For more than 35 years, the NYIC has worked tirelessly to transform the lives of all New Yorkers by strengthening and building our members' power, organizing and educating our communities and the public, and using our collective voice to advocate for opportunity and justice.
Take a look at our timeline to learn more about our successes and challenges over the years.
IRCA Goes Into Effect
The Immigration Reform and Control Act was signed into law by President Reagan, allowing over 2.7 million immigrants to legalize their status.
NYIC is founded
The NYIC is founded to provide immigrant New Yorkers access to legal, employment, and healthcare services and support navigating a quickly evolving policy landscape in the wake of the passage of IRCA.
Immigration Act of 1990
The Immigration Act of 1990 was passed and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush, overhauling the legal immigration system, delineating family sponsored, employment based, and diversity based paths for immigration to the United States.
Campaigns for Citizenship
The NYIC launches a statewide advertising, press, and promotions campaign with 40 partner groups to promote citizenship: “Have a Voice. Make a Difference. Become a U.S. Citizen.”
Clinton's IIRIRA of 1996
President Clinton signs the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 into law, expanding the definition of who was considered deportable and instituting harsher penalties for illegal immigration.
200,000 in 2000
The NYIC coordinates its first high-profile campaign for immigrant voter mobilization in partnership with roughly 20 member groups conducting over 100 voter education events, resulting in 70,000 individuals pledging to vote.
September 11 Attacks
Coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon lead to nearly 3,000 lives lost. The aftermath of 9/11 spurred an unprecedented tide of Islamophobic and anti-immigrant hate across the United States.
Community Building After 9/11
In the aftermath of 9/11, the NYIC organized legal service collaboratives providing immigration, social services and employment law assistance to immigrants impacted by the disaster.
Creation of ICE
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was founded in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and is charged with detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants already within the United States.
Immigrant Advocacy Fellowship Program
The Immigrant Advocacy Fellowship Program launches the first cohort of leaders. The program is designed to cultivate a new generation of immigrant community leaders.
Historic NYC Immigration Rally
In protest of H.R. 4437, the NYIC is a lead organizer of the largest immigration rally in New York City’s history.
Tackling Language Barriers in Hospitals
NYS policy is enacted requiring hospitals to provide interpreters to patients who have difficulty communicating in English, as a result of a multi-year campaign by the NYIC and member groups.
Citywide Policy on Language Access
Mayor Michael Bloomberg signs Executive Order 120, a landmark policy that directs all city agencies to provide interpretation and translation services to New Yorkers with limited English, thanks to ten years of advocacy from the NYIC.
March for America!
The NYIC mobilizes over 12,000 New Yorkers from every region to Washington D.C. demanding immigration reform.
Statewide Policy on Language Access
After strategic advocacy by the NYIC, Governor Cuomo issues Executive Order 26, establishing New York’s first statewide language access policy.
DACA Program is Announced
President Obama announces the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, allowing young undocumented immigrants to gain work permits and driver’s licenses, pursue higher education, and be shielded from deportation.
NYIC Leads DACA outreach
As the federal government begins accepting DACA applications, the NYIC led outreach, training and education efforts across the state to raise awareness of the program for community members, groups, legal providers, and government agencies.
NYIC's Advocacy Expands Regionally
The NYIC expands its reach by hiring regional advocacy coordinators to support our member groups in Westchester and Long Island.
A New York City ID for All New Yorkers
Mayor Bill de Blasio announces the launch of the New York City ID card for all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status.
Reducing NYC's Cooperation with Federal Immigration
Mayor Bill de Blasio signs Introductions 486-A and 487-A into law, dramatically limiting New York City’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement practices, except in instances where there are public safety concerns.
Trump Wins 2016 Presidential Election
Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election, running as one of the most openly xenophobic and anti-immigrant candidates in modern history.
This Is Our New York
In the aftermath of the 2016 election, the NYIC launched “This Is Our New York” campaign, in which rapid response efforts and rallies became part of the day-to-day fabric of our work.
