Mamdani pledges $165M for immigrant legal defense
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, pledged on Sept. 21, 2025 to invest $165 million in immigration legal defense and related services if elected. The plan — billed as part of 'Trump-proofing' the city — would sharply increase funding for programs including the Rapid Response Legal Collaborative, the New York Immigrant Family Unit Program and the Immigrant Opportunity Initiative and proposes paying for it via higher taxes on corporations and the top 1% of New Yorkers.
Politics
Immigration
Legal
🔍 Key Facts
- $165 million total pledge to expand immigrant legal defense and related services in New York City
- Program increases cited: Rapid Response Legal Collaborative from $500,000 to $25 million; NY Immigrant Family Unit Program from $16M to $30M; Immigrant Opportunity Initiative from $20M to $40M
- Campaign frames the proposal as creating 'the strongest sanctuary city in the country' and suggests raising taxes on corporations and the top 1% to fund it