NYC Mayor: Haiti TPS Protections End, ICE Overreach, Small Business Corriders, Parents Night Out, Economic Justice For New Yorkers, Other Updates

Statement From Mayor Mamdani on Haiti TPS Protections Ending After Court Lifts Stay 

NEW YORK – In response to a federal court ruling ending deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants under Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani released the following statement:  

REMARKS AS PREPARED: MAYOR MAMDANI MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON STANDING UP TO ICE OVERREACH WITH GOVERNOR HOCHUL AND ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good afternoon. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership in protecting New York’s immigrant communities from mounting attacks that threaten their ability to live freely and safely. And I want to commend Attorney General James for her ongoing efforts to combat these injustices with the full force of New York’s legal power. We are together today to speak out against a grave injustice: the federal government’s refusal to renew its contract with the Acacia Center for Justice and nearly 100 more legal services providers after withholding more than $65 million in payment. 

As a de facto consequence of this decision, more than 25,000 unaccompanied immigrant children have had their legal representation abruptly ended, leaving them to navigate a broken immigration system alone. And for those currently being held in detention centers, without access to their lawyers, there is no longer anyone tasked with ensuring that they are healthy, safe and protected. That is a betrayal of some of the most vulnerable people in our city, and an insult to the very ideals upon which our nation was built. Today, as a result, children who have fled violence, trafficking, war and abuse will walk into courtrooms alone. 

They have been alone before. Many of them had no other option but to travel here by themselves, across thousands of miles. When they made it here to our city, they thought that the worst was behind them — that things would be different. But now, they will stand alone again as they face attacks from a trained government attorney across the aisle whose sole objective is to deport them back to the place they endured so much to escape. 

Some of these children are teenagers. Some are 10. Some are five. Some are even younger. Many do not yet speak the language in which they must defend themselves. And even if they do, they are children. They do not know how to navigate a courtroom, how to fill out an asylum application, how to ask for relief, how to gather evidence or plead their case. And yet, the consequences they will face, simply for coming to this country in search of a better life, will be immediate and severe. Without legal representation, fewer than one percent of immigrant children are granted immigration relief. 

The federal government will tell you that they have fulfilled this contract with other legal services providers. Yet they have selected firms that lack the credibility and the seriousness to protect these children — including one organization whose founder and former CEO, a retired ICE agent, resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations. Make no mistake about it: the refusal to renew this contract with providers who specialize in this work is nothing less than a deportation order. I know there are some on the right who may delight in that. And yet, what could be less American than depriving those within our justice system the fundamental right to due process? What is more antithetical to our values than targeting defenseless children? 

This cruelty is no faraway concept. ICE operates here in New York, terrorizing our immigrant families, breaking down their doors, separating children from their parents and casting them into this nightmare with no way out. Many of these children will appear alone in courthouses right here in our city. 

I am deeply grateful to the governor for her quick and decisive work to close the gap created by the termination of the contract with Acacia. This $7.25 million infusion of funds for legal services providers will make an enormous difference for over a thousand children in New York in active removal proceedings, 251 of whom are currently in detention. Nothing can undo the cruelty and injustice these children have already experienced, and nothing can undo the suffering that ICE has visited on so many others. 

But we can continue to do everything within our power to protect New Yorkers from being targeted by ICE with impunity, and to support all of our immigrant neighbors — especially Haitian and Syrian New Yorkers who have been left all too vulnerable with the revocation of their temporary protected status. Because here in New York City, we recognize New Yorkers as exactly that: New Yorkers. 

In February, I signed an Executive Order to bolster protections for immigrant New Yorkers, in part by mandating a citywide audit of policies and protocols that govern interactions between city agencies and federal immigration authorities. And our enacted city budget allocated $16.9 million for immigration legal services funding for unaccompanied children and increased our overall investment in immigration legal services by more than $30 million this year, bringing our total investment to more than $150 million. 

City Hall is also supporting TPS recipients in this time of incredible instability. New Yorkers who have questions or who would like to be connected with an attorney can get seek help via our Legal Immigration Support Hotline at 1-800-354-0365, or you can call 311 and ask for “Immigration Legal.” And we are providing free legal consultations as well as assistance navigating health insurance and other critical resources for affected City employees and their families. 

In the face of enormous cruelty, New York City and New York State will not sit idly by. We will confront these horrors and this pain with the action and solidarity they demand — and in doing so, we will show the federal government that we reject their inhumanity and their small view of what this nation can be. Thank you.

