The New York for All Act
Fight back against Trump’s mass deportation agenda and protect immigrant communities in New York.
All New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status or how long they have been in our state, want to lead open lives, participate in their communities, provide for their family, and access health care without intimidation. With President Donald Trump promising to tear families apart, devastate immigrant communities, and carry out mass deportations, it is even more critical to protect our immigrant neighbors.
The New York for All Act will do just that by prohibiting state and local resources from being diverted to carry out a cruel and inhumane federal deportation agenda.
As immigrant New Yorkers face heightened threats, we must prevent local and state law enforcement and agencies from conspiring with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Dalila's Story
In 2018, Dalila Yeend spent several weeks separated from her children, locked up in federal immigration detention after she was stopped by police for rolling through a stop sign. Listen to her story.
The Problem
For years, some of our leaders have used ICE to divide us, cruelly targeting and demonizing immigrants. ICE’s raids and scare tactics have separated New York families, aided by local law enforcement and government agencies that conspire to enable arrests, detention, and deportations. Trump has made it clear that this will only escalate under his administration. As a result, many immigrant New Yorkers and their families live with constant anxiety that any interaction with government institutions — whether at a police traffic stop, attending school, going to work, or seeking health care — could lead to deportation. When local agencies collude with ICE, it leads to unconstitutional racial profiling, as well as the misuse of our local tax dollars and resources. Such practices are damaging to the public safety and well-being of all New Yorkers, and instead divide us and promote harmful fear-mongering.
The Solution
Targeting immigrants for arrests and deportation is destructive and diverts resources away from initiatives that actually promote safety and well-being. New York cannot continue to be complicit. New York must meet this moment by keeping the state out of ICE’s cruelty. The New York for All Act (Gounardes / Reyes) will protect immigrant New Yorkers, preserve state and local resources for our communities, and ensure New York dollars cannot be diverted to carry out a cruel, politicized immigration agenda.
How it Works
The New York for All Act broadly prohibits state and local officers from enforcing federal immigration laws, funneling people into ICE custody, and sharing sensitive information with federal immigration authorities. It also ensures that people in custody are informed of their rights before being interviewed by ICE. The act prohibits ICE and CBP from entering non-public areas of state and local property without a judicial warrant and begins the process of limiting their access to state information databases.
Why We Need New York For All
Communities that refuse to conspire with ICE are safer.
When people are too scared to call for help or trust their neighbors and communities, we are all less safe. In fact, data shows that crime is lower in places where officials do not divert time and resources for a hostile immigration agenda.
Since its founding in 2003, ICE has acted with impunity, using lies, deception, and excessive force to storm their way into New Yorkers’ homes and disappear our loved ones and community members.
No one should have to fear that calling police or emergency services may bring ICE to their door. The Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing, the New York State Attorney General, and the New York State Police have all adopted positions or policies to keep out of federal immigration enforcement, citing the harm it causes to public safety.
Protecting immigrants strengthens New York’s economy.
When residents trust local officials, they participate more in the local economy. In 2022, immigrant New Yorkers contributed $68 billion dollars in taxes and constituted $153 billion dollars in spending power.
Immigrants make up nearly 30% of the state’s workforce; more than 60 percent of home healthcare workers and aides for the elderly are immigrants, and some of the most likely first jobs for asylum seekers include nursing assistants, child care workers, and construction workers. These are some of the most critical, hard-to-fill jobs in New York. Data also shows that household income is higher, and poverty rates are lower in areas where officials refuse to conspire with ICE.
Other states have passed legislation to keep local resources out of federal immigration enforcement.
New York should follow other states that recognize the importance of protecting immigrant residents. New Jersey, Washington, Illinois, and California already have statewide sanctuary policies. New York City and other local jurisdictions have already passed strong citywide policies to keep local agencies out of ICE’s agenda.
From Staten Island to Buffalo to Albany, New York needs a consistent statewide policy to protect all immigrant residents.
Immigrant Communities Deserve Respect and a Chance to Pursue Citizenship Without Fear.
Immigrant families courageously endured significant hardship to build better lives here. Trump’s divisive politics will be catastrophic for these families and communities, who need protections like New York for All more than ever. Immigrants have had to wait too long for federal lawmakers to develop a reasonable roadmap to citizenship, and the process is too broken.
With an anti-immigrant extremist back in the White House, we need to pass New York for All now.
