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In what is likely to be the most consequential year for immigrant New Yorkers in decades, Gov. Kathy Hochul said nothing about protecting immigrant New Yorkers, the state collaborating with or resisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, or anything related to Trump’s forthcoming crackdown on immigrant communities on Tuesday afternoon during her State of the State Address.
New Yorkers who rallied at the state Capitol on Monday as well as last week, on the first day of the legislative session, were disappointed and critical of the speech.
“Gov. Hochul can talk about being bold and not backing down from a fight, but her words are less than meaningless given her silence on immigrants facing mass deportation under a second Trump administration,” Rosa Cohen-Cruz, the director of immigration policy at The Bronx Defenders, told Documented. “Her silence is dangerous — there is no fight, there is no being bold without supporting the protections languishing in the state legislature, that would prevent New York’s jails and local agencies from being deputized on behalf of an agenda of mass expulsion.”
Cohen-Cruz was one of hundreds who stood on the million dollar staircase at the state Capitol in Albany demanding justice for immigrant communities across the state. Immigration policy experts, immigrant rights advocates, directly impacted immigrants and their loved ones all found Hochul’s silence during her address to be stark.
New York state is home to nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants, most of whom are long settled and have lived in the state for more than a decade. The state faces potential impacts as President-elect Donald Trump plans a massive deportation effort that would enlist state and local law enforcement to aid in removing millions. Several groups including the Bronx Defenders, the Vera Institute of Justice, the New York Civil Liberties Union, and Alianza Agrícola have been sounding the alarm for the state legislature and Hochul to pass immigrant protections, including the New York for All Act, Dignity Not Detention Act; Access to Representation Act; and the Clemency Justice Act.
The bills have stalled, and immigration experts, concerned about Trump’s looming policies, anticipated Hochul would address at least some of the concerns in her speech. Cohen-Cruz isn’t alone in her criticisms of the address. Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement sent to Documented that Hochul “lost an opportunity to make New York a leader by strengthening protections for immigrant families and including them in her proposals.”
He said that while “Hochul outlined her vision for a New York that is more affordable, where more families can make ends meet, find housing, and prosper,” she “failed to mention the immigrants who have already contributed so much to making that vision a reality.”
Hochul’s speech heavily addressed increased policing and safety infrastructure for New Yorkers. At a time when public safety on the New York City subway and streets has been a major concern for New Yorkers, the State of the State address appealed to their sense of safety, aiming to uplift and encourage residents with solutions.
But in communication shared with Documented, experts say similar to Mayor Eric Adams’ State of the City address last Thursday, Hochul’s overall address relies heavily on increased policing and surveillance, which in light of a failure to pass anti-collusion laws such as the New York for All Act puts immigrant New Yorkers at greater risk. The New York for All legislation aims to bar New York’s state and local agencies, including police and sheriffs, from cooperating with ICE, sharing sensitive information, or allocating resources to support federal immigration enforcement efforts. In a statement reacting to Hochul’s speech, The Bronx Defenders wrote on their website that “Public safety does not come from fear-driven policies or backtracking on reforms that save lives. It comes from investing in communities, protecting rights, and ensuring that every New Yorker, regardless of background, is treated with dignity.”
