REMARKS
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams addresses immigrant protections in New York City
0:15:40
ยท
4 min
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams delivers remarks on the importance of protecting immigrant communities in New York City, especially in light of potential changes in federal immigration policies. He emphasizes the city's status as a sanctuary city, the need for stronger protections, and addresses concerns about resource allocation for both long-term residents and newly arrived migrants.
- Highlights the anxiety among immigrants due to potential changes in federal immigration policies and rhetoric
- Calls for better training of city agencies on interacting with ICE and protecting immigrant rights
- Addresses misconceptions about crime rates among immigrants and the city's expenditure on migrant services
Jumaane Williams
0:15:40
Thank you very much, madam chair.
0:15:42
As mentioned, my name is Jumaane Williams, public advocate for the city of New York.
0:15:46
Thank you, chair Villas and members of the Committee on Immigration for holding this hearing and for allowing me to share my statement.
0:15:51
Many immigrants have been anxious as a new federal administration is around the corner, and talks of deportation, denaturalization, and dismantling of the existing immigration system become louder and louder when you throw in a mayor that has failed to condemn any of this rhetoric and is seemingly amenable to some of the changes, immigrants have a right to feel this way.
0:16:10
New York City has always been a city of immigrants as the country.
0:16:14
More than 1 third of New York City residents are immigrants.
0:16:17
Over 1,000,000 New Yorkers are part of a mixed status household, a quarter of whom are children.
0:16:22
Fanning the flames of anti immigrant rhetoric not only threatens immigrant, including naturalized citizens, but also their US born loved ones.
0:16:30
These policies impact all New Yorkers.
0:16:32
I understand the news has amplified fears of immigrants committing crimes, yet research shows that there is no correlation between the immigrant share of the population and the total crime rate in any state.
0:16:41
Some of this inflammatory sentiment within New York City is in response to the 100 of thousands of migrants who arrived in our city over the past 3 years.
0:16:49
While over 250,000 migrants have interfaced with city agencies, including the shelter system, approximately 55,000 remain in the city's care.
0:16:57
With the migrant census steadily declining as individuals become self sufficient or seek opportunities beyond the city, while some have taken this opportunity to latch onto neighborhood to sorry, to heighten xenophobia, racism, and fear mongering, I continue to see an opportunity for our newest New Yorkers to become integrated into the fabric of our city.
0:17:14
New York City is a sanctuary city, meaning there are some safeguards to protect the millions of immigrants who call it home by limiting interaction and cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, which, of course, Sanctuary City just talks about coordination.
0:17:27
It does not mean, that ICE cannot be in the city.
0:17:30
ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement still holds the power to arrest anyone that's suspected of being undocumented.
0:17:36
This tremendous power means that we, as a city, must fulfill must fully be prepared to keep federal agents, from pursuing Donald Trump's dangerous agenda in New York City.
0:17:46
Donald Trump, in prodigy 2025, will threaten to rep repeal policies that prevent ICE from making arrests at schools, hospitals, and churches.
0:17:54
Our schools must continue to serve as a fortress for every student.
0:17:58
City agencies must be specifically trained on how to interact with ICE, ensuring that ICE agents cannot work outside of the boundaries set by our local laws.
0:18:05
And to be clear, on regardless of what the mayor says, we do actually coordinate with ICE in about a 150 crimes where people have been, convicted, and that that coordination is allowed.
0:18:19
That includes violent crimes.
0:18:20
Unfortunately, I may either understand it or is purposely misinforming the public.
0:18:25
We need to do more in the city to provide newly arrived individuals and families with more resources that enable them to defend their rights.
0:18:32
The mayor's office of immigrant affairs must update and widely disseminate information about the programs that so boldly touts on his website.
0:18:38
Our number one priority should always be to protect the rights of all New Yorkers regardless of their race, primary language, gender, age, or immigration status.
0:18:45
I also wish to emphasize and recognize the humanity of our humanity of our immigrant New Yorkers.
0:18:50
To leave your home country to seek better opportunities, safety, and stability is no small feat, yet millions of New Yorkers have done exactly this for centuries, including my family and my parents.
0:19:00
It was resulted in a vibrant city whose commitment, cultures, and traditions make it what it is today.
0:19:05
Our city will always be seen as diverse microcosm to the world and a beacon of hope, mobility, and belonging.
0:19:11
Because of its long history of welcoming immigrants, protecting such a large populace is imperative, and even in the face of an uphill battle, we must persist and we must not let them down.
0:19:21
I do wanna just add, I wanna make sure I lift up the plight of black immigrant New Yorkers, who receive, as usual, unfortunately, the brunt of a lot of this, including, deportations and not having access, to the city.
0:19:33
Lastly, I just wanna say, the mayor continues to, point at $6,000,000,000 that was spent on migrants.
0:19:40
As a long term New Yorker myself, I just wanna tell long term New Yorkers I understand why you would be angry.
0:19:46
I just want you to be angry at the right people.
0:19:47
So the next time you hear that, you should ask the leaders why didn't they because that money has always been here.
0:19:54
Those of us who are here in this council have always said we have the money we need if we believe that our long term New Yorkers were in crisis a long time before the migrants got here and do not allow people to divisive rhetoric.
0:20:06
It just is not true.
0:20:07
They are not the ones that made those decisions.
0:20:09
Leaders made those decisions.
0:20:11
We always have that money, and we still have that money if we view certain issues as crisis.
0:20:16
Thank you.