New York Puts $7.25M Into Migrant Children Legal Aid

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is committing $7.25 million in taxpayer funds to provide legal representation for roughly 1,400 unaccompanied migrant children facing federal deportation proceedings. The move comes after the Trump administration ended a contract for legal services for migrant children and as federal immigration enforcement expands nationwide. Hochul argues that state and local resources should focus on criminal law enforcement rather than federal civil immigration enforcement. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also highlighted his administration’s $153 million investment in legal representation for immigrants. The debate raises a major question for taxpayers: How much should state and local governments spend on immigration-related services, and who should ultimately pay for them? Greg Bishop has the latest from The Center Square. Subscribe for more reporting on taxes, government spending, the economy, immigration policy and the taxpayer impact of government decisions.