TRANSCRIPT: MAYOR MAMDANI HOSTS DOMINICAN HERITAGE RECEPTION

Mayor Mamdani Invests More Than $8.4 Million in Grants to Support Small Businesses and Commercial Corridors Citywide 

Nearly 90 grants will fund public art, street cleaning, wayfinding, neighborhood improvements and lighting, while expanding Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and deepening relationships between small businesses

Investment builds on Mamdani administration’s “OPEN for Small Business” initiative to slash red tape, reduce paperwork and cut fines for small businesses  

NEW YORK – Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kenny Minaya today announced more than $8.4 million in grants to community-based organizations across all five boroughs. The grants will bolster efforts to uplift small businesses, increase foot traffic and create cleaner, more vibrant neighborhoods.

The investments — one of the single largest releases of small business grants in SBS history — will support public art, street cleaning, lighting and wayfinding infrastructure, commercial district marketing campaigns, relationship-building among small businesses, and other neighborhood improvements. Altogether, the grants will support community-based organizations serving more than 20,000 small businesses.

“From colorful murals in Port Richmond to brighter street lamps in Harlem, these investments will bring new energy to neighborhoods across our city and new customers to the tens of thousands of small businesses that call them home. This $8.4 million investment will keep our sidewalks clean, our public spaces bright, and give more small business owners the resources they need to grow,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Our administration knows it’s not enough to make it easier to open a small business, you have to make it easier to visit one too. That’s why our commitment to small businesses means not only cutting red tape and reducing fines, but investing in the neighborhoods surrounding bodegas, bookshops and restaurants so that New York City is lined with ‘OPEN’ signs year-round.”

“Small businesses are the heartbeat of New York City’s economy, forming the foundation of lively and beautiful communities across all five boroughs,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “That’s why this administration is investing not only in the businesses themselves, but in the commercial corridors and neighborhoods where they live. These grants will make our communities more welcoming, strengthen local economies and help small businesses create good-paying jobs.”

“New York City’s neighborhoods are more than the places in which we live and work. They represent the diverse people, culture, and dynamism that make ours the greatest city in the world,” said SBS Commissioner Kenny Minaya. “These grants go beyond dollars and cents – they are direct investments in the people and organizations that know our main streets better than everyone else. These grants will fund additional sanitation services, public art, wayfinding, and more; and will make New York City into an even more prosperous and joyous place for everyone.”

“Mom-and-pop and small businesses give every block, every neighborhood, every borough its unique identity. Joining Commissioner Minaya on his 5-borough BID convening tour, I saw firsthand the important work our BIDs and community orgs are doing to support these businesses through a number of challenges,” said Mom-and-Pop Czar Delia Awusi. “This $8.4 million investment puts more resources behind the organizations that know their communities and small businesses best.”

Shortly after taking office, Mayor Mamdani signed Executive Order 11, directing seven City agencies to catalogue their penalties and fees and identify ways to reduce them. Building on those efforts, Mayor Mamdani last month announced “OPEN for Small Business,” a package of more than 50 reforms that touch nearly every type of small business in New York City and makes it easier and cheaper to own and operate a small businesses across the five boroughs.

The $8.4 million in grants announced today build on those efforts by enlivening neighborhoods and directing additional foot traffic to commercial corridors. To celebrate the grants, Commissioner Minaya hosted a monthlong, five-borough tour with stops in Harlem, Manhattan; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Downtown Jamaica, Queens; Lou Gehrig Plaza in The Bronx; and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

In addition to seven citywide disbursements totaling $500,000, each borough of New York City will receive the following:

• 17 Grants to organizations in The Bronx, totaling $1,550,000
• 32 Grants to organizations in Brooklyn, totaling $2,774,135
• 14 grants to organizations in Manhattan, totaling $1,525,299
• 19 grants to organizations in Queens, totaling $1,514,800
• 7 grants to organizations in Staten Island, totaling $550,000

Mayor Mamdani, NYCHA to Bring Public Engagement Forums Directly to NYCHA Residents Across All Five Boroughs this Fall 

More than 400 New Yorkers joined inaugural “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” forums to connect directly with senior City and NYCHA leaders

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt announced the next five “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” events, bringing senior City and NYCHA leaders directly into public housing communities across all five boroughs from September through December.

The first three forums, held in May and June, brought 446 New Yorkers together with City and NYCHA leadership and resulted in 151 issues that received follow-up.

