Attorney General James Takes Action to Protect Haitian Immigrants

 

AG James Files Amicus Brief to Defend Legal Status of Haitian Immigrants Who Fled Violence and Instability

New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a coalition of 18 attorneys general in defending the legal status of over 250,000 Haitian immigrants currently living in the United States after fleeing dangerous conditions in their home country. In an amicus brief filed in a case brought by a group of Haitian immigrants in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the coalition argues that the federal administration’s moves to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from Haitian immigrants are illegal and will endanger hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country. Attorney General James and the coalition are urging the court to grant the plaintiffs’ request to postpone the termination of TPS.

“Haitian immigrants are a valuable part of our communities and local economies, helping make New York and this nation what they are today,” said Attorney General James. “This administration’s attempt to revoke their legal status would put hundreds of thousands of people in danger and threaten to tear apart families. I will continue to fight to protect TPS so Haitians who came to our country to build a better life can continue to pursue the American dream.”

Following a devastating earthquake in 2010, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Haiti for TPS protection and extended this protection in the years since, most recently in 2024. Despite unsafe conditions and political instability in Haiti, the administration has moved to end protections for TPS holders, jeopardizing the safety of over 250,000 Haitian immigrants, including at least 56,000 living in New York.

As of 2022, over 200,000 U.S. citizens, including approximately 87,000 children, were living with a Haitian TPS holder. As Attorney General James and the coalition argue, revoking TPS from Haitian immigrants puts hundreds of thousands of families like these in an impossible position. Parents with TPS would be forced to either leave their children behind and return to Haiti, take their U.S. citizen children with them to an unfamiliar and dangerous country, or remain in the U.S. without authorization and subject their family to continuous fear and uncertainty.

Attorney General James and the coalition assert that terminating TPS would inflict significant harm on communities throughout the country, jeopardizing local economies, public health, and public safety. Haitians are critical members of New York’s workforce, filling essential roles in healthcare, education, construction, and other industries. TPS-eligible Haitians contribute $4.4 billion annually to the U.S. economy, and ending their legal status would revoke their work permits, harming local economies and making it harder for families to make ends meet. Ending work authorizations would also deprive many of these families of their access to health insurance, making it harder for vulnerable people to get care and increasing public health risks. Fears of deportation and family separation would dissuade Haitian immigrants from reporting crimes, serving as witnesses, and interacting with law enforcement. Children living with Haitian TPS-holders would be more likely to miss school and suffer trauma from living in fear of having a parent deported.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the administration’s actions to terminate TPS are arbitrary, discriminatory, and unconstitutional, and are urging the court to grant the plaintiffs’ motion to stay the termination of TPS for Haitians. Joining Attorney General James in filing the brief are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.  

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul

“I am outraged by this morning’s ICE raids in Cato and Fulton, where more than 40 adults were seized — including parents of at least a dozen children at risk of returning from school to an empty house.

“I’ve made it clear: New York will work with the federal government to secure our borders and deport violent criminals, but we will never stand for masked ICE agents separating families and abandoning children.

“Today’s raids will not make New York safer. What they did was shatter hard-working families who are simply trying to build a life here, just like millions of immigrants before them.

“These actions fly in the face of New York’s values. As Governor, I will always stand against this cruelty.”

 

Department of Justice Sues City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu Over Sanctuary City Laws

 

Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the City of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and the Boston Police Department and Police Commissioner over Boston’s sanctuary city laws that interfere with the federal government’s enforcement of its immigration laws.

“The City of Boston and its Mayor have been among the worst sanctuary offenders in America – they explicitly enforce policies designed to undermine law enforcement and protect illegal aliens from justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If Boston won’t protect its citizens from illegal alien crime, this Department of Justice will.”

Not only are Boston’s sanctuary city policies illegal under federal law, but, as alleged in the complaint, Boston’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration authorities results in the release of dangerous criminals from police custody who would otherwise be subject to removal, including illegal aliens convicted of aggravated assault, burglary, and drug and human trafficking, onto the streets.

On her first day in office, Attorney General Bondi instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal immigration laws or impede lawful federal immigration operations. On Aug. 5, Attorney General Bondi published a list of sanctuary jurisdictions, which included the City of Boston, and vowed to bring litigation to end these policies nationwide. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal sanctuary city policies across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.

Preston High School Way

It was a beautiful day for a street naming by Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato for the prestigious Preston High School. The corner of Schurtz Avenue and Brinsmade Avenue where Preston High School sits, became Preston High School Way Thursday afternoon as the new street sign covering was unveiled by Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato, Council Majority Leader Amanda Farias, Preston High School Principal Jennifer Connolly, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, students, parents, and alumni of Preston High School.  

Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato who attended Preston High school gave welcoming and closing remarks, Preston Junior Jada Parks sang the National Anthem, there was a blessing by Monsignor John Graham of St. Francis de Chantal, speeches by Councilwoman Farais a 2007 Preston alumni, Preston principal Connolly, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto. It was then time to walk to the street pole with a covering on a sign with a rope attached to it. Everyone gathered and with a tug of the rope "Preston High School Way" was revealed. 

