April 24, 2025
Albany, N.Y. — Labor unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers across New York State are urging Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate and Assembly to quickly pass the New York for All Act and protect immigrant communities from the Trump Administration’s brutal deportation machine.
“This bill represents the strongest action that New York State can take to keep immigrants together with their families and ensure that the efforts at mass deportation do not tear thousands of New Yorkers from their communities,” a dozen unions said in a letter to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and all members of the legislature.
The unions– including some of the biggest in the state– say that a “patchwork of policies” across different municipalities create big risks for immigrant workers. “A worker who lives in one place and who steps across a county line to work can face drastically changing possibilities of being deported,” they said.
“New York for All is designed to prevent immigrants from being swept into the ever-expanding deportation dragnet by ending collusion between local police and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” the unions said. “The collusion that now exists is completely voluntary and means that people could be funneled into deportation proceedings after any interaction with law enforcement. An increasing number of these raids are happening in the workplace. By limiting the collusion, New York State can send a strong message that we value our immigrant communities, the work they do and their many contributions to New York State.”
The unions told lawmakers that ICE raids are hurting the state’s economy and urged them to take swift action to pass New York for All.
The letter was signed by
- District Council 37 (DC 37)
- 32BJ SEIU
- 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
- Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR-SEIU)
- Retail Wholesale & Department Store Union (RWDSU)
- UAW Region 9A
- New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA),
- Communications Workers of America, District 1
- Professional Staff Congress/CUNY AFT Local #2334
- Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys – UAW Local 2325
- Laborers Local 79
- UNITE HERE Local 100
[Quotes from orgs]
“Immigrant workers are the backbone of our communities and our economy, and when they’re safe and secure, it makes all of us safe and secure,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. “Unions know that having a patchwork of immigration policies creates uncertainty that puts workers at risk and makes it harder to build strong communities. My New York for All Act can put an end to that by protecting the civil rights and liberties of New Yorkers in every corner of the state. That’s how we put true public safety first.”
“Immigrant workers power New York’s economy” said Assembly Member Karines Reyes, R.N., Chair of the NYS Assembly & Senate’s Puerto Rican / Hispanic Task Force and a longtime trade unionist with NYSNA. “I am pleased that organized labor is standing in solidarity with undocumented workers, some of whom are members of their unions, and committing to their protection from unwarranted federal immigration enforcement. We must pass the New York for All Act to make sure that our workplaces are safe and focused on productivity, so that the state can continue to excel economically and keep the fabric of our communities together.”
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said, “NYSNA nurses are committed to defending healthcare for all and making sure New York’s communities receive the care they need. By prohibiting New York’s state and local agencies from colluding with ICE and diverting resources to federal immigration enforcement, the New York for All Act will help keep our communities safe and ensure that hospitals and health centers are places where ALL New Yorkers can receive care.”
“1199SEIU members are united with all workers–regardless of immigration status–who deserve to safely live with dignity and respect as they build a better life for themselves and their families. It is imperative that we stand our ground and protect our neighbors, co-workers, loved ones, and every New Yorker. We urge lawmakers to pass the New York For All Act to prevent state and local enforcement of the federal government’s inhumane policies–many of which violate due process and our constitution,” said 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers President Geoge Gresham
“32BJ SEIU represents over 185,000 property service workers, including cleaners, security officers, airport workers, doorpeople, and building maintenance staff. We are proud to represent a diverse, largely immigrant workforce, and stand with all immigrant families in our communities. The New York for All Act ensures all New Yorkers, whatever their background, can live, work, take their children to school, and access essential services without fear of detention or deportation. By supporting this legislation, we strengthen our commitment to protecting workers and our communities from exploitation, discrimination, and intimidation, helping to create a safer, more equitable New York for all,” said Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ SEIU.
“Immigrant workers are invaluable to New York’s economy, culture, and quality of life– many of our members are immigrants who provide critical services and care for the public and our most vulnerable communities. State and local resources should not be used to carry out the Trump administration’s political agenda. We need our legislators to pass this critical legislation as soon as possible to protect our immigrant workers from deportation and unnecessary inquiries about their immigration status while on the job.” – Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37, AFSCME, AFL-CIO
“Today and every day, we stand united with our patients and fellow workers across New York. As physicians, we know the well-being of every community member is connected. We are calling on our state representatives to keep our communities safe and ensure that all who live here are able to live, work, and seek care freely. The time to stand up to the Trump Administration’s attempts to divide us, spread fear, and sow hate is NOW,” said Dr. Sanchez-Molina,RVP of CIR-SEIU, representing over 40,000 resident physicians across the country.
