New York, NY—Today, it was reported that federal immigration officers entered New York City shelters on several different occasions and obtained resident information without presenting judicial warrants. These actions directly violate New York City’s sanctuary laws, which bar city staff from authorizing federal immigration officers to enter private areas of city property or access resident information without a judicial warrant.
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“No New Yorker should be terrorized by Trump’s ICE while accessing City services, and especially not when New York City’s sanctuary laws specifically prohibit federal immigration agents from entering private spaces without a judicial warrant. When the Department of Social Services (DSS) breaks those policies on multiple occasions, trust in our public institutions erodes. The City Council must expeditiously pass the Safer Sanctuary Act and the NYC Trust Act to strengthen our commitment to protecting all New Yorkers and to close any existing loopholes. When the Mamdami administration begins next month, there must be a commitment to enforcing our sanctuary laws and rigorously training all City staff on how to implement them.”