Overview:
Advocates call on New York to expand sanctuary protections and end ICE detention as immigrant communities face growing threats.
Editor’s Note: For more information on what to do if immigration agents approach you, including knowing your rights and preparing for interactions with ICE, read our fact sheet: What to do if immigration agents approach you
By Woods Ervin, Prism
Two weeks into Donald Trump’s presidency, the chaos of his mass deportation threat has begun.
The recent raids in New York City and Newark, New Jersey, have signaled a shift in immigration enforcement under Trump, coinciding with his announcement on Wednesday to construct a 30,000-capacity migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay. As tech billionaires and politicians across the Democratic Party yield to a second Trump presidency, now is the time for our representatives to take bold action at the state and local level to protect immigrant communities. Trump’s reelection and the right-wing capture of Congress are further indications that nowhere is safe from anti-immigrant policy threats—even in so-called progressive states like New York, which prides itself on its legacy of welcoming immigrants.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has claimed that the state has always welcomed immigrants and new arrivals, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams affirmed the day after Trump’s election that “New York City will always remain a city of immigrants and a beacon of liberty around the globe.” Yet both Adams and Hochul have done little to nothing to protect or meaningfully support immigrant New Yorkers over the past several years.
Not even 48 hours after making his statement in November, Adams announced that he was ending a city voucher program that provided prepaid debit cards for migrant families and asylum-seekers to buy food. Similarly, Hochul’s frustratingly vague and noncommittal Empire State Freedom Initiative promises to address potential federal threats to New Yorkers under Trump and names immigration as a key issue area. Yet, Hochul’s recent track record on immigration leaves much to be desired, as both her recent state address and recently released budget failed to include resources to support migrant communities. She has also increasingly aligned herself with law enforcement and capitulated to racist, xenophobic fear-mongering about a so-called migrant crime wave.
As we enter Trump era 2.0, New York must do more than give lip service and spoiled food to immigrants. We have a duty to make good on our commitment to protecting migrant communities from detention and deportation. These necessary goals could partly be accomplished by strengthening state-wide sanctuary protections and ending Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.
New York has one of the largest immigrant populations, though the state lacks comprehensive sanctuary protections for migrants. Sanctuary laws, designed to protect undocumented immigrants from federal overreach, are not just political statements; they embody the core principles of compassion, dignity, and community solidarity. By limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, New York has positioned itself as a state that values its residents, regardless of immigration status. But existing protections do not go far enough. Currently, there is no statewide legislation that provides sanctuary for immigrant communities. What protections do exist have either been executive orders or passed at the county level. The uneven terrain of sanctuary laws throughout New York allows for egregious violations of what little protections do exist, funneling New Yorkers into ICE detention.
ICE detention in local jails is often characterized by inhumane conditions, overcrowding, and a lack of adequate medical care. Reports of physical and psychological abuse are distressingly common, painting a grim picture of a system that prioritizes punishment. We need to look no further than New York’s Orange County Jail to find horrifying conditions, including medical neglect, racist harassment, and freezing temperatures. In recent years, these conditions have spurred several immigrant-led hunger strikes. By detaining immigrants, we are not only subjecting them to these conditions, but also enacting a collective punishment on the families, loved ones, and communities they are separated from.
The financial burden of immigrant detention falls on taxpayers. Nationwide, operating detention facilities costs billions of dollars, and the resources allocated to this system could be better spent on life-affirming community services, education, and health care. Instead of doubling down on investments in detention, New York can lead the way by ensuring that immigrants have what they need to live full, meaningful lives.
It is also crucial to recognize the broader implications of immigrant detention on our society. The detention system fosters a culture of fear and division, pitting communities against one another. In a time when we need solidarity, we must reject narratives that demonize and scapegoat immigrants. It is troubling that not only have New York City Republicans called on Hochul to end sanctuary protections by executive order, but Hochul has also voiced pride in how limited New York state’s current sanctuary laws are. We must fight back.
New York state has a moral and ethical obligation to oppose immigrant detention and uphold the progressive principles we pride ourselves on as we enter this new period under Trump. While many things are uncertain in the months ahead, we must turn our grief and anger into action, advocating for policies that prioritize humanity over fear and compassion over punishment.
There are already several policy solutions at our disposal to defend New York’s immigrant communities and values: the Dignity Not Detention Act and New York for All, which would end the practice of immigrant detention in New York and limit state and local collaboration with federal immigration enforcement. At an Albany mobilization on Jan. 8, there was resounding support to move these policies forward from both directly impacted people and legislators. Now is the time to champion a New York that welcomes all and detains no one—and most importantly, where every individual is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their immigration status.
Prism is an independent and nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color. We report from the ground up and at the intersections of injustice.
