Bill > A02435

This bill clarifies and amends the Alex R. Jimenez New York State Military Immigrant Family Legacy Program, which helps military service members, veterans, and their family members with immigration services. The bill expands the definition of "intended recipients" to include a broader range of family members, such as spouses, domestic partners, parents, stepparents, adopted children, and next-of-kin of service members who died in service. It modifies the roles and responsibilities of liaisons at the Office for New Americans, shifting their focus from directly providing legal assistance to referring intended recipients to existing immigration service programs and community organizations. The bill also requires liaisons to maintain a multilingual hotline and website to provide information about immigration resources, coordinate with state agencies, and submit an annual report on the number of intended recipients referred to the program. Importantly, the bill includes a provision to protect the privacy of intended recipients by prohibiting the retention or disclosure of their personally identifying information. The program's primary goal remains helping military-connected immigrants secure legal status and citizenship in the United States.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2435