Dear John, 

For immigrant New Yorkers, the past several months have been full of daunting challenges, but also momentous victories. Since the beginning of 2020, we've distributed $2.5 million in direct cash assistance to immigrants struggling without federal relief, we've passed the Protect Our Courts Act to get ICE out of our halls of justice, and we've filed yet another lawsuit against Trump to protect the Census. 

But with critical elections on the federal, state, and city levels just around the corner—all with huge implications for immigrant communities—I wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to transition out of my role as the Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition. As of September 14, I will be taking on a new role as a Senior Adviser, focusing largely on building the strength of the political arm of the NYIC, NYICAction.  

I came to the New York Immigration Coalition as Executive Director in 2013, after leading our longtime coalition member and partner, the MinKwon Center for Community Action in Flushing, Queens. Since then, the NYIC has quintupled in size, expanding to five offices across the state—from Buffalo to Brentwood—and uniting the power of our coalition members throughout New York to challenge and transform our political institutions. I’ve been proud to guide the NYIC in leading—and winning—some incredible victories for New York’s immigrants: winning the right for more than 200,000 undocumented immigrants in New York to access drivers’ licenses after 17 years of campaigning; passing the José Peralta New York State DREAM Act to extend college financial aid to New York’s Dreamers; spearheading New York’s effort to defeat Trump’s cruel attempt to end DACA; and preventing the racist citizenship question from being added to the Census. These are just a small handful of the many hard-fought battles we’ve won together, even as the attacks and challenges grew by the day. 

But right now, with critical elections coming up not only this year, but next year for New York City and the year after that for New York State, I feel it’s essential that we put everything we have into building political power for immigrants. So that will be my focus moving forward—making sure that New York’s immigrants enter these critical election years ready to win even more watershed victories, but also, to win transformative, reparative change for immigrant communities and for our democracy. The future of our country and our state depends on this—and that’s what I’ll be focusing on as a Senior Advisor to the NYIC and NYIC Action. 

I’m incredibly proud to be passing the baton to my talented and capable colleagues, Rovika Rajkishun, our Vice President of Communications and Development, and Murad Awawdeh, our Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Strategy, who have both been essential to the growth and success of this organization. The two of them will serve as interim Co-Executive Directors, while the NYIC’s Board of Directors engages in a permanent Executive Director search. 

It has been a true honor and privilege to work on behalf of our communities. Every day, I am inspired by the indefatigable strength of the diverse immigrants who call New York home and the amazing allies who have put everything on the line to be together, shoulder-to-shoulder on the frontlines of this fight. Thank you for investing your trust in my leadership and for your support of New York’s immigrant communities—none of the accomplishments of the past 7 years would have been possible were it not for our brilliant and tireless staff, our powerful coalition members, our supportive donors and allies, and most importantly, the resilient and inspiring immigrants for whom we work. 

Together, we are stronger. Together, we will win!

With gratitude,


Steve Choi, 
Executive Director