“NYCHA residents deserve a government that treats their concerns with urgency and respect. They deserve to be heard directly by the people responsible for delivering the services they rely on. We are putting NYCHA residents at the center of our policymaking, and these events give New Yorkers a direct line to City leaders, the opportunity to share their experiences and get the support they need to make their homes better,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We are making a historic $5.6 billion capital investment in NYCHA, and we’re bringing that same sense of urgency to every neighborhood we serve.”

“’NYCHA in Your Neighborhood’ has proven that when we meet residents where they are for direct, face-to-face engagement, we can make a meaningful difference,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Our inaugural events welcomed a combined total of over 400 attendees and resulted in the subsequent follow-up on more than 150 issues — demonstrating the value of connecting residents directly with NYCHA leadership and City services. We are excited to bring this level of direct interaction to all five boroughs for our next round of events, and grateful to Mayor Mamdani and our City partners for their continued collaboration and support as we work together to ensure NYCHA resident voices are heard and their concerns are addressed.”

At “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” events, residents can participate in small-group discussions with senior City and NYCHA leaders, share feedback, ask questions and receive assistance. Residents can raise issues affecting their developments, buildings and apartments, including repairs, community programming, pests and waste, elevators, mold, lead and public safety.

The next round of NYCHA in Your Neighborhood events will be held on:

• Wednesday, September 16 – Queens
• Wednesday, September 30 – Staten Island
• Wednesday, October 14 – the Bronx
• Wednesday, November 18 – Brooklyn
• Wednesday, December 2 – Manhattan

Each forum will run from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, and will cover all NYCHA developments in the borough rather than a single property. NYCHA residents can learn more and register for upcoming events HERE.

The forums will include small-group discussions with NYCHA and City Hall leadership, as well as resource tables where residents can speak one-on-one with NYCHA staff about apartment repairs, tenancy concerns, environmental issues and other needs. Residents can also connect with staff from the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants and other City agencies including the Department of Social Services (DSS), Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Department for the Aging (DFTA) and NYC Parks.

“NYCHA in Your Neighborhood” builds on the Authority’s ongoing engagement with public housing residents, including resident leadership and tenant association meetings, board meetings, resident roundtables and surveys. Residents at each development also have a direct line to NYCHA through their Property Management Office and dedicated on-site staff, as well as specialty teams that respond around the clock to emergency heating, elevator and skilled-trades repair needs.

NYCHA residents who need assistance can call the Customer Contact Center at 718-707-7771 or submit work tickets through the MyNYCHA application

Mayor Mamdani joins New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Tisch for a security briefing ahead of the Dominican Day Parade. Police Headquarters; One Police Plaza, Manhattan. Friday, August 7, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

“‘NYCHA in Your Neighborhood’ creates a unique avenue for dialogue between residents and senior leaders across the Authority,” said NYCHA Chief Operating Officer Eva Trimble. “The first three events showed that residents are eager to connect directly to executive and specialty staff and that NYCHA’s leadership always has more to learn about the resident experience. It has been a truly extraordinary opportunity to meet with so many residents face-to-face, and we look forward to continuing these informative discussions this fall.”

“We commend NYCHA and the Administration for organizing these outreach events,” said Fr. Frank Skelly, a leader with Metro IAF. “In our decades of organizing with NYCHA tenants in our congregations and their neighborhoods, far too often, we have heard people tell us how difficult it often is to interact with the Housing Authority and to get clear, reliable information. We know there are many people inside NYCHA working to improve this, and we’ve seen progress, though there’s still a long way to go. This kind of outreach event is one piece of helping tenants connect with the parts of the Housing Authority they need to get their issues resolved.”

“Too often, NYCHA residents are left to navigate serious housing issues with little assistance or entirely on their own,” said Lucy Newman, Supervising Attorney in the Public Housing Unit at The Legal Aid Society. “NYCHA in Your Neighborhood is a great way to help address that problem by bringing residents, agency leadership, and critical services together in one place. The Legal Aid Society is proud to participate, and we look forward to speaking directly with residents and helping ensure they have the tools and resources needed to assert their rights and maintain safe, stable homes.”

“For Queensbridge residents, direct access to NYCHA’s senior leadership is both meaningful and long overdue. Bringing NYCHA’s C-suite into the community gives residents an opportunity to speak directly to the decision-makers about the conditions affecting their homes and families and, just as importantly, to be heard. As someone who was raised in Queensbridge and has spent decades serving this community, I know residents are not merely looking for another forum; they are looking for responsiveness, accountability, and results. ‘NYCHA in Your Neighborhood’ can help strengthen trust by bringing leadership closer to the people they serve and turning residents’ lived experiences into meaningful action,” said Bishop Mitchell G. Taylor, Co-Founder and CEO, Urban Upbound.

