Immigrant Advocates Decry Albany’s Failure to Pass the New York for All Act
Albany, New York — As the state legislative session came to a close, leaders faced an urgent choice: put their words condemning the federal administration’s onslaught against immigrant New Yorkers into action, or let their talk be just that — talk. By failing to pass the New York For All Act, they chose the latter, abandoning our most vulnerable New Yorkers in the process.
The New York for All Act would have made our state a safer, stronger place by ending local entanglement with ICE and protecting New Yorkers from arbitrary detention, deportation, and family separation. If passed, the bill would have prevented New York from colluding with the federal administration’s abhorrent campaign of mass deportation by prohibiting state resources, information, and personnel from being weaponized by federal immigration enforcement. The legislation would have set clear, sensible boundaries between the state and the federal government — as several other states have already done — making clear that protecting the safety and dignity of all New Yorkers is an urgent priority.
The New York For All Coalition stated:
“The New York For All Act was resoundingly popular, and supported not just by majorities in the Assembly and Senate, but by dozens of major labor unions, faith-based leaders, members of Congress, and New Yorkers across the State.
“Yet State leaders — Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins — failed to act. Whether due to lack of resolve or political miscalculation, they are putting the lives of thousands of New Yorkers, and those of their families, at grave risk of family separation, detention, and deportation. At a time when President Trump has explicitly targeted New Yorkers for mass expulsion, these leaders chose to leave the door open for New York to aid and be complicit in the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history.
“This could have been an opportunity to resist hate and fear with courage and community; however, leadership chose inaction and passivity — leaving thousands of immigrant New Yorkers vulnerable to family separation and deportation. This inexcusable and unpopular choice will result in devastating consequences to the stability of our families, communities and state economy. But the fight is not over. Every day, New Yorkers are standing up and using their voices to protest and protect one another as a community. Leadership and Governor Hochul can still take action — we join the legislators calling for a special session to pass the New York for All Act. In the months ahead, we, the people, will continue to advocate fiercely for the bill and will not stop until New York becomes the welcoming and protective home for all of its residents that it claims to be.”
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The New York for All Coalition Steering Committee includes The Bronx Defenders, The New York Immigration Coalition, Alianza Agricola, The New York Civil Liberties Union, The Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, The Vera Institute of Justice, The Immigrant Defense Project, and Make the Road New York.