Advocacy

Farmers, Farmworkers Call on Albany to Urgently Pass New York for All

January 28, 2025 NEW YORK – At Tuesday’s Budget Hearing on Agriculture, farmers and farmworkers spoke to the urgent need to pass the New York for All Act. These testimonies, which included NY State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, further revealed the climate of fear that farmers, farmworkers, and their families are facing under ICE’s reign of terror.  New York State … Read more »

Victory! The Safer Sanctuary Act Passes in the New York City Council

December 22, 2025 The Immigrant Defense Project celebrates passage of the Safer Sanctuary Act, Intro 1412, which keeps federal agents seeking to target our immigrant neighbors from having an office on Rikers Island (or any DOC property) and updates the definitions of immigration enforcement to reflect how the federal government weaponizes different arms of government to target people. New Yorkers … Read more »

70+ Organizations Applaud Governor Hochul for Granting Pardons to New Yorkers and Implore Her to Use Clemency Power in Times of Urgency

August 28, 2025 ALBANY, NY — Today, 70+ advocacy organizations that work in pursuit of justice for immigrants, for those affected by mass incarceration and criminalization, for survivors of gender-based violence, for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, for workers and labor rights, together applauded Governor Hochul for granting pardons to thirteen New Yorkers and called on her to use her clemency power … Read more »

IDP Says NY State Legislature Inaction on Immigration Bills is “Complicity” With Trump Administration

June 18, 2025 The following is a statement from the Immigrant Defense Project: “The Trump Administration is waging a terror campaign against New Yorkers across the state, using Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies to target, abduct, and detain loved ones and community members, yet our elected leaders have chosen not to act, failing to pass urgently … Read more »

Members of Congress Urge State Legislature to Pass NY for All Act

Congressional Letter Comes As Sponsors and Supporters Build Momentum to Pass NY4All in Final Days of Session June 10, 2025 Albany, N.Y.-– With momentum building to pass the New York for All Act by the end of the legislative session in Albany this week, nine members of the New York Congressional delegation sent a letter to state elected officials urging … Read more »

*ALERT:  ICE Arrests in NY Immigration Courts*

May 29, 2025 There have been recent reports in New York State of ICE agents arresting immigrants who are attending their immigration court hearings.  What is happening with ICE in courts? Multiple cases of ICE arresting and detaining people who are appearing for their immigration court hearings have been confirmed by community members, advocates and the press. These appear to … Read more »

IDP Condemns Legislature’s Failure to Pass New York For All

June 10, 2024 ALBANY– The Immigrant Defense Project today condemned the New York State Legislature’s failure to pass the New York for All Act (A.5686 / S.987) during the legislative session, which would have protected immigrant communities and all New Yorkers by prohibiting local law enforcement and state agencies from conspiring with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border … Read more »

The Immigrant Defense Project Applauds the Governor’s Granting of Clemency for New Yorkers and Calls for Year-Round Clemency and Greater Transparency

June 3, 2024 On May 24 , Governor Kathy Hochul granted eleven pardons, some of those to immigrants who are deeply rooted in their communities in New York yet face immigration consequences because of their convictions. We applaud the Governor’s announcements to grant these pardons and to commute the sentences of two people incarcerated in New York.  One of the … Read more »

NY Advocates, Legislators Launch Justice Agenda to Provide Real Community Safety and Rights for All New Yorkers

January 18, 2024 ALBANY, NY –  New York State legislators joined over 120 human rights and social justice advocates, directly impacted community members, legal service providers, and faith leaders across New York State to launch the Justice Roadmap, a legislative agenda designed to address the deeply interconnected harms caused by the criminal legal and immigration systems and build community safety … Read more »

Advocates for Immigrant Survivors of Violence Urge Governor Hochul to Sign Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers Bill Into Law

August 18, 2023 ALBANY, N.Y.— Over two dozen national and New York-based advocates for immigrant survivors of violence today called on Governor Hochul to sign the Fair Courts for Immigrant New Yorkers Act into law to offer critical protections for immigrant survivors of gender based violence in the criminal legal system. The bill is sponsored by Senator Kavanagh and Assemblymember … Read more »

On International Workers’ Day, Unions and Worker Justice Groups Call for Passage of New York For All Act!

May 1, 2023 New York – Unions and worker justice organizations are joining the call for lawmakers in Albany to pass the New York for All Act, which would broadly prohibit local and state agencies from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) in searching for, arresting and deporting immigrant New Yorkers. Twenty-five labor unions … Read more »