A Little Time for Parents, A Lot of Fun for Kids: Mayor Mamdani’s First Parents’ Night Out

Nearly 300 children attended the City’s first Parents’ Night Out, giving parents time to recharge, reconnect and enjoy New York City  

“I want to go back up and do more!” — said Wyatt, age 6, who arrived crying and initially did not want to stay  

Video can be found here and photos are below. 

NEW YORK – This past weekend, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura hosted New York City’s first Parents’ Night Out, giving nearly 300 children a night of fun at recreation centers across all five boroughs while their parents enjoyed a few hours to themselves.  

The program was hosted at the Kwame Ture Recreation Center in the Bronx, Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn, Highbridge Recreation Center in Manhattan, Al Oerter Recreation Center in Queens and Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island. Participating children also received free NYC Parks Recreation Center memberships, with more than 100 new memberships issued throughout the evening.   

“Every parent knows that a few hours to yourself can feel like a luxury. It shouldn’t be,” said Mayor Mamdani. “That’s why we launched New York City’s first-ever Parents’ Night Out, so parents can catch a movie, run errands or go on a date without worrying about who will take care of the kids — or how much it will cost. Making New York City more affordable isn’t just about lowering costs, it’s about giving people back their time. This administration is committed to making it easier to raise a family in the greatest city in the world.”  

“Parents and caregivers spend so much of their time taking care of everyone else, and they deserve an opportunity to recharge,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “Our first-ever Parent’s Night Out was about making sure our administration is working for New Yorkers by providing a free, safe and fun experience for children while giving families a few hours to themselves. Whether it’s enjoying dinner or simply taking a well-earned break, we were proud to offer an affordable program that supports families and strengthens our communities.” 

In a survey of participating parents, families shared how they spent their time: 

• 29% enjoyed some “me time.”   

• 22% enjoyed a date night.  

• 19% dined at a local restaurant.  

• 16% went shopping.  

• 9% spent time with friends or family.  

• 7% visited a cultural institution.  

• 5% relaxed or caught up on sleep.   

What Parents Had to Say

“I give a 10/10 rating on this event! I cherished the time I had. My daughter had a tremendous evening filled with endless fun. The dinner was delicious with many choices. Every single staff member that I interacted with/observed went above and beyond to be helpful and kind! The rec center in the Bronx is well taken care of, and a great environment. The schedule of events was a dream for my daughter. For me, programming like this is life changing. As a parent, I’m endlessly in survival mode; this night created breathing room while providing joyful social enrichment for my daughter at the same time. Thank you very much to all. Please consider doing more of this, if there is the capacity.” ~ Kwame Ture Recreation Center

“This event was such a gift. As a working mom, alone time and free childcare is so rare, so having a few hours to myself was really special. I went home, made myself something to eat, and mostly just spent time planning my Monday so I could feel a bit less overwhelmed. It sounds simple, but it was so nice to know my city had my back, and my kids were having fun with other great NYC kids! Programming like this gives parents like me a chance to breathe, and that breathing room matters more than people realize. Thank you for creating a space where my children could have fun and I could have some time for me.” ~ Highbridge Recreation Center  

“My husband and I don’t have a village and are almost never without our kids unless they are at school. It was nice to get some time to go for a quiet walk around the city and not feel nervous about who are children were with or if they were having a good time. The entire experience was amazing and the staff at the Highbridge location is top tier!” ~ Highbridge Recreation Center  

“I would like to take the time to give a major shout out to all of your employees at Al Oerter on Sunday, April 16th. Thank you to the Mayor and the Commissioner of Parks. Thank you for the extraordinary and exceptional customer service given to my children. Truly amazing group of counselors who gave all our children a memorable and fun Sunday night. Thanks for the goody bags and the awesome tote bag.” ~Al Oerter Recreation Center  

What Kids Had to Say

• Wyatt, 6, who arrived crying and initially did not want to stay: “I want to go back up and do more!”  

• Zariza, 9: “I had a very fun time. My favorite part was bracelet making.”  

• Noah, 11: “I liked the robotics.”  

• Scarlett, 13: “I liked the jumbo games and board games with the Playmobil.”  

F

Parents Night Out At Parks. Image Credit – NYC Parks

Free and Low-Cost Cultural Experiences 

Through a partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Parents’ Night Out also gave parents the opportunity to enjoy free and low-cost cultural experiences across the city while their kids had fun at NYC Parks recreation centers.  