Preston High School students, parents, alumni, elected officials, and others are seated for the Preston High School Way street naming.  

Councilwoman Kristy Marmorato welcomed all to the street naming for the school she had attended.

Preston Junior Jada Parks sang the National Anthem.

Preston High School principal Jennifer Connolly said a few words about the prestigious school. 

City Council Majority Leader Amanda Farias and Preston High School alumni talks about her time at the school. 

The new street sign "Preston High School Way" is unveiled to everyone's joy. 

The school was given a second street sign. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson holds a proclamation she presented to the school.

Statement from Ed Cox after New Yorker Festival Invites pro-9/11 Radical

 

Cox: Silence from Hochul, Jeffries is pathetic cowardice 

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement in response to the New Yorker Festival's invitation to Hasan Piker, a radical zealot who has expressed support for the 9/11 attacks, open anti-Semitism and called for violence against Republicans:

 

"As we approach the 24th anniversary of 9/11, a supposedly mainstream gathering of left-wing New Yorkers has invited a speaker who openly expressed his support of the attacks, in addition to calling for violence against Republican officials and numerous instances of overt anti-Semitism.

 

"This takes place against the backdrop of a Democratic Party that has nominated a defund-the-police, globalize-the-intifada Communist as their candidate for Mayor. 

 

"Kathy Hochul and Hakeem Jeffries have spent months hemming and hawing about whether to endorse Mamdani. Their silence is pathetic cowardice. They must immediately and unequivocally repudiate both Hasan Piker and Zohran Mamdani: anything less is complicity in these radicals' war on Western Civilization."

STATE SENATOR GUSTAVO RIVERA ON FLORIDA'S DANGEROUS ELIMINATION OF CHILDHOOD VACCINE STANDARDS

 

“I’m incredibly concerned for families living in Florida, including my own, who will be at risk due to the decision by their state to end all vaccine mandates for school children. The DeSantis administration decided to legitimize anti-vaccine conspiracies and play politics with public health. This puts countless Florida kids and vulnerable individuals in danger of contracting diseases we’ve wiped out, like measles and polio, while endangering the rest of the country. Through immeasurable loss of life, we learned that communicable diseases do not have borders. 

"Despite the current HHS Secretary RFK Jr. fearmongering for years against vaccines, removing these requirements will cause increased rates of disease and increased healthcare costs for us all. This is happening at a time when healthcare funding is being plundered by the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans to pay for tax breaks for the wealthiest among us. I fear that other states will follow suit and we will all feel the consequences of a country with reduced herd immunity.

 

"Given the incredibly dangerous vacuum of expertise at the CDC and the clear disdain for science demonstrated by the Trump administration, New York State must forge its own public health path. The recent alliance established by California, Oregon, and Washington, which will work in tandem to review data to guide their public health policies, should serve as an example of the direction that states that trust science should follow. I urge Governor Hochul and Commissioner McDonald to explore similarly assertive measures to protect New Yorkers from the threat of this federal administration and rogue state leaders ignoring decades of scientific research and knowledge. I will be working closely with my colleagues to pursue policies that address these challenges head on."

MAYOR ADAMS, CHANCELLOR AVILES-RAMOS CUT RIBBON AT CITY’S FIRST HBCU EARLY COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL, WELCOME STUDENTS BACK AT FIRST DAY OF 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR

 

Adams Administration Opens Seven New Schools for 2025-2026 School Year 

  

New Technology Policies, Investments in Student Success Build on Administration’s Commitment to Student Achievement Across All Five Boroughs  

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, and Delaware State University (DSU) President Dr. Tony Allen today celebrated the return to school of approximately 1 million public-school students and staff and cut the ribbon at the Historically Black Colleges Universities (HBCU) Early College Prep High School in Queens. The HBCU Early College Prep High School — the first-of-its-kind for New York City Public Schools — will bring an innovative, tuition-free, early college high school experience to students, where they can earn up to 64 college credits for an associate degree in Liberal Arts from DSU, an HBCU. The event welcomed the first cohort of students with performances and words of encouragement while marking the beginning of a transformative school year, which will include the expansion of signature initiatives in NYC Reads and NYC Solves, the internet-enabled device policy designed to limit distractions in the classrooms, and significant investments in hiring more teachers, among other major announcements.  

  

“We are ringing in the school year with more investments to prepare our students for bold futures. Today, we are opening seven new public schools across the five boroughs, including the first ever HBCU Early College Prep High School, expanding programs for students with autism, rolling out our first batch of 5,000 new after-school seats, and so much more as we invest in our students and families,” said Mayor Adams. “We are thrilled to start the school year with these new investments, offering schools that honor our students’ rich backgrounds and histories and meet local needs, provide rigorous instruction, and prepare all of our students for the future. Our administration is laser focused on making New York the best place to raise a family, and that starts with providing our kids with a quality education.” 

