U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez has led nine members of New York’s Congressional delegation in a call for the New York state legislature to immediately pass the New York for All Act, which would largely prohibit state and local law enforcement from working with federal immigration authorities such as ICE.
Velázquez and nine other New York congressional Democrats sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Tuesday urging the state legislature to pass New York for All before the summer recess.
The State Senate is scheduled to recess on Thursday, June 12, while the Assembly will recess five days later on June 17.
Queens lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng have joined Velázquez in signing the letter.
Meanwhile, numerous Queens-based state senators and assembly members have recently called on the state legislature to pass the New York for All Act, including State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assembly Members Claire Valdez and Jessica González-Rojas.
New York for All would prevent law enforcement, probation staff, state employees, municipal officers and county correctional officials from using public state resources for immigration enforcement. It would also require that ICE supply a judicial warrant in order to get help on immigration issues from local police or other officers.
ICE officers would also be prevented from accessing non-public areas of government property without a warrant, while state bodies would generally be prohibited from sharing an individual’s immigration status with federal immigration authorities.
Advocates state that the legislation is necessary in order to protect immigrant communities from immigration enforcement. They further state that the legislation will allow undocumented residents to live open lives, participate in their communities, provide for their family, and access health care without intimidation.
New York for All does not prohibit cooperation with immigration authorities on criminal investigations.
Members of New York’s Congressional delegation have called on the state legislature to pass the legislation before the summer recess.
“As members of New York’s Congressional Delegation, we believe that all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, must be able to participate in their communities, provide for their families, and access critical support without intimidation,” Congressional Democrats said in the letter.
The letter, which was also signed by U.S. Reps Jerry Nadler, George Latimer, Paul Tonko, Yvette Clarke, Adriano Espaillat and Ritchie Torres, stated that the “onslaught of attacks” on immigrant communities across the nation intensifies the need for the New York for All Act.
Since the start of this federal administration, the President has unleashed chaos and cruelty on immigrants, tearing families apart, disappearing people, using political repression tactics, and
disregarding court orders with impunity,” Democrats said in the letter.
“Among those targeted are people with and without immigration status, long time green card holders and even U.S. citizens. These unprecedented attacks on New Yorkers create chaos and fear, putting all our safety at risk.”
Lawmakers wrote that they cannot “stand idly by” while constituents are targeted by the Trump Administration’s “mass deportation dragnet.”
“New York must be clear that it will establish critical guardrails to prevent local and state resources from being used for Trump’s mass deportation agenda and that our local and state agencies will not conspire with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). NY4All ensures just that.”
The Congressional Democrats wrote that the legislation will help protect due process in New York State resources are not used to facilitate “inhumane family separation.” They further contended that the legislation will allow all New Yorkers to participate openly in their communities.
Lawmakers also noted that the legislation will not prevent ICE from enforcing immigration law, writing that it also does not limit local police from enforcing criminal law. They contended that similar statewide laws or policies have succeeded in Oregon, Illinois, California, New Jersey and Washington.
“We urge the New York State Legislature to reject Trump’s efforts to scapegoat our most vulnerable neighbors as a pretense for dismantling our core democratic institutions.”
Linda Flor Brito, Senior Policy and Campaigns Organizer with the Immigrant Defense Project, also called on the state legislature to pass the legislation immediately.
“ICE entanglement with state and local agencies enables the separation of families, and further perpetuates a cruel double punishment of New Yorkers who are funneled from state prison sentences to ICE,” Flor Brito said in a statement.
Zach Ahmad, Senior Policy Counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union, said the Trump Administration is “wreaking havoc” on New York’s immigrant communities and said the legislation would help all New Yorkers feel safe and protected.
“Between raiding workplaces, detaining children, and busting down people’s doors without a warrant, this anti-immigrant administration is hellbent on terrorizing New York’s immigrant communities,” Ahmad said in a statement.