Participating cultural institutions included the Museum of the City of New York, American Museum of Natural History, Studio Museum in Harlem, Museum of the Moving Image, Queens Botanical Garden and Snug Harbor Cultural Center.   

Parents’ Night Out reflects the Mamdani administration’s commitment to making recreation more accessible and supporting working families by creating affordable opportunities that improve quality of life for New Yorkers.   

Mayor Mamdani, D.A. Bragg and DCWP Commissioner Levine Join Forces to Deliver Economic Justice for New Yorkers  

City and Manhattan D.A.’s offices will collaborate to protect vulnerable New Yorkers from unlawful practices 

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. and Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine announced a new partnership to combat wage theft, tenant harassment and fraud targeting immigrants. Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed today, DCWP and the Manhattan D.A.’s Office will coordinate more closely on investigations and enforcement, including by sharing information, data and investigative strategies to more efficiently crack down on unlawful practices and hold accountable those who harmworkers, tenants, immigrants and other New Yorkers.

“If someone steals your wages, harasses you out of your home or scams you because of your immigration status, that’s a crime, and we’re going after it like one. DCWP and the Manhattan D.A.’s Office are now sharing files, sharing leads, and moving together,” said Mayor Mamdani. “New Yorkers who do the right thing and go to work every day deserve a city that has their back.”

“We need all hands on deck to protect the New Yorkers who are bearing the brunt of the affordability crisis. One of my top priorities as District Attorney is taking on bad actors that target vulnerable Manhattanites through wage theft, scams, tenant harassment, and more. By partnering with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, we will be better equipped to ensure accountability through efficient, effective criminal and civil proceedings. I thank Commissioner Levine and his team, and look forward to our collaboration to protect New Yorkers’ wallets and homes,” said District Attorney Bragg.

“This partnership allows New York City to work smarter and better to deliver economic justice faster,” said Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. “By sharing data, strategy, and a three-pronged focus on some of New York’s most vulnerable communities, DCWP and the D.A.’s office are well-positioned to achieve swift accountability and real economic relief.”

“A wage theft complaint and a criminal case used to move on separate tracks. Now DCWP and the D.A.’s Office are working off the same information, at the same time,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “That’s faster accountability for the people who need it most — the delivery worker who didn’t get paid, the tenant getting pushed out of their home and the immigrant who got fleeced by a notario.”

About the Partnership

Under the MOU, the Manhattan D.A.’s Office and DCWP will share information, including confidential information, to further investigations and cases, consistent with applicable law. The offices will coordinate investigative actions, including parallel criminal and civil proceedings where appropriate. Each office will retain full independent authority over matters within its jurisdiction.

DCWP has long referred matters to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for criminal review. This partnership strengthens that referral process and adds information-sharing that will allow both agencies to act more efficiently to protect New Yorkers.

The offices will also host a boroughwide outreach event with local labor, consumer protection and immigration organizations to raise awareness of New Yorkers’ consumer and worker rights.

Mayor Mamdani holds an ethnic and community media roundtable focused on extreme weather. City Hall. Friday, August 7, 2026. Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.

About the Offices

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigates and prosecutes violations of New York State Penal Law, Labor Law and related statutes concerning wage theft, labor exploitation, worker endangerment, immigrant-directed fraud, predatory and harassing landlord conduct and associated offenses.

Recent cases include the indictment of a luxury clothing brand for alleged worker exploitation and wage theft, the indictment of an individual for allegedly stealing from mobile food vendors and the guilty plea of a rental scammer who defrauded victims out of thousands of dollars.

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) is the nation’s leading municipal enforcement agency charged with delivering economic justice and protecting New Yorkers from predatory, deceptiveand unfair practices. DCWP enforces the City’s Consumer Protection Law (CPL), the FARE Act and labor laws including the Protected Time Off Law, the Fair Workweek Law and Delivery Worker Laws.

DCWP enforces the CPL against businesses that target immigrants with deceptive or predatory conduct and enforces specific laws and rules requiring transparency from Immigration Assistance Service Providers (ISPs), including people or businesses that charge fees for immigration-related services, often known as “notarios.”

ISPs often target and mislead immigrant New Yorkers by charging excessive or illegal fees, falsely claiming they can provide legal advice or unlawfully “guaranteeing” immigration results.

New Yorkers who believe their worker or consumer rights have been violated should file a complaint immediately at nyc.gov/dcwp.