Fighting Criminalization and Defending Immigrants in NYS

Over the past few months, we have been witness to an alarming rise in anti-immigrant, racist rhetoric and harmful policy proposals that would devastate our communities in New York. In Albany, the Governor has gone so far as to boast about New York state’s “power to work with ICE,” all but solidifying her disavowal of key legislation in New York which seeks to protect immigrant rights. Governor Hochul also stood with the President in announcing a devastating executive order that seeks to shut down the border to asylum-seekers, which was condemned by a wide range of advocates (see our statement as part of the Immigrant Justice Network.)

New Yorkers deserve much better than this! We are fighting for a state that protects immigrant rights and provides the investments our communities need to thrive. For this reason, we have prioritized legislation that seeks to disentangle ICE policing in the state from local agencies, end the perpetual punishment of New Yorkers by fighting for clemency, expand procedural rights for immigrants in the criminal legal system, and combat criminalization together with allies across movements.

Roadblocks & Challenges: Keeping Momentum and Hope in a Hostile Political Climate

While this legislative session brought significant challenges, IDP organized and fought tirelessly to combat anti-immigrant attacks by local leaders, legislators, and media. We gathered with hundreds of community members, advocates, and allies in Albany throughout session and across movements to stand in solidarity with immigrants and spotlight real solutions. With a looming election ahead, our fight remains steadfast as we push our legislators to show the courage that is necessary to ensure the safety and protection of ALL New York communities.

IDP condemns the legislature for their political cowardice and failure to stand up for immigrant families by once again failing to pass the New York for All Act.

Our state resources are currently empowering ICE. New York’s local law enforcement and government agencies collude with ICE to search for, arrest, and deport immigrant New Yorkers, exacerbating the existing injustices of in the racist criminal legal and family regulation systems and discriminatory policing. The experiences of Jennifer, a mother who sought support from city agencies who then funneled her to ICE detention and separated her from her children, serve as a stark reminder of how this injustice is felt by immigrant families.

Watch Jennfer speak out

We will continue to fight for Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers.

Last year, we celebrated the passage of Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers, a bill which strengthens protections for immigrants facing criminal charges in New York, who are often unaware that a plea in criminal court can cause devastating consequences, including deportation. Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers ensures that guidance from judges is meaningful for all immigrants and creates systems of accountability when those rights are violated. At the end of last year, the Governor vetoed the bill for the second time, despite growing support. This year, despite the bill being reintroduced with responsive amendments in the Assembly, it did not move forward in the Senate.

IDP and partners will continue to demand these long-overdue protections for immigrant New Yorkers.

The Clemency Justice Act saw progress this legislative session as the bill moved through the Senate Crime Victims, Crime, and Correction Committee. However, the failure of legislators to push the bill over the line continues to leave thousands of applicants in limbo under our current broken clemency process. Deportations and de facto life sentences continue to separate New York’s immigrants and communities of color from their families and destabilize already-struggling communities. A fair and accessible clemency process would allow access to a form of justice that is desperately needed by New York’s most vulnerable communities who are harmed by both the criminal legal and immigration systems.

We demand a fair and accessible clemency process.

Justice Roadmap Agenda

Justice Roadmap continued to grow and strengthen campaigns this year that address the interconnected harms of the criminal legal and immigration systems in a shared vision for meaningful legislative change. This was a tough year for Justice Roadmap bills, meeting significant challenges in the NY Assembly, but we will continue our fight to push interconnected legislative action in our state to address the criminalization of immigrants and Black and brown communities. Read more about the Justice Roadmap.

We will continue to partner with allies and educate elected officials about the harms caused by the criminal and immigration systems, working towards a fair and inclusive society

At the city level we are calling for the City Council to pass Introduction 214 which would create a private right of action for immigrants harmed by agencies violating our local laws.

And at the federal level, IDP continues to champion the New Way Forward Act and fight for Marijuana Justice.

Learn more about IDP Policy & Advocacy Work

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