New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga has secured $100,000 in state funding for the Emerald Isle Immigration Center to support immigration services for families in Woodside and across New York City.
The Fiscal Year 2026–27 funding will help the nonprofit continue providing assistance with citizenship applications, immigration benefits, legal information and other support for immigrants and their families, according to an announcement from Raga’s office.
The funding comes as nonprofit providers report growing demand for immigration-related services and pressure on the resources available to support immigrant communities.
“Emerald Isle Immigration Center has been a trusted resource and impactful advocate for immigrant families in Woodside and across New York City for generations,” Raga said. “I am proud to secure this funding so EIIC can continue providing the critical services and support that so many New Yorkers have come to rely upon.”
Raga said immigrant communities are facing “unprecedented uncertainty” and said he would continue working with community partners to ensure families can access information and assistance.
Siobhan Dennehy, EIIC’s executive director, thanked Raga for securing the allocation.
“At a time when other funding sources are being reduced and the need for trusted immigration services has never been greater, this support will allow us to continue helping individuals and families navigate the immigration system, pursue U.S. citizenship, and build secure futures,” Dennehy said.
Emerald Isle Immigration Center provides immigration, social-service, employment and community-support programs for immigrants and their families. Its immigration team assists people seeking citizenship, family reunification, legal status and other immigration-related benefits.
The organization serves immigrant communities from more than 130 countries of origin across New York City and New York State, according to Raga’s office.
The investment will help keep those services accessible to residents who rely on EIIC for guidance through the immigration system, the announcement said.
“Woodside has long been a welcoming home to immigrants from around the world,” Dennehy said. “This funding reflects a commitment to preserving that tradition and ensuring that immigrant families continue to have access to the resources and support they need to succeed.”
Raga, who was elected in 2022, represents a western Queens district that includes Woodside. He is the first Filipino American elected to the New York State Assembly and has previously focused on immigrant rights, language access, affordable housing, food security and other services for working families.
The announcement follows heightened concern among immigrant residents in Woodside after reports of recent immigration-enforcement activity in the neighborhood. Raga earlier criticized what he described as a campaign of fear and intimidation after reports of federal immigration arrests near 37th Avenue and 69th Street.
