For Immediate Release

October 17, 2017

Press Contact: Siobhan Dingwall, sdingwall@nyic.org, 510-685-6608

*Press Release

NYIC and Partners Announce Lawsuit Challenging Government’s Failure to Disclose Information Regarding Border Patrol

The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) announced a suit today against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for their failure to disclose records concerning U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents acting as interpreters for other law enforcement agencies.

The Trump Administration announced a proclamation Sunday to amend the existing Muslim ban with a wholesale ban on emigration and restricted travel from Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. The proclamation also restricts travel from three additional countries: Venezuela, Chad, and North Korea.

Yesterday, the Trump administration terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudanese people. TPS is a designation given to nationals of countries experiencing humanitarian crises, such as environmental disasters or epidemics, which prevent nationals from returning safely.

Today, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order that prohibits state agencies and officers from inquiring about or disclosing an individual's immigration status.

Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition responds:

"This executive order is a forceful statement from Governor Cuomo that immigrants are not the enemy.

September 25th Statewide Day of Action

Today, The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) together with Immigrant Justice Corps, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Community Justice Clinic at the UB School of Law, and the New York City Council announced the Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative (Immigrant ARC) legal defense action plan for Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.

Yesterday, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) led a 4,000-person rally at Foley Square where 13 people were arrested in a civil disobedience at the Manhattan entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge. Thousands of New Yorkers held “I pledge to protect immigrant New York” signs and chanted “immigrants are welcome here”, sending a direct message to the Administration that immigrants are here to stay.

The Trump administration announced today that it will phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects over 800,000 young people, who were brought to the United States as children, from deportation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a news briefing this morning that the Department of Homeland Security will allow the program to wind down in six months if Congress does not pass legislation.

Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Arizona Tuesday night where he defended his response to Charlottesville, hinted that he plans to pardon former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, and threatened to shut down the government over funding for a Mexican border wall.

Vow to reverse in over-ride vote and put Westchester on the "right side of history"

County Executive Rob Astorino today vetoed the Immigrant Protection Act which would protect residents' confidential information, regardless of immigration status, and save limited county resources.

The County of Board Legislators voted in favor today of passing an act that protects residents' confidential information, regardless of immigration status, and prevents limited county resources from being used for immigration enforcement.

The Westchester Immigrant Protection Act, which has bipartisan support and fully complies with federal law, regulates the voluntary cooperation between county agencies and federal immigration agents, and ensures they cannot act as federal immigration officials.