Mayor Zohran Mamdani has appointed Faiza Ali as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), succeeding Manuel Castro, who previously led the office. Ali brings more than a decade of experience in community engagement and city government, alongside extensive work in immigrant advocacy.
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Her career includes leadership positions in the New York City Council, where she served as First Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Community Engagement Division. She also held the role of Advocacy and Civic Engagement Director at the Arab American Association of New York, co-founded the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, and worked with Brooklyn Congregations United and CAIR-NY. Throughout her career, Ali has led initiatives to expand language access, support immigrant small business owners, and secure recognition of Muslim holidays in the city’s public schools.
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Mayor Mamdani highlighted Ali’s connection to immigrant communities, noting that as “the daughter of Pakistani immigrants, Faiza understands firsthand the promise and the precarity that define the immigrant experience in New York.” He emphasized her record of leadership in advancing immigrant rights and city services.
Ali expressed her commitment to her new role, stating, “This city gave us opportunity, stability, and the chance to put down roots, just as it has for generations of immigrants before us. It is an honor to serve as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.” She added that she will ensure all New Yorkers, regardless of origin, “can live, work, and raise families with dignity.”
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In her position, Ali will oversee programs to increase accessibility for non-English speakers, coordinate with other city agencies, and continue MOIA’s work serving the city’s 3.3 million immigrant residents. Castro, who previously held the post, oversaw the expansion of legal support centers, the creation of Asylum Seeker Navigation Centers, and emergency response strategies for arriving migrants. Ali is expected to build upon these initiatives while continuing the office’s focus on supporting both newly arrived and long-term immigrants.
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