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.
The New York Immigration Coalition, its members, faith leaders and community members rallied Wednesday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Penn Yan to demand a timely investigation after a trooper violated a policy that prohibits state police from acting as immigration authorities.
Donald Trump, Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) announced a new version of a bill today that would restrict legal immigration in America.
In response, Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement:
"Trump's plan to slash legal immigration is just another senseless attack on our country's values.
The Senate rejected a new, scaled-down Republican plan to repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act early Friday morning.
Claudia Calhoon, Director of Health Policy at the New York Immigration Coalition, responds:
“Congress’ failure to repeal the Affordable Care Act after multiple attempts, all while flouting longstanding norms in the face of opposition, is a testament to the unspeakable damage it would have caused and to the power of peoples’ collective voice.
Six months ago today, Donald Trump issued an executive order immediately suspending entry of people from seven Muslim majority countries. Confusion and panic ensued nationwide, as wide-spread protests took place at airports across the country. Although different courts have struck down various aspects of the order, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in the fall.
Federal immigration officials announced Wednesday that more than 100 people were arrested across New York City in an 11-day operation.
Steven Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition responds:
"The recent raids in New York City are a clear example of Donald Trump's senseless and inhumane immigration policy in action.
Today, Senators Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin introduced a new version of the DREAM act, a bi-partisan bill granting legal status and a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children. The legislation serves as a response to ten attorneys general calling on the White House to end the DACA program by September 5th.
The Supreme Court announced today that it has rejected the Trump administration's effort to subject travelers who are grandparents or cousins of Americans to the president's travel ban on six Muslim majority countries.
Steve Choi, Executive Director of New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), responds:
“Today's decision reaffirms what we already know: Donald Trump and Jeff Sessions do not get to define what family means.
Yesterday, a federal judge in Hawaii ruled that grandparents, other close relatives and refugees should be exempted from President Trump’s executive order: a ban restricting access for travelers from six majority Muslim countries without a “bona fide relationship” to someone in the United States.
