At The Legal Aid Society our Civil, Criminal Defense, Juvenile Rights, and Pro Bono practices work tirelessly in and out of the courtroom to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving in New York City. We seek to be a beacon of hope for those who feel neglected —regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Our experienced teams provide comprehensive services, support, and advocacy that protect rights, keep families and communitiess together, and in many cases, changes lives. We have an intrinsic connection to the daily lives of New Yorkers. Here are a few of the places we made a difference, provided context or added valuable perspective this week.

The City: How the City’s Mental Health System Failed Jabez Chakraborty
The Marshall Project: Challenges Await Mamdani as Hopes Rise for Closure of Rikers Island
amNY: City to close shelter as Mamdani seeks to end crisis-era shelter and Rikers policies
City Limits: Mamdani’s Approach to Homeless Sweeps
Hoodline: New York City to Close Final Emergency Migrant Shelter in the Bronx
NY Post: Dems erupt after ICE agent uses handcuffed man’s head as ‘battering ram’
Capitol Confidential: Hochul says Trump won’t send an ICE surge unless she asks
The City: Bellevue Hospital a De Facto Homeless Shelter, as Winter Storms Test City Outreach
Gothamist: Mounting eviction cases show even NYC’s ‘affordable’ housing is getting too expensive
Hyperallergic: Manhattan DA Drops Charges Against Photographer Alexa Wilkinson
Davis Vanguard: As Rikers Closure Stalls, Mayor Pushes Jail and Housing Reforms
The Imprint: NYC Mayor’s Search for a Child Welfare Commissioner Sparks Controversy
City Limits: Federal Proposal Would Ban Undocumented Immigrants from Public Housing
City & State: Who Is Rafael Rubio, the NYC Council Staffer Still Being Held by ICE?
The City: Unions, NYCLU Slam Bills That Would Grant Police More Power Over Protests
The City: What’s to Come at ‘Rental Ripoff’ Hearings? Tenant Hotline Staff Hear It All
Hoodline: Manhattan DA Bails on NYT Protest Rap for Photographer Alexa Wilkinson
NYS Focus: Is a Solution to New York’s Food Stamp Theft Finally on the Horizon?
Times Union: Prison watchdog group urges governor to restore funding
Law360: Judge Taps Ex-CIA, Corrections Pro To Clean Up NYC’s Rikers
El Diario: Organizaciones piden desestimar demanda de Trump contra ciudades santuario