Yonkers, NY-Today, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) joined with Decarcerate the Hudson Valley, a coalition of criminal justice advocates, to call for the passage of four bills - Elder Parole, Fair and Timely Parole, Clean Slate, and New York for All - ahead of the end of New York’s legislative session on June 10. Together, these four bills would reunite families, end perpetual punishment and address the criminalization of Black, brown and immigrant communities.
Formerly incarcerated people, immigrant families and community groups called for their passage in the remaining week of the legislative session. The New York for All Act would ensure New York State resources are not used to assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration authorities’ efforts to target immigrant New Yorkers.
“During a global pandemic which has left thousands dead and millions more jobless, New York should be prioritizing the health and security of every family and community-member,” said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition. “The New York for All Act offers protections that help all New Yorkers lead open lives without fear of being ripped from their families during normal everyday activities, like buying groceries or taking their children to school, by prohibiting local law enforcement and state agencies from conspiring with ICE or participating in its cruelty. Combined with the Clean Slate and Fair and Timely Parole Acts, this legislation will address deep inequities in our criminal legal system. We thank New York For All Act’s champions, Senator Salazar and Assemblymember Reyes, for recognizing the importance of keeping New York families together and in their communities.”
"Many immigrant New Yorkers live with the anxiety that living daily life - whether it be attending school, or visiting a public hospital for care – could lead to being torn away from family,” said Senator Julia Salazar. “This fear is especially damaging during the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing key communities away from the necessary care they need to protect themselves and other New Yorkers. This is exactly why we must pass the New York for All Act which would prevent ICE from continuing to lean on local law enforcement and local government agencies to search for, arrest, and deport people. Our local government should not be complicit in the separation of families who are an important part of our New York community."
“With the New York for All Act, our state has an opportunity to ensure that our communities can care for their families and health,” said Assembly Member Karines Reyes, prime sponsor of the New York for All Act (A02328A). “The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is the predatory arm of the federal government that exists only to strike fear and terror into our immigrant communities. Right now, we are enabling ICE by allowing our state and local law enforcement agencies to collude to target our neighbors. The New York for All Act would preserve the diverse fabric of our communities by curbing ICE’s abuse and promoting public safety.”
“I enthusiastically support the New York for All Act which prohibits state and local officers from enforcing federal immigration laws, funneling people into ICE custody and sharing sensitive information with ICE,” said Paul Feiner, Greenbergh Town Supervisor. “I welcome our immigrants to Greenburgh, have interacted with many and believe that we should help our immigrants so they can look forward to a good life. Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and deserves to have an opportunity to better their lives. We were all at one time immigrants or descendants of immigrants.”