Immigration Affairs Coordinator: Assistant District Attorney Saad Siddiqui
Contact: TIP Line: (914) 995-8477
E-mail: ssiddiqui@westchesterda.net
All residents in Westchester County have the right to live without being victimized by anyone. Individuals can safely report a crime committed against them or a crime they have witnessed, even if they do not speak English, do not understand the laws of the United States, or are living in the United States without legal status. The Immigration Affairs Coordinator for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to assisting Westchester County’s various immigrant communities in navigating the criminal justice system.
In collaboration with other Coordinators and Bureaus in the Office, such as the Hate and Bias Crime Coordinator, Labor and Wage Theft Coordinator, and our Special Prosecutions Division, we can ensure that crimes targeting the immigrant community are addressed fairly and thoroughly. With immigrants often falling victim to theft, fraud and other acts with criminals targeting those seeking residency, citizenship or legal status in exchange for large sums of money or personal identifying information, educational outreach is provided to the immigrant community to help thwart potential scams and avoid victimization. Undocumented residents, who may fear cooperation with law enforcement due to their immigration status, are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
An Immigrant Affairs hotline is available at (914) 995-8477 for anyone to safely and anonymously report any type of crime.
An Immigration Committee also oversees requests to consider potential consequences to matters investigated and prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office. Office personnel is trained and advised on the collateral consequences of criminal convictions, and when appropriate, the Immigration Affairs Coordinator assists in crafting dispositions on low-level offenses that will not have unintended adverse impacts to a defendant’s immigration status, housing, employment, or professional license.
Serving as a liaison to foster cooperation within the legal system, the District Attorney’s Office encourages both victims and witnesses, and their advocates, to work with our Office to investigate and prosecute cases.
The District Attorney’s Office aids in the U-Visa process by reviewing certification requests for people who have been victims of crimes in Westchester County. To qualify for certification, the victim must be fully cooperative in the prosecution of a case handled by the District Attorney’s Office, and must be a victim of a qualifying criminal activity as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Immigrant Bill of Rights
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office (“WCDAO”) is committed to ensuring the protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution apply to every person, regardless of immigration status.
Given the WCDAO’s commitment to the ideals set forth above, the WCDAO will ensure all community members, including non-citizens — regardless of their immigration status — are treated fairly and equally, and that, when possible, no one is unjustly impacted by the criminal legal system.
To that end:
• The WCDAO will investigate and prosecute individuals or businesses that target and exploit immigrants through fraud, wage theft, or otherwise.
• The WCDAO encourages both documented and undocumented immigrant victims and witnesses to cooperate with law enforcement.
• The WCDAO will not let the immigration status of cooperating witnesses/victims prevent their participation in the criminal justice process.
• The WCDAO, when asked and where appropriate, will provide cooperating witnesses/victims with assistance in obtaining U-Visas.
• The WCDAO will work with defense attorneys, when asked and where appropriate, to find immigration-neutral outcomes for noncitizen defendants, including offering programs that expand alternatives to convictions and incarceration.
• The WCDAO will work with defense attorneys, when possible, to erase the unintended immigration consequences of old convictions.
If you are an immigrant who has been the victim of and/or a witness to a crime of any kind, the WCDAO urges you to reach out to us through our confidential hotline: (914) 995-8477.
We are here to help.