#NoBanJFK
Trump signs Executive Order 13769, informally known as the "Muslim Ban.” In response to Trump’s first Muslim Ban, the New York Immigration Coalition led the #NoBanJFK movement, assisting travelers from over 20 countries and organizing hundreds of lawyers and volunteers.
Language Access Expands Across NYS
Westchester County expands their language access to include nine additional languages, including Spanish, Italian, Chinese, French (including Haitian Creole), Arabic, Tagalog, Japanese, Albanian, and Portuguese thanks to the NYIC’s efforts.
Green Light Campaign Success
The NYIC wins the historic Green Light campaign, expanding access to driver’s licenses to all New Yorkers, no matter their immigration status.
Trump v. New York
In the lawsuit Trump v. New York, the NYIC defeats President Trump’s attempt to add a citizenship question to the Census 2020 questionnaire at the Supreme Court, a major victory for the health of our democracy.
First Case of COVID-19 in NY
Census 2020 is wrapping up just as the first case of COVID-19 is confirmed in New York. NYC rapidly becomes the epicenter of the first wave of the global pandemic.
Immediate Mobilizing for Cash Assistance
The NYIC raises $2.9 million to provide direct cash assistance to more than 5,000 New Yorkers excluded from the federal stimulus package.
ICE Out of Courts
The NYIC helps pass a ban on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) policy of courthouse arrests.
DACA Saved at SCOTUS
The Supreme Court rules that the Trump administration cannot terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The NYIC campaigned with partners across the state and country to save this critical program.
COVID-19 Relief for All New Yorkers
The NYIC helps win $4 billion in pandemic relief for mixed-status families that are finally included in federal pandemic aid after initially being excluded.
Excluded Workers Fund
NYIC partners with the FEW Coalition to establish a $2.1 billion fund for New York’s immigrant essential workers that were previously excluded from federal pandemic relief aid.
Our City, Our Vote
In partnership with the OCOV Coalition, the NYIC led the campaign to pass Intro 1867 in the New York City Council.
Coverage4All
NYIC and the Coverage4All Coalition expand Medicaid coverage to all eligible women, regardless of immigration status, for up to 12 months post-pregnancy.
Asylum Seekers Bused to NYC
Texas Governor Greg Abbott sends the first bus of asylum seekers to New York City, after sending other buses to Washington, D.C. for months as part of a larger political stunt intended to protest the Biden administration's border policies.
NYIC Welcomes Buses at Port Authority
The NYIC meets the first bus from Texas at Port Authority, welcoming asylum seekers to New York and distributing dignity bags with supplies alongside mutual aid groups, the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, and other organizations.
Welcoming NY
In response to the ongoing busing of asylum seekers to New York City, the NYIC launches the Welcoming New York campaign. The federal, state, and local advocacy campaign keeps pressure on every level of government to ensure a quicker and more efficient response to the pressing needs of new arrivals.
Historic Legal Funding Secured
The NYIC wins a historic $63 million dollar investment in the Office of New Americans, which works to assist newcomers to New York State to fully participate in the State's civic and economic life, for immigration legal and essential services in the State budget. This will help thousands of low-income immigrant New Yorkers receive legal representation through the Liberty Defense Project and ONA Legal Counsels.
NY Proud Launched
The NYIC launches its first narrative shift campaign, New York Proud. As a public art campaign, NY Proud reaffirms the indispensable role of immigrants in shaping New York's identity through a living and growing collection of portraits and stories. The NY Proud campaign was found on over 200 subway platforms, wheatpasted in more than 35 locations across NYC, and as pop-up photo exhibits in every borough, reaching millions of viewers. This 3 year project serves as a reminder that immigrants are not only integral to our past but essential to our future, driving innovation, creativity, and progress in every corner of our state.
Donald Trump Inaugurated as President of the U.S.A.
The first six months of the second Donald J. Trump administration have arguably seen the most significant changes to U.S. immigration policy in the nation’s history. He has weaponized federal criminal law to treat immigrants in violation of civil immigration law as criminals—and even treat them as an invading army—thus justifying his own propaganda.