fbpx Early Arrival: Primary is Over. What Now? - Documented
 

Early Arrival: Primary is Over. What Now?

Friday's edition of Early Arrival: NYPD-Israel Relationship —Growing Foreign-Born Population — Miniscule Refugee Cap

After a particularly competitive primary season, Democratic voters came out in record numbers Thursday to decisively elect the statewide establishment ticket — Andrew Cuomo, Kathy Hochul, and Tish James — while severely punishing former members of the state Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference. Six IDC incumbents lost their primaries.

With the dust settled, it’s clear the progressive energy that swept challengers like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to victory couldn’t activate voters against a governor with a lifetime of political experience and several newspaper endorsements. It’ll be four more years of Andrew Cuomo in the executive chamber — provided Cuomo doesn’t win the Democratic presidential nomination for 2020, which isn’t likely. Kathy Hochul will be his lieutenant and Tish James will step in as attorney general — provided they also win the general races, which they will.

The results carry significant repercussions for immigrants, who make up about one-fifth of the state, and who are generally under the heaviest attack by a federal administration in well over a generation. What exactly will this election mean for the state’s immigrant population? We break it down for you.

The New York Primaries are Over. What Does it Mean for Immigration Policy?

Immigrants Becoming Part of Democratic Party Infrastructure

Jumaane Williams Campaign Marks Progress for Caribbean-Americans

Alcántara Defeated Despite Dominican-American Roots

Good morning, and welcome to Early Arrival. I’m Felipe De La Hoz, here to take you through the latest in local and national immigration news and analysis. If you have feedback, suggestions, tips or leads, reach out at felipe.delahoz@documentedny.com or on Twitter.

We’re always looking for deeply reported work on immigration in New York. If you have story ideas and are interested in writing for us, reach out at pitches@documentedny.com.

Have you been enjoying Early Arrival? If so, please share it with a friend or colleague; anyone, really. Forward them this email or send this link to help them subscribe.

Better yet, support Documented and our team with a donation.

Local

Report Sounds Alarms Over NYPD-Israel Relationship

A report prepared by human rights group Jewish Voice for Peace examines the longstanding relationship between the NYPD and Israeli security forces. That involves training city law enforcement in anti-terror tactics the report’s authors worry are geared against Muslims and immigrants of color. After 9/11, American law enforcement has increasingly sent members to Israel — or have Israelis come to the United States — to learn Israeli tactics for warding off terrorism and maintaining control in occupied territory. Documented

City Council Passes Abolish ICE Resolution

The City Council on Wednesday passed a resolution calling on Congress to pass H.R. 6361. The House bill would establish a commission to examine relocating ICE’s counterterror, counterfeiting and trafficking functions, and would then terminate the agency. Manhattan Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal introduced the bill, and it passed the Committee on Immigration 4-3 with enthusiastic support from committee chair Carlos Menchaca. Mark Gjonaj, Kalman Yeger, and Bob Holden voted no. Yeger and Gjonaj both expressed general concern over ICE but indicated they could not support a proposal to eliminate it with no specific alternative already in place. Holden praised the agency and invoked 9/11 in explaining why he voted against the measure. It passed the full Council with eight votes against, including those same three. Felipe De La Hoz for Documented

Chinatown Jail Plans Get Chilly Reception at Community Forum

Hundreds of Chinatown residents packed a community meeting in furious opposition to NYC’s proposed “borough jail” strategy. The plan, officially announced only days after the city revealed they were even considering Chinatown for a 40-story high-rise jail, targets 80 Centre St. It’s one of four facilities planned to replace Rikers Island. Residents demanded answers for the lack of engagement beforehand, and expressed concerns about everything from safety to traffic. Accusations of racism, classism, and chronic neglect of Chinatown were lobbed at mayoral aides, who could barely finish their presentation over boos and chants. Further meetings are scheduled in each borough, and opposition is similarly growing around the Bronx plan. Allen Arthur for Documented

Capital Region’s First-time Voters Defy Low Immigrant Turnout, The Times Union

Gillibrand Clarifies View On ICE, The Post-Star

Construction worker killed in Brooklyn wall collapse, PIX 11

National

U.S. Has Highest Share of Foreign-Born Population in a Century

Amid an anti-immigrant climate in the U.S., a Brookings Institution analysis of the 2017 Census Bureau data shows America has its highest proportion of immigrants as a share of the total population since 1910. Demographics are shifting from the mostly Mexican and Latin American people to surging numbers of Asians, primarily from China and India. Migrants are also increasingly better educated, with 45 percent of arrivals since 2010 holding college degrees, and are settling all over the country. The New York Times

