FILE – ICE arrests a person close to Canal Road in October 2025.
Photograph by Dean Moses
Brooklyn state Sen. Zellnor Myrie issued a grim warning to New Yorkers on Friday: ICE brokers aren’t simply coming for immigrants.
“For those who think that this is just about immigration, this doesn’t touch me. I don’t have any friends or family that’s in this situation, I warn you today: now it is immigrants, tomorrow it will be you,” Myrie charged in Decrease Manhattan on Friday morning.
Myrie and Meeting Member Gabriella Romero stood reverse 26 Federal Plaza in Foley Sq. on Jan. 23, the place masked ICE brokers have apprehended a whole lot of immigrants over the previous few months, and formally launched laws they are saying will present New Yorkers with the flexibility to sue federal brokers for civil rights violations.
The pair says that presently, New Yorkers are unable to sue the likes of ICE brokers because of their federal standing. The politicians railed that because the immigration crackdown throughout the nation grows, and each immigrants and residents alike find yourself interacting with the Feds, they underscored the necessity to present the general public with a authorized path to accountability.
Dubbed the New York Civil Rights Act, the invoice would permit New Yorkers to sue federal officers for violating their civil rights, a measure Gov. Kathy Hochul has backed in her government price range launched Tuesday.
“The Trump administration is actively emboldening federal officials to encroach on the rights of our constituents, sending a dangerous message that they can act with impunity. We are responding directly to that message with a resounding no, not here, not in New York State,” Romero mentioned. “This bill gives people the ability to sue bad actors in state court, explicitly creating that state cause of action that is needed at times right now that our constituents are asking us, give us a tool to fight back, give us a resource to do something — this is that something.”
“For those who think that this is just about immigration, this doesn’t touch me. I don’t have any friends or family that’s in this situation, I warn you today: now it is immigrants, tomorrow it will be you,” Senator Zellnor Myrie charged in Decrease Manhattan on Friday morning.Photograph by Dean Moses
The elected officers pointed to the latest ICE slaying of Minneapolis mom Renee Good, who was shot to loss of life behind the wheel of her car earlier this month. Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who opened hearth on Good whereas carrying a masks, possible wouldn’t have been recognized with out Secretary of Homeland Safety Kristi Noem unintentionally outing him.
The FBI lately mentioned it might not pursue a felony investigation towards Ross.
Good’s taking pictures, which prompted nationwide outrage, has not modified ICE’s ways each within the Twin Cities and in New York. Masked brokers proceed to roam the halls of Federal Plaza immigration court docket each day. They’ve additionally been seen in different components of town apprehending people.
New York News quizzed the politicians on how this invoice can be useful if New Yorkers are unable to determine those that violated their rights. Myrie defined that it prevents masked federal brokers from deflecting duty for his or her actions on obligation, whether or not or not they put on a masks.
“What this is saying is that even if someone is masked, even if they are a federal official or agent, if they violate your rights, you should have at least the avenue to hold them accountable,” the state senator mentioned. “Here’s what’s insidious: even if you knew who they were, even if you had their badge number, even if you knew exactly what happened, it was all recorded. Everyone was able to see right now, as the law exists, you cannot sue them. It’s wrong. We shouldn’t accept that. So, we have to start with the bare minimum of giving people that avenue with the hopes that eventually the behavior will follow that accountability.”
