Back to All Commentary

The possibility of another Trump term is real. NY must remain a beacon for immigrants

By: Zach Ahmad Senior Policy Counsel, Policy

With the prospect of a second Trump presidency looming, many of us are worried about what lies ahead. This is especially true for our immigrant neighbors.

We know what a Trump presidency looks like. We should remember the screams of young children who were ripped from their parents’ arms, the chaos unleashed by unconstitutional travel bans, and the families torn apart with some still hoping to be reunited years later.

A second term would be even more catastrophic. Trumppromised to use ICE to, in his own words, “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” If Trump does this, the blowback won’t just be on immigrants. It will badly damage our state’s economy, putting New Yorkers’ jobs at risk, and it will make us all less safe.

We have just days left for New York’s leaders to act before our state legislative session ends. This is the last chance they have to pass critical legislation before November’s presidential election.

Legislators must pass the New York for All Act and the Dignity Not Detention Act to protect our neighbors and create a stronger, safer state for all of us.

Our immigrant neighbors come to New York seeking safety and a better life for themselves and their families. They deserve a fair chance to pursue citizenship without the constant fear that dropping their children at school, seeking medical care, or calling 911 could lead to being torn from their families.

The New York for All Act would address this fear by prohibiting state and local government agencies from using their resources to help enforce federal immigration laws.

Trump wants local and state governments to spend local tax dollars to help him funnel people into ICE custody. This won’t just cost us money, it could undermine our safety.

When people are too scared to call for help or trust their neighbors and communities, we are all less safe. In fact, data shows crime is lower in places where officials do not divert time and resources for a hostile immigration agenda. That’s why many law enforcement officials have raised alarms about ICE colluding with local police.

No one should have to fear that calling the police or emergency services may bring ICE to their door.

Trump’s mass deportation plans will also require the government to detain many more immigrants, including in state and local jails. Facilities that incarcerate immigrants on behalf of the federal government – like the Hudson Valley’s Orange County Jail — are often cruel, abusive places. But the harm they cause go beyond their walls. The abysmal conditions are fodder for multi-million dollar lawsuits. Those are tax dollars that could go toward better schools or lowering the cost of living that are instead wasted on legal bills.

The Dignity Not Detention Act would address this by effectively ending local collusion with ICE detention in New York. It prohibits counties from signing new contracts with ICE to detain immigrants in county jails and requires them to terminate existing agreements.

New Yorkers want safe and thriving communities, jobs, and a strong economy. But using New Yorkers’ tax dollars to do ICE’s dirty work doesn’t achieve these goals. Local and national research shows that immigrants have helped prevent a recession and they’ve made our economies stronger.

No matter who is in the White House in January, it’s up to us — and our leaders in Albany — to create a stronger, safer, more just New York.

This piece was originally published in lohud. 

As bold as the spirit of New York, we are the NYCLU.
Donate
© 2024 New York
Civil Liberties Union