“The New York for All Act will go a long way to protecting immigrants in workplaces across New York and we stand in solidarity to urge its passage and swift implementation. Immigrant workers weave the fabric of our communities across our state and it’s important we take this necessary step to protect the people who live and work here,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
“The New York for All Act is an important legislative effort to protect New Yorkers from the federal deportation dragnet targeting both U.S. citizens and non-citizens alike,” said Lisa Ohta, President of the Association of Legal Advocates and Attorneys (ALAA) – UAW Local 2325. “New York should not collaborate with ICE or dedicate any resources to supporting family separation or limiting New Yorkers’ access to due process. Such collaboration only harms our communities and undermines legal proceedings for people otherwise guaranteed access to due process in New York state’s courts. ALAA – UAW Local 2325 urges the New York state legislature and Governor Hochul to pass and sign the New York For All Act into law.”
“Let’s be clear: the Trump administration’s agenda of mass deportation doesn’t just endanger immigrant New Yorkers—it threatens the constitutional rights and safety of us all,” said Rosa Cohen-Cruz, Immigration Policy Director at The Bronx Defenders. “When the federal government abandons due process and equal protection, it falls on states to protect these rights. We commend the union leaders who have made clear that protecting immigrant workers is essential to protecting all workers. The New York for All Act is not only urgent—it’s a moral necessity. Governor Hochul and the Legislature must act now.”
“Immigrants make New York’s economy strong – they deserve to feel safe and protected by state law,” said Zach Ahmad, Senior Policy Counsel at the New York Civil Liberties Union. “Right now, federal ICE agents are targeting New York’s immigrant workers by raiding their workplaces, stopping them in cars, and grabbing them at the grocery store — all in pursuit of a hateful, anti-immigrant agenda. To keep New York’s economy, culture, and communities afloat, Governor Hochul and all NY lawmakers must protect immigrants and pass New York For All immediately.”
“Immigrant justice is labor justice. We applaud our union allies for recognizing the urgency of the moment and calling for the immediate passage of New York for All, a critical piece of legislation that will ensure all workers feel safe making a living for their families.” said Linda Flor Brito, Senior Policy & Campaigns Organizer at the Immigrant Defense Project. “The Trump administration’s relentless attacks and criminalization of immigrants has created nothing but chaos and fear in New York communities. We implore our state legislature to respond with immediate action to make clear: New York refuses to do Trump’s dirty work by colluding with ICE in his mass deportation agenda that harms our communities and separates families. We stand in unity with our union allies to pass New York for All and protect immigrant families now.”
“The New York for All Act is a vital defense against President Trump’s unlawful deportation agenda, which aims to divert state and local government agencies away from their core missions and turn them into de facto immigration enforcement. These practices undermine public trust, drain local resources, and make communities less safe,” said Rosie Wang, program manager for the Advancing Universal Representation initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice. This bill ensures that state and local resources are used for what truly matters: responding to emergencies, ensuring stable communities, and building a strong economy and robust workforce—not ripping families apart. We urge the governor and legislature to pass the New York for All Act without delay.”
“Trump’s mass deportations and abductions of immigrant workers are a threat to every single New Yorker, creating fear and instability in our communities and economies. But New York state has the power to fight back. New York For All would require that our state and local law enforcement resources are not used to help ICE and federal immigration authorities disappear our neighbors, separate families, and sow fear in our communities. Elected leaders in Albany must stand on the side of immigrants, workers and our economy, not with the single-minded deportation agenda proposed by Trump and ICE. We must pass and enact New York For All this session,” said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
“Immigrant labor powers New York. It builds strong communities and loving families from Long Island to Buffalo. And yet so far our lawmakers have failed to act to protect immigrant New Yorkers from the federal government’s mass deportation agenda, and from local leaders who are cynically collaborating with immigration enforcement. We are grateful that unions have come out today with the strong message that all of New York’s workers deserve protection from the horrors of family separation. Now we need our elected leaders to act,” said Luba Cortés, Lead Organizer, Make the Road New York.
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