Bronx Defenders Statement on Passage of Protect Our Courts Act

July 22, 2020

CONTACT
Ryan Karerat, The Bronx Defenders (RKarerat@bronxdefenders.org)

(NEW YORK, NY) – Sarah Deri Oshiro, Managing Director of the Immigration Practice at The Bronx Defenders, issued the following statement in response to the passage in the New York State Senate today of the Protect Our Courts Act:

“We applaud the New York State Senate and Assembly for standing with immigrants and passing the Protect Our Courts Act (POCA), which will keep ICE from using our courts as a trap to arrest non-citizen New Yorkers. In passing  POCA, New York lawmakers recognize that everyone, regardless of immigration status, should have equal access to the legal system, and that no one should fear that their presence at a court appearance could result in detention, deportation, and permanent separation from loved ones. Today New York stands with immigrant New Yorkers against ICE’s harmful and predatory practices.  We hope POCA paves the way for other states to afford the same protections to immigrants nationwide.”