans & Queer Coalition
Empower and Unify
NYCTQC is powered by a network of over 70 trans-led and LGBTQIA+ organizations working together to drive collective impact across New York City. Rooted in community, we bring together advocates, providers, and leaders to fight for safety, dignity, and equity for all LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers.
What We’ve Done
In 2025, we’ve led a historic campaign - securing $13.725M in new NYC funding for TGNCNB-led and serving organizations, including the nation’s first Gender Affirming Care for Youth Fund. In partnership with the City Council, NYCTQC also advanced the Trans Futures Package, delivering stronger, lasting protections for TGNCNB New Yorkers.
The New York City Trans & Queer Coalition (NYCTQC) is a citywide coalition of trans-led and LGBTQIA+ missioned organizations advocating for safety, housing, healthcare, education, and dignity for ALL LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers.
What we will do
This year, NYCTQC is building on last year’s momentum - pushing NYC to go further by investing $10M in the Trans Equity Initiative, $15M in Gender Affirming Care for Youth, $15M for Persons Involved in the Sex Trade, and creating a new LGBTQIA+ Immigrant Legal Services Fund.
Together, we
Build collective power through coordination, strategy, and advocacy
Develop and advocate for community-driven budget and legislative proposals
Share resources, tools, and support across member organizations