In just one week, President-elect Donald Trump will officially take office.
The Trump Administration’s approach to immigration has sparked one of the biggest controversies.
Advocates in New York are urging lawmakers to take prompt action on immigration policies before January 20th.
Maryam Khaldi, a Syrian American, shares that she and her family have firsthand experience of living in constant fear.
“My parents immigrated to New York to give us a better life and my mom herself wasn’t a U.S. citizen when we first got here,” said Khaldi. “We knew that the threat wasn’t just for our families, it was for all communities.
Khaldi, along with hundreds of others across the state, is urging state lawmakers to pass a comprehensive set of bills aimed at safeguarding the well-being and prosperity of immigrants.
The proposed legislation aims to prohibit law enforcement agencies from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while also allocating state funding for immigration legal services during immigration court proceedings.
“Some in Albany don’t feel the urgency of this moment, but I ask any, I ask you to ask any restaurant owner, any construction company, any healthcare facility, or any hospital, about the threat of losing their workforce,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
Senate Republicans made it clear during a dueling rally downstairs on Monday afternoon that they are not on board.
“I mean, there are veterans in New York, people with mental health problems in New York, New Yorkers, American citizens who pay the highest taxes in the country, and they can’t get these services yet, these folks behind here are concerned about services for people who aren’t legal, residents,” said Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt. “I’m sorry, they have to get behind, they want to be a citizen, god bless you for that, become a citizen, and then a whole world will open up to you.”
Federal lawmakers recently passed a bill with a strong majority, providing local law enforcement and ICE additional resources to address major crimes committed by illegal immigrants. Congressman Paul Tonko, a Democrat, cast his vote against the bill.
“The fundamentals of our society are justice for all and to be deported because of a charge, not even necessarily a conviction,” said Tonko. “I think everyone should have the ability to have a due process”
According to Khaldi, these laws instill even more fear within the immigrant community.
“Unfortunately, our communities are feeling paralyzed. we no longer feel safe to go about our day-to-day lives,” said Khaldi.
