ICARE (The Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort)

In courtrooms across New York City, children sometimes stand alone to represent themselves before a judge.

They may be 16, 12, or even as young as 4, having recently arrived in the United States after fleeing violence, abandonment, or instability in their home countries. Many have family somewhere in the city, often in neighborhoods like Brooklyn, where immigrant communities have long been woven into the fabric of the borough. But when their immigration cases begin, one thing is not guaranteed: a lawyer.

That gap is where ICARE, the Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort, steps in.

Founded in 2014, ICARE serves as a coordinating hub connecting unaccompanied immigrant children with free legal representation and vital support services. Rather than operating as a single legal organization, ICARE brings together a coalition of 13 legal service providers to match children with attorneys experienced in working with young people navigating the immigration system.

“We are really the infrastructure that makes representation possible,” says Sierra Kraft, the Executive Director of ICARE. “Children come to us, and we work to connect them with the right legal support and other resources they may need to stabilize their lives.”

Over the past decade, that network has supported more than 15,000 young people across New York City, including thousands living in Brooklyn.

Many of these children are eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a pathway toward legal protection for youth who have experienced abuse, abandonment or neglect by a parent. Their stories often begin with profound hardship, but ICARE believes their futures should not be defined by it.

When young people reach out to ICARE, the coalition works to understand their broader needs, including housing, education, healthcare, food, clothing, and emotional support. Through partnerships across the city, they connect youth to services that help them navigate daily life while their legal cases move forward.

“We’re not just looking at their legal status,” Kraft explains. “We’re asking them, ‘What do you need to feel supported?”

That approach recognizes something fundamental about immigrant youth: their resilience.

Many have endured trauma, from family separation to navigating long journeys alone. Yet they arrive determined to build new lives for themselves in communities across the city.

Nearly a third of the young people ICARE serves live in Brooklyn, reflecting the borough’s long-standing role in welcoming immigrant families seeking opportunity and belonging.

But the judicial system these young people face is increasingly difficult to navigate, especially alone.

Immigration court does not guarantee the right to an attorney. Without organizations like ICARE, children may be expected to represent themselves before a judge.

“That’s the reality,” Kraft says. “If you can’t find or afford a lawyer, you’re expected to speak for yourself in court, even if you’re a child.”

Recent policy shifts have intensified these challenges. Cases that once allowed time to find representation are now moving more quickly through the system, with some youth given only weeks to secure an attorney before their hearings move forward, even without an attorney.

For children still adjusting to a new country, a new language, and unfamiliar legal systems, the consequences can be life-altering.

In response, ICARE connects youth with lawyers while advocating for broader systemic change, monitoring immigration courts and pushing for expanded public funding.

Their message is simple: children should not face deportation proceedings alone.

Support from Brooklyn Org has helped ICARE strengthen the infrastructure that makes its coalition model possible. As federal immigration funding becomes increasingly unstable, having local support is critical. Beyond funding, Brooklyn Org has connected ICARE to new networks and community partners across the borough, strengthening its ability to serve young people and expand its reach.

“It’s critical to have partners who understand the importance of this work,” Kraft says. “Because these young people are part of our communities. They are part of Brooklyn.”

For ICARE, the vision extends beyond individual cases.

The coalition hopes to build a future where every immigrant child in New York has access to legal representation and the support needed to thrive.

That means continuing to strengthen partnerships among legal providers, expanding resources for young people navigating the immigration system, and advocating for policies that recognize the humanity and potential of immigrant youth.

In Brooklyn and across the city, ICARE’s network continues to grow, ensuring that when young people step into a courtroom, they do not stand there alone.

Instead, they stand supported by a community determined to protect their futures.

This story was written by Victoria Liverpool.