Legal Aid

Immigration officers arrested people in The Bronx during an early-morning raid.

One Hundred NYC Immigrants Arrested in Week One of Trump ICE Raids

Feb. 5, 2025, 6:40 p.m.Feb. 6, 2025, 9:05 a.m.

Little is known about where many of those arrested are being held, and immigration lawyers tell THE CITY they have had difficulty locating and ing those detained.

Brooklyn Defenders Legal Director Yung-Mi Lee stands outside of criminal court on Schermerhorn Street.

How to New York: Court

How Public Defenders Work in NYC, and Who’s Eligible for a Free Attorney

April 8, 2024, 5:01 a.m.May 30, 2024, 12:34 p.m.

From criminal defense to Family Court, here’s what you need to know about free legal help in New York City courts.

Migrant Crisis

Gov. Hochul Backs Adams’ Call To Suspend ‘Right to Shelter’ During Asylum Crisis

Oct. 11, 2023, 6:35 p.m.Oct. 13, 2023, 10:47 a.m.

Mayor Eric Adams has asked a judge to let him suspend the city’s 42-year-old obligation to provide a bed to anyone who requests it, as migrants overwhelm the city’s shelter system.

Legal Aid

Overwhelmed With Cases, Free Housing Lawyers Ask for Four Times the Funding

April 14, 2023, 5:05 a.m.April 14, 2023, 9:05 a.m.

“We have nonprofits that are stretched too thin, and they are rejecting cases because they’re not getting the resources they need from the city,” said City Councilmember Shaun Abreu.

Housing

Harlem Tenants Ask Judge to Penalize Landlord of Building Rife With Rats and Leaks

March 2, 2023, 5:03 a.m.March 2, 2023, 3:16 p.m.

The city’s housing agency is also suing, seeking to have heat and hot water restored to residents suffering multiple plagues.

Gun Violence

City Defense Attorneys Use Supreme Court Gun Decision to Challenge Possession Charges

July 26, 2022, 5:52 p.m.July 26, 2022, 5:53 p.m.

At least one judge has already rejected the argument, noting that “failing to seek a license before roaming the streets with a loaded firearm is not abiding by the law” and that “The Constitution is not a suicide pact.”