Common Cause/NY Statement on Governor Hochul's Comments on Cooperation with Federal Government on ICE Raids

NEW YORK, NY (01/29/2025) (readMedia)-- Following reporting yesterday that New York State will cooperate with federal officials to detain and deport some immigrants, Common Cause New York issued the following statement urging Governor Kathy Hochul to uphold state laws and protect immigrants from the federal government's increased effort to criminalize members of our community:

"Governor Hochul must reject the federal government's mass criminalization of immigrants and pernicious attempts to pull our communities apart. The vast majority of immigrant New Yorkers are integral members of our community who have not committed any crimes, regardless of whether they came through an official port of entry or not. Protecting their rights under New York law in no way conflicts with public safety or efforts to address crime. If, as the Governor says, 'New York will not stand for children to be in fear in schools, or people in churches cowering in basements out of fear,' she must take clear action to live up to her words, and the law."