New York, NY – The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) Action New York Chapter endorses the “New York For All Act” (S2235/A3506), which would create a consistent, state-wide standard for how city and state agencies interact with federal immigration enforcement. It would prohibit New York’s state and local government agencies-including police and sheriffs-from collaborating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), disclosing sensitive information, or using local resources for federal immigration enforcement. These actions would preserve resources for our communities and safeguards the civil rights of all New Yorkers. NIAC Action New York is proud to announce support for this critical step forward in protecting the civil rights of all New Yorkers.
Iranian Americans know firsthand the harm caused by draconian, discriminatory policies and unchecked enforcement. These include the travel ban, unjust bank account closures, alien land laws, violations of due process, and targeted surveillance. All Americans citizens and non-citizens alike must stand in solidarity with immigrant communities facing renewed threats of mass deportation and due process violations.
Etan Mabourakh, NIAC Action New York Chapter Leader said “Iranian Americans are all too familiar with images of innocent civilians being dragged into unmarked vans by civilian-clothed authorities. The fear and anxiety of ICE kidnapping and detaining lawful residents without evidence of crimes digs at a lingering pain specific to our and many other communities. Iranian Americans of New York stand united for the rights of all. Lawmakers should pass this bill and keep New York a beacon of safety and justice.”
NIAC Action New York joins a powerful coalition that has endorsed this legislation including the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), Make the Road New York, Immigrant Defense Project, African Communities Together, Asian American Federation, Arab American Association of New York, Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Empire Justice Center, Center for Community Alternatives, Churches United for Fair Housing, The Immigrant Defense Project and major New York State labor unions. A recent coalition letter to Governor Hochul read that “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.”
Due process and equal protection are not abstract ideals-they are lifelines for real people whose futures depend on fair treatment under the law. NIAC Action’s advocacy for civil rights has always been national in scope, and NIAC Action’s New York chapter is now taking that fight to their state by defending the civil rights of New Yorkers from unjust federal overreach.
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