Bill > S04538

This bill enacts the Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense (BUILD) Act, which establishes a competitive grant program to support legal representation for individuals facing deportation. Starting in 2025, the Office of New Americans will award grants to eligible community-based organizations, nonprofits, and educational institutions that currently receive funding and either provide immigration-related legal services or recruit and train legal service providers. The grants aim to develop and strengthen the legal services infrastructure by supporting activities such as workforce recruitment and training, technical assistance, local coordination services, staff retention strategies, and infrastructure improvements. An advisory committee of nine members appointed by the governor, assembly speaker, and senate president will help design grant policies, set priorities, and provide guidance. The committee will include representatives from various immigration service organizations and will serve without compensation. Grant recipients must use funds to enhance long-term capacity for providing high-quality, holistic, and linguistically appropriate legal representation, regardless of an individual's ability to pay or background. Grants will be four years long and potentially renewable, with annual reporting requirements to track the program's progress and outcomes.

Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4538