Immigrant Children Advocates’ Relief Effort (ICARE)

ICARE is a citywide coalition dedicated to ensuring unaccompanied immigrant children in New York City are not left to face immigration court alone. Founded in 2014, ICARE brings together leading legal service providers—Catholic Charities, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) The Legal Aid Society, Safe Passage Project, The Door—to deliver coordinated, high-quality representation and holistic support for children who have fled violence, exploitation, or instability in their home countries.

ICARE operates as the backbone of New York City’s safety net for unaccompanied children. The coalition manages a centralized referral and waitlist system that screens and matches children with experienced attorneys and connects families to culturally and linguistically competent social services. ICARE also delivers Know-Your-Rights education and court support, ensuring that children and families understand the legal process and are not left to navigate hearings alone.

Beyond direct service coordination, ICARE strengthens the city’s legal service infrastructure through training and technical assistance for attorneys and volunteers, court observation and data collection to inform advocacy, and coalition convenings that align providers and reduce duplication. This collaborative model ensures more children move quickly from intake to representation, while also addressing systemic challenges that perpetuate inequity.

Each year, ICARE reaches more than 2,000 children across the five boroughs, providing a pathway to legal relief such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, or other forms of protection. More than 90% of children represented by ICARE providers secure relief, stabilizing their lives and keeping families together.

Through coordination, advocacy, and collective impact, ICARE ensures that immigrant children in New York City are seen, supported, and given a fair chance to build safe, stable futures.