Advocates Applaud Council’s Efforts to #DefundNYPD, Urge Mayor to Adopt Proposal

New York, NY—Today, the New York City Council released a concrete budget proposal containing a $1 billion cut to the NYPD’s annual $6 billion budget. The reductions would come from removing functions like school safety and homeless outreach from the police; reducing the size of the force through a hiring freeze and by not replacing officers who retire; and limiting overtime pay.

In Massive Win for Immigrants, Federal Judge Blocks ICE from Making Arrests at NY Courthouses

New York, NY-Today, Judge Jed S. Rakoff, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, declared Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) policy of courthouse arrests to be illegal and enjoined ICE from making arrests of anyone on the grounds of New York State courthouses or of anyone required to travel to a courthouse as a party or witness to a lawsuit.

Desperately Needed Change Comes to Albany But More Must Be Done, Say Immigrant and Criminal Justice Advocates

Albany, NY-Today, the New York State legislature, under the leadership of Assembly Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, passed several pieces of legislation related to police reform, including: a repeal of Section 50-a, which blocks the public release of police disciplinary records, new body camera requirements for state and local police, and the codification of the role of a special prosecutor in the attorney general’s office.

Trio of Advocates Release Powerful New Ad Slamming Cuomo and de Blasio’s Defense of NYPD’s Brutal Response to Protesters

New York, NY-Today, the New York Immigration Coalition, Until Freedom, and New York Communities for Change released a blistering ad targeting the responses of Mayor Blasio and Governor Cuomo to protests that began late last month in New York City. The video features footage of NYPD officers shoving demonstrators, hitting them with their batons and ramming one group with a police cruiser juxtaposed with comments from the two politicians denying that peaceful protesters were subjected to violent police tactics.

With HEROES Act Protecting Health of Every Family, Regardless of Status, Immigrant Advocates Call on Schumer to Finish What House Dems Started

Washington, DC—Today, House leadership, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, announced a sweeping new COVID-19 stimulus bill, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act or the HEROES Act, which includes $915 billion for state, local, territorial and tribal governments, $10 billion for food stamps, $150 million for food banks.

Advocates Unveil a Comprehensive Plan to Address Educational Equity for Multilingual Learners/English Language Learners and Multilingual Families During the Pandemic

New York State - New York State school districts have been closed since March 18, 2020, and according to Governor Cuomo’s recent announcement will stay closed for the rest of the school year. New York Advocates for Fair and Inclusive Resources for Multilingual Learners (NY-AFFIRMs) has launched a “NYS Pandemic Relief & Educational Equity for MLLs/ELLs Platform” to outline critical steps to address the impact of prolonged school closures equitably.