ICE Workplace Raids Leave Disarray Behind

ICE ramped up large-scale workplace raids over the summer, sometimes arresting over 100 workers suspected of being undocumented. And after raids end, the has left behind overwhelmed local resources and legal groups. State and national groups are getting better at swooping to provide legal consultations and other aid. But attorneys said the federal government was targeting relatively small employers to send a message about enforcement, since it’s more difficult to respond with bond money and legal advice in rural areas. NBC News

Record Numbers of Unaccompanied Minors Held at Shelters

As of this month, 12,800 minors were being held at shelters around the country. That’s a more than fivefold increase from numbers last year, per data reported to Congress. These record numbers are reportedly growing because it’s increasingly difficult for friends and relatives to become sponsors and and take the children in. The New York Times

Network of Sponsors and Homes for Asylum Seekers Grows

To be released from detention on bond, asylum seekers have to put down the address of a U.S. sponsor they’ll be staying with. Legal and community groups are making this struggle a lot easier. In the wake of increased enforcement and public awareness, they’re raising money for bond and finding homes for migrants. Religious institutions are similarly also offering space to those that are in affirmative asylum proceedings. The Los Angeles Times

Arrests of Migrant Families Rose 38 Percent in August in What Trump Officials Call a ‘Crisis’ at the Border, The Washington Post

Despite Trump’s Promise to Protect them, Christian Refugees Struggle to Enter U.S., NBC News

Dan Kildee Bill Would Stop Deportation of Deaf Detroit Immigrant, The Detroit Free Press

Immigration Court Judges are Skeptical of Jeff Sessions’ Backlog-Busting Plan, Pacific Standard

More Migrant Families, and Guatemalans, Are Trying to Enter the U.S., The New York Times

‘Posting Information Like This is Irresponsible.’ ICE Says Raid Fliers are Fake, The Fresno Bee

ICE Detains Dozens of Workers in Arkansas Factory Raid, Associated Press

Canada May Soon Outpace U.S. in Refugee Admissions, The Atlantic

How Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Is Targeting Artists, Observer

Washington — Miniscule Refugee Cap Nowhere Near Being Reached

The Trump administration set the cap on refugee admissions to the lowest level it’s been since the creation of the modern refugee program, and it seems to be on track to actually admit only about half of that already-low number. An analysis by Reuters found the federal bureaucracy has instituted vast and arbitrary new controls on refugee admissions, especially those from the 11 countries that formed part of the so-called travel ban. The move goes against the advice of the administration’s own analysts. Reuters

Meanwhile, ICE wants a stopgap bill to keep the federal government running through December to allocate the agency $1 billion in additional funding. ICE said it would help the agency deport over 250,000 immigrants during the next fiscal year, approaching the peak 300,000 that were deported in 2014 under former President Barack Obama. The agency claims if it does not receive the funding, it won’t be able to deport people who are a threat to public safety, and would have to cut down on services for immigrants in its custody. The Washington Post

The federal government is working to disburse $20 million in appropriated foreign assistance funds to Mexico, to be used to facilitate deportations of Central and Latin Americans passing through Mexico to get to the United States. It’s draining from foreign funds meant to help stabilize Syria or provide aid to Palestine, while other foreign-directed money has been allowed to remain untouched. The New York Times

Speaking of funding, it’s not quite accurate to say that the government took $10 million directly from hurricane relief operations and put it into ICE, as was widely reported this week. However, the government did take about $200 million total in funding for other DHS agencies and programs, including FEMA, to roll into ICE. Vox

In a settlement that involves three lawsuits regarding the zero tolerance policy, the federal government gave 1,000 parents separated from their children and who failed the initial part of the asylum process a second chance — even some who were already deported. Vox

Spotted at an anti-immigrant hate group conference: Acting ICE Director Ronald Vitiello. SPLC

SEE MORE STORIES
Early Arrival Newsletter
Receive a roundup of all immigration news, and the latest policy news, in New York, nationwide, and from Washington, in your inbox 3x per week.
info@documentedny.com
Documented Advertising
Solutions
pitches@documentedny.com