Sends Letter Calling on New York State to Limit Involvement in Federal Immigration Law Enforcement Efforts

City Hall – Today, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito released a letter imploring Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, State Senate Democratic Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, and State Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeff Klein to undertake a coordinated and comprehensive policy to limit the State of New York’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement. Speaker Mark-Viverito additionally urged legislators to publically recognize immigrant persons as valuable and essential to the New York community. Similar steps have already been modeled through City Council initiatives to reduce City cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts, and provide material support to immigrant individuals and families facing deportation.

The letter states:

With the election of Donald Trump, immigrant New Yorkers face a new and even more serious threat. The President-elect has made his anti-immigrant views clear and has repeatedly stated his intention to conduct mass deportations. New York City will continue to do everything we can to protect our residents and our core principles. The Governor’s recent open letter to New Yorkers, as well as his pledge to establish a legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation, sent a powerful message to the immigrant community. Senator Klein’s announcement of funding for legal defense is a similarly bold step. However, given the new threat, we all need to do more.

We face very uncertain times and it will take a united effort to protect the rights of immigrant New Yorkers and their families. I urge you to join me in that effort.

Full text of the letter below:

Dear State Leaders:

Legislators in California recently introduced a bill known as the California Values Act (the “Act”). The Act, which has bipartisan support, would establish a statewide policy that recognizes immigrants as “valuable and essential members of the California community” and would limit the State’s involvement in federal immigration law enforcement. I urge you to consider doing the same for the State of New York.

As you know, New York City has been at the forefront of a national movement to protect immigrant residents from unnecessary deportations. Under my speakership, the New York City Council passed legislation that dramatically reduced the City’s cooperation with immigration enforcement efforts. Further, we fully funded programs that provide universal representation for detained immigrants and unaccompanied minors and young mothers with children placed in expedited removal proceedings. We created IDNYC, a government-issued identification card that is available to any New Yorker, regardless of immigration status, and is accepted by the NYPD as valid identification. Our actions were necessary in light of congressional inaction on comprehensive immigration reform, as well as the federal government’s failure to honor due process rights in immigration enforcement. As a result of our actions, New York City has prevented thousands of needless detentions and deportations.

With the election of Donald Trump, immigrant New Yorkers face a new and even more serious threat. The President-elect has made his anti-immigrant views clear and has repeatedly stated his intention to conduct mass deportations. New York City will continue to do everything we can to protect our residents and our core principles. The Governor’s recent open letter to New Yorkers, as well as his pledge to establish a legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation, sent a powerful message to the immigrant community. Senator Klein’s announcement of funding for legal defense is a similarly bold step. However, given the new threat, we all need to do more.

New York should protect its immigrant communities throughout the State with a coordinated and comprehensive policy that would limit the State’s involvement in harsh federal immigration enforcement. Specifically, New York should not spend funds or resources to assist federal immigration law enforcement. New York should not honor detainer requests for immigrants who pose no threat to public safety unless they are accompanied by a judicial warrant. New York should ensure that immigration enforcement does not take place in schools, courthouses, hospitals or offices where New Yorkers apply for public benefits or seek shelter. It is particularly important to limit enforcement in courthouses as cooperation with immigration authorities in this setting impedes basic access to justice. Finally, the State should review confidentiality and information gathering laws, rules and policies, and modify them where appropriate.

We face very uncertain times and it will take a united effort to protect the rights of immigrant New Yorkers and their families. I urge you to join me in that effort.

Sincerely,

Melissa Mark-Viverito

Speaker

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