Council Passes Resolution Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

City Hall – Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, together with the Chung Wha-Hong, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, Immigration Chair, Council Member Daniel Dromm, Council Members Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez and a number of immigration and civil rights advocates, today gathered to denounce Arizona’s Law SB1070 which will allow law enforcement officials to stop and question a person they suspect may be undocumented, makes undocumented status a state crime, and opens the door to racial and ethnic profiling. Council Members also announced the passing of Resolution 162-A, which calls for Congress and the President to come up with a comprehensive immigration reform bill and sign it into law. Also joining the Speaker were Comptroller John Liu, Tamika Mallory representing Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, State Senator Jose Peralta, State Senator Jose M. Serrano, Assemblymember Adriano Espaillat, Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York, Sussie Lozada from the NY Civic Participation Project, SJ Jung from the Minkwon Center for Community Action, Leticia Alanis from La Union de la Comunidad Latina, and Sonia Ivany from the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Co-Chair of the May Day Rally at Foley Square.

“I am deeply troubled by the recent law signed by Arizona Governor Brewer and the message it sends to those who believe that immigrants have no place, protection or rights here in the U.S.,” said City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “America was founded and built by immigrants and continued to flourish because of all that immigrants contribute. My own Irish family came here four generations ago in search of the American dream that immigrants today have every right to strive for. This bill strips away the core of what America stands for and promotes intolerance. My colleagues and I call on President Obama and Congress to enact a comprehensive and humane immigration reform bill that is inclusive of all families. I will proudly join any effort to oppose SB1070 and I strongly urge other elected officials across the country to do the same.”

“This is the America I know—a place where leaders come together to denounce injustice and strive for a better, fairer society,” said Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “We are not Arizona; we are New York! I am proud to stand with the city’s elected leaders to speak with one voice in condemning the Arizona law for what it is—a travesty, pure and simple, and a betrayal of our nation’s values. But it’s also a wake up call for the President and Congress to fix our immigration system now! Saturday, May 1, City Hall, 11 a.m.—be there and show Washington that we mean business!”

“With the news last week from Arizona, comprehensive immigration reform is now more important than ever,” said Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito. “If the Congress and the President do not act, states and localities will continue to enact policies that threaten the civil rights of not only immigrants but all Americans. The U.S. Department of Justice must perform an expedited study of this law to evaluate its legality, and the Senate and House must push forward for just and humane immigration reform.”

“I support this resolution because it is critical that we bring attention to the need for reform in our national immigration policy. The lack of a sensible and comprehensive immigration policy on the federal level has served to embolden radical approaches such as the recent Arizona law, which seeks to legalize discrimination,” said Immigration Chair Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights). “What immigrants want is what all New Yorkers want – the right to pursue happiness and freedom in our great land. It doesn’t matter where you come from or how you got here. What matters is where we are going together.”

“The recent immigration law signed by Arizona Governor Brewer is unconsitutional, un-American and incredibly misguided in light of the long march toward humane, comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship,” said Comptroller John Liu. “The broken immigration system has an enormous impact on New Yorkers, with families literally torn apart by our country’s dehumanizing immigration laws and procedures. Fellow New Yorkers will take this march through Arizona, and all New Yorkers must come out for the May 1 Rally at City Hall. Immigration reform is long overdue, and the Arizona law compels action from Washington.”

“As a Dominican American who represents one of the most diverse communities in this country, I find Arizona’s SB1070 anti-immigrant, anti-American and unconstitutional,” said State Senator Jose Peralta. “This bill does not address comprehensive immigration reform; instead it will restrict civil rights and further marginalize immigrant communities. We cannot allow any governing body in this country to legalize profiling based on race, gender or religion.”

“I represent a district with a thriving and hardworking immigrant population, and have seen the positive effects they have on our communities and our economy,” said Senator Jose M. Serrano, who has been at the forefront of the fight for immigrant rights in his district, and has spearheaded the East Harlem Against Deportation Initiative. “Each of these families deserves the opportunity to seek citizenship, like so many of our ancestors, and to live the American dream. Unfortunately, instead of reforming immigration laws to clear their path to citizenship, Arizona’s anti-immigrant law restricts the civil rights of individuals, and is nothing short of racial profiling.

I call for the federal government to act now to prevent this offensive law from spreading throughout the nation.”

“The Arizona bill is an affront to all Americans, not just the Latino Community. From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, to the Johnson-Read Act of 1924, to the Internment of Japanese Americans in 1942, to the infamous repatriation of Mexicans of 1954, there is a sad legacy of xenophobia among parts of our society. Lets learn from the mistakes of the past, not add to them,” said Council Member Diana Reyna.

“The use of local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws is contradictory to the interests of public safety, because it will deter undocumented immigrants from reporting crimes or seeking medical care when in need. I believe that this law will lead to racial profiling and a host of other violations of civil liberties and human rights. I and my colleagues are prepared to fight this hateful legislation by whatever means necessary,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.

“We need comprehensive immigration reform now,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “What happened in Arizona illustrates why we need real and meaningful reform in Congress this year. The immigrant and minority communities supported this President last November, and he has a responsibility to follow through on the promise of comprehensive immigration reform for us, in New York and across this nation.”

“The law signed by Governor Brewer essentially legalizes racial profiling in the state of Arizona and sends the chilling message to Latino communities across the country that we’re not welcome here, that the US is not our country. Inaction on the part of the federal government only enables the continued the exploitation of vulnerable workers, the separation of families, and the promotion of misguided policies at the local and state levels. The time to fix the broken immigration system is now,” said Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York.

“Arizona’s new law criminalizes immigrants and is a disgrace to this country. Our communities say NO to this law, and we call for comprehensive immigration reform now. We are organizing thousands of New Yorkers to rally on May Day in order to send this message to President Obama and Congress,” said Sussie Lozada, executive director of the New York Civic Participation Project.