Our City, Our Vote legislation grants local voting rights in municipal elections to lawful permanent residents and persons authorized to work

Livestream is available here. Photos and videos are available here.

New York — Today, members of the Our City, Our Vote Coalition, interveners in the case, and elected officials rallied outside of NYS Supreme Court, Appellate Division ahead of oral arguments in the case Fossella v. New York City, which will decide on the ability of the city’s permanent residents to vote in municipal elections.

New York—Today, the New York State Legislative session came to a close with the end of the Assembly’s extended session, without passage of four critical bills that would have advanced rights and protections for immigrant New Yorkers. The Coverage for All Act (S2237A Rivera / A3020A Gonzalez-Rojas) and the Language Access Expansion Act (S3383-A Kennedy / A7235 De Los Santos) had both passed the Senate, but failed to make it through the Assembly.

New York, NY—Today, the Putnam County Legislature Rules Committee will vote on a measure to expand the Putnam County Code entitled “Unauthorized Operation of Homeless Shelters,” to include temporary housing of asylum seekers. In addition, the County Executive has issued the “PUTNAM COUNTY STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION & CORRESPONDING EXECUTIVE ORDERS INCLUDING DECLARATION of PUTNAM COUNTY AS A RULE OF LAW COUNTY.” This Executive Order was put in place on May 22nd by the Putnam County Executive, Kevin Byrne, and expires today.

Buffalo, NY—Early this morning, two buses carrying 50 asylum seekers arrived in Erie County from New York City. Upon their arrival, the New York Immigration Coalition, Jericho Road Community Health Center (JRCHC), Justice for Migrant Families and Jewish Family Services’ Refugee and Immigrant Center for Healing welcomed our new neighbors to Erie County, helping them get acclimated to their new home and addressing their immediate needs.

New York, NY— Today, the Biden administration announced that they would rescind the prior Administration’s termination of, and extend, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua, El Salvador, Nepal and Honduras for 18 months. The New York Immigration Coalition applauds this decision, which will protect the more than 330,000 people who currently have TPS from these countries, while demanding more expansive relief for the over 11 million people who call our country home but lack permanent protections or a pathway to citizenship.

Livestream is available here. Photos and videos are available here.

New York—Today, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), Campaign for Children, elected officials, member organizations, allies, and immigrant New Yorkers rallied and held a press conference in City Hall Park.

New York—Yesterday, the New York State Legislature adjourned with little information as to when it plans to return to close out the 2023 legislative session. In doing so, lawmakers left four important bills that will protect the rights and well-being of New York’s immigrant families in the balance: the Access to Representation Act (S81B Hoylman-Sigal / A1961A Cruz), New York For All Act (S987 Gounardes / A5686 Reyes), Language Access Expansion Act (S3383-A Kennedy / A7235 De Los Santos) and Coverage for All Act (S2237A Rivera / A3020A Gonzalez-Rojas).

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:

“As our communities face rising xenophobia across the state, NYS lawmakers must come back to Albany and deliver common sense actions that ensure the safety and security of everyone who calls New York home.

The New York for All Act would prohibit local law enforcement and state agencies from colluding with federal immigration agencies 

New York—The New York State Legislative session is coming to a close, without leaders bringing the New York For All Act (S.987 Gounardes / A.5686 Reyes) forward for floor votes in the Senate or Assembly.

New York—Today, the New York State Senate passed the Language Access Expansion Act (S.3383-A Kennedy) with a vote of 47-15 and bipartisan support. Enactment of a Language Access Expansion Act would bring New York closer to ensuring that non-English speaking communities throughout the State have the same access to public services and information as English-speaking individuals.

New York, NY—Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced that a former armed security guard named Jimmy Solano-Arias was indicted for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an asylum seeker inside of a locked room at 26 Federal Plaza.