Goldman, Espaillat, Velázquez, Ocasio-Cortez, Meng, Clarke, Nadler, Meeks, Tonko Call on New York State Legislature to Pass Legislation to Rein in Trump Administration, Protect Immigrant Communities in New York
Washington, DC - U.S. Representatives Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-7), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14), Grace Meng (D-NY-6), Yvette Clarke (D-NY-9), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12), Gregory Meeks (D-NY-5), and Paul Tonko (D-NY-20) sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul, New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, calling on the New York State Legislature to pass a group of immigration bills that will protect our immigrant neighbors, uphold constitutional rights, and reinforce New York State’s role as a check against unlawful federal overreach by the Trump Administration.
“As members of the New York Congressional delegation, we write to express our strong support for several pieces of legislation pending before the New York State Legislature,” the lawmakers wrote. “These legislative proposals aim to enact measured, targeted and necessary reforms of New York state law to protect New Yorkers and preserve constitutional boundaries between federal and state authorities. While Congressional Democrats continue to pursue federal solutions to fight back against the Trump administration, states remain an essential backstop when our fundamental rights and democratic institutions are under strain. We respectfully urge you to pass these bills and sign them into law as soon as possible.”
The congressional lawmakers encouraged the state legislature to advance:
S2235/A3506, commonly known as the New York for All Act, which would establish clear, statewide limits on state and local participation in civil immigration enforcement
S141/ A270, commonly known as the Access to Representation Act, legislation that guarantees access to counsel for individuals facing deportation
S8533, which reinforces New York’s sovereign authority by prohibiting the deployment of National Guard units under another state’s command without the consent of New York’s Governor
The effort was supported by the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC).
“Our immigrant communities are under attack in New York State and across the country. As the Trump administration continues to lawlessly inflict terror, it is essential that Albany steps up to say that enough is enough. The New York For All Act will ensure that no local or state resources across New York are used to assist Trump’s mass disappearance agenda, and the Access to Representation Act will ensure that every single immigrant New Yorker has a fair shot at defending themselves from deportation in immigration court. Together, New York State can protect every single person and every single family who calls our great state home. We commend our Congressional delegation for supporting this essential legislation, and look forward to Albany heeding their call this Legislative session,” said Murad Awawdeh, President & CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
The full letter can be read here and below.
Dear Governor Hochul, Speaker Heastie, and Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins:
As members of the New York Congressional delegation, we write to express our strong support for several pieces of legislation pending before the New York State Legislature. If signed into law, these important bills will protect our immigrant neighbors, uphold constitutional rights, and reinforce New York State’s role as a check against unlawful federal overreach by the Trump Administration.
Over the past year, we have directly witnessed how President Trump’s mass deportation agenda has increasingly targeted law-abiding immigrants and their loved ones, undermined due process in the immigration court system, and increasingly relied upon the expanded involvement of the U.S. military, including members of the National Guard, to instill fear, cause havoc and incite violence in cities across the country.
Accordingly, we strongly support the passage of S2235/A3506, (commonly known as the New York for All Act), which would establish clear, statewide limits on state and local participation in civil immigration enforcement, and require judicial warrants for federal immigration agents to access non-public state and local property, among other provisions.
In addition, we support S141/ A270, legislation that guarantees access to counsel for individuals facing deportation. Immigration court proceedings are among the most complex in the American legal system, yet many individuals are forced to navigate them alone without legal counsel. Ensuring access to legal representation is essential to due process and the efficient administration of justice. In fact, individuals who have legal representation are ten times more likely to win their immigration case and be granted relief that they are eligible for as opposed to those without a lawyer by their side.
Lastly, we support S8533, which reinforces New York’s sovereign authority by prohibiting the deployment of National Guard units under another state’s command without the consent of New York’s Governor—a necessary safeguard against unauthorized interstate deployments and an important affirmation of state control over the use of military force within its own borders.
These legislative proposals aim to enact measured, targeted and necessary reforms of New York state law to protect New Yorkers and preserve constitutional boundaries between federal and state authorities. While Congressional Democrats continue to pursue federal solutions to fight back against the Trump administration, states remain an essential backstop when our fundamental rights and democratic institutions are under strain. We respectfully urge you to pass these bills and sign them into law as soon as possible.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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