By Rashida Akter
The New York City Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs held an ethnic media roundtable on Thursday, bringing together community and immigrant press to introduce the office’s new commissioner and outline its priorities and upcoming initiatives under the Mamdani administration.
The event marked the first formal introduction of Commissioner Faiza N. Ali to ethnic media, and she wasted little time laying out an ambitious agenda centred on three core pillars — community engagement, economic justice for immigrant workers, and expanding access to city services for immigrant New Yorkers across all five boroughs.
At the heart of Commissioner Ali’s vision is rebuilding trust between immigrant communities and their government, a relationship that has been strained in recent years amid federal immigration enforcement actions and widespread fear among immigrant households. “We want to make sure immigrant New Yorkers know their rights and can access city services safely,” Commissioner Ali told roundtable participants. “People should
be able to go to school, seek healthcare or call for help without fear.”
The Commissioner pointed to Executive Order 13, which has strengthened the city’s sanctuary city laws, and a renewed push behind MOIA’s Know Your Rights campaigns as concrete expressions of that commitment. The goal, she said, is to ensure that no immigrant in New York City feels they must choose between accessing essential services and protecting their immigration status.
On the economic front, Commissioner Ali framed immigrant New Yorkers not as a vulnerable population to be managed, but as a vital engine of the city’s workforce and broader economy. “Immigrant New Yorkers are a critical part of the city’s workforce and economy,” she said, adding that MOIA will work to integrate immigrant families into Mayor Mamdani’s affordability agenda by expanding access to benefits, workforce pathways, small business support, and essential city services. This economic focus is reflected structurally in MOIA’s repositioning under the supervision and collaboration of Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su.
Commissioner Ali also reminded ethnic and community media members that MOIA operates a free Immigration Legal Support Hotline available to all New Yorkers. The hotline offers confidential immigration legal assistance in more than 200 languages and can be reached at 800-354-0365.
The roundtable signalled a clear shift in tone and direction for MOIA under the new administration, with Commissioner Ali presenting an office that sees itself as an active partner to immigrant communities rather than simply a service provider — one that is prepared to meet New Yorkers where they are, in their own languages and on their own terms.
