In the face of a dark, national siege on immigrant families and their communities, New York and other cities must stand strong for the human rights and values at the core of our local policies. This city does not buckle under pressure — we act. Our upcoming budget negotiations are a critical opportunity to aggressively meet these dangerous times, including by bolstering offices on the frontlines of work and leadership.
ICE and Border Patrol agents, masked and dressed in full-combat gear, have flooded cities. These agents have become the foot soldiers of a cruel authoritarian regime unleashing indiscriminate violence against anyone they perceive as “other,” citizen and non-citizen alike.
Sadly, it is crystal clear to agents that they will not be held accountable for their actions, even in the most egregious of cases. In fact, the White House routinely posts memes and AI-generated videos that celebrate ICE and Border Patrol’s cruelty and advance not-so-thinly veiled white supremacist propaganda.
A year into Donald Trump’s second term there is no denying that his administration is unapologetically scapegoating nonwhite people, flouting due process, increasing surveillance while lining the pockets of the president’s cronies with millions worth of government contracts.
New York has grown, and become stronger and more successful over time thanks to the contributions of immigrants. Its rich diversity attracts millions of visitors — and dollars — to the city each year in roles that extend far beyond tourism.
In recognition of this “sanctuary” protections have been embedded into the fabric of our city. Republican and Democratic mayors have recognized that communities are safer when immigrants do not fear reporting crime to the police. Similarly, communities are healthier when all can access health care, and financially sound when there are diverse job opportunities, and strong worker protections.
To that end, the City Council under the leadership of this previous speaker passed legislation that prohibits local law enforcement from entering into 287(g) agreements which would allow them to cooperate with ICE on civil immigration enforcement.
Additional laws ensure that city resources are not used in support of federal immigration enforcement, including by prohibiting ICE access to Rikers Island, and we passed detainer laws that protect immigrants’ due process rights by ensuring that the NYPD, the Department of Correction, and the Department of Probation only honor detainer requests when they are accompanied by a judicial warrant.
Furthermore, as the current chair of the Immigration Committee, I am committed to ensuring the integrity of our existing laws and budgetary initiatives and where we can go further willing to do so.
But today, many of the programs intended to support immigrant New Yorkers exist across multiple agencies, creating a patchwork that can be difficult to track and coordinate. This fragmentation makes it harder to ensure accountability, maintain a cohesive strategy, and quickly respond to the evolving needs of our communities.
To meet this moment with the urgency it demands, we should consider establishing a standalone immigration agency. One that can bring together the various contracts and initiatives currently spread across agencies, ensuring that our work is coordinated, strategic, and fully aligned with the values we have long upheld as a city.
At a time when immigrant communities are being targeted and tested at every level, our response must be equally intentional. We have led before, and we must continue to lead now not only by defending our policies, but by strengthening the systems that make them real in people’s lives.
Mark-Viverito is a former speaker of the New York City Council and represented East Harlem’s District 8. Encarnacion is the current member for District 8 and chair the Council’s Committee on Immigration.