  

“The first day of school is my favorite day of the year. As I watched my own daughter prepare for her first day of middle school, I was reminded of the tremendous trust families across the city place in us with their most precious gifts: their children. That is why we are committed to delivering on our promise to provide a world-class education that prepares every single student for success,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “This year, we've opened seven brand-new, innovative schools, launched a device policy that will create more focused learning environments, and expanded our incredibly successful NYC Reads and NYC Solves programs to 186 additional schools across our system. I am beyond proud to lead New York City Public Schools in this groundbreaking work, and I can't wait to see our students thrive throughout this new school year.” 

  

HBCU Early College Prep High School today opened its doors for over 100 ninth-grade scholars as part of its historic first day. Led by founding principal and HBCU alumnus Dr. Asya Johnson, HBCU Early College Prep provides students with the world-class education of a New York City Public School while preparing them for life beyond high school and success in college. The school's structure is rooted in the rich legacy of HBCUs and offers students a comprehensive experience that includes college courses, Greek life, Founder's Day activities, Mr. and Miss Freshman competitions, Homecoming celebrations, and more. 

  

As the school year begins, New York City Public Schools opened the doors to seven new schools  in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and on Staten Island, bringing world class education, accelerated programming, and career readiness to over 500 students. With more than 1,600 schools serving diverse communities across the five boroughs, New York City Public Schools remains dedicated to reflecting these communities while upholding excellence and preparing students for success in college, career, and life, including by opening of two new FutureReadyNYC schools, bringing a reimagined high school experience to students so they can plan for a bright future with good careers.  

  

Today also kicked off the New York City Public Schools’ new cell phone and electronic device policy, in line with the New York state mandate passed this year by the state Legislature. While more than half of the city’s public schools already had a cell phone restriction policy in place, under the revised policy, starting this school year, personal internet-enabled devices — such as smartphones, tablets, and smart watches — cannot be used during the school day by students. This work comes on the heels of multi-year consultations with school communities and alongside the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to develop well-rounded policies that meet the needs of students enrolled in New York City Public Schools. 

  

Additionally, 186 schools across 14 districts will implement Mayor Adams' signature curricula, NYC Reads and NYC Solves, for the first time this year, which will bring high-quality, evidence-based foundational reading and math curricula to middle school students across the five boroughs. These comprehensive programs also provide targeted resources, professional development, and curriculum enhancements for educators. The Adams administration and New York City Public Schools recently celebrated the release of new state test data revealing a substantial increase in reading and math scores for public school children in the city, between grades 3 through 8 in the 2024-2025 school year.  

  

Today’s announcement also builds off two years of core educational accomplishments under the Adams administration, including instituting nation-leading dyslexia screening for all students, adding 57 Gifted and Talented programs, helping 13,658 students complete work-based learning experiences for the 2024-2025 school year through FutureReadyNYC, cementing new labor contracts for teachers and other education officials, investing $167 million in new funding to secure critical early childhood education programs, dramatically increasing early childhood education enrollment to 150,000 children across the city’s system, and securing mayoral accountability twice in three years while investing $180 million to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan. 

  

Attorney General James Leads Coalition Opposing Federal ICE Detention Policy

 

AG James and 19 Attorneys General File Brief Arguing Mandatory Detention Without Bond Violates Due Process, Endangers Families, and Wastes Taxpayer Dollars

New York Attorney General Letitia James led 19 other attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing a sweeping new federal policy that mandates indefinite detention of many undocumented immigrants without the opportunity for a bond hearing. In a brief filed in Bautista v. Noem, Attorney General James and the coalition challenge the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) unprecedented reinterpretation of immigration law, arguing it violates due process and federal statutes, and inflicts widespread harm on families, communities, and state economies.

“Our nation was founded on the principle of liberty and justice for all,” said Attorney General James. “DHS is now attempting to rewrite immigration law, erase due process protections, and deny people their most basic constitutional rights. The federal government cannot ignore the law and threaten our nation’s families, communities, and values.”

For decades, immigrants living in the U.S. who were placed in removal proceedings had the right to request a bond hearing – a chance to argue for their release while their immigration case was pending. The DHS’s new policy eliminates that right for those who entered the country without inspection, mandating their indefinite detention regardless of individual circumstances. Many of these individuals have lived in the U.S. for years and now face confinement in often overcrowded, unsafe, and unsanitary facilities for months or even years. As DHS expands its enforcement efforts, millions more immigrants could be subjected to mandatory detention under this policy.

In the brief, Attorney General James and the coalition argue that this new DHS policy will have devastating and far-reaching consequences. More than nine million U.S. citizens, including over four million children, live with at least one undocumented family member. Studies show that the detention of a parent significantly increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder in children, and deepens economic instability for entire households. Fear of detention already deters immigrant families from seeking health care, food assistance, and even reporting crimes, undermining both public safety and public health. The attorneys general argue that the mandatory detention policy only exacerbates this chilling effect.

The attorneys general also underscore the economic harm of this mass detention. Undocumented immigrants constitute nearly five percent of the U.S. workforce and play critical roles in industries such as agriculture and construction. In 2023, undocumented-led households paid nearly $90 billion in taxes and contributed almost $300 billion in consumer spending. The attorneys general argue that unnecessarily detaining these workers disrupts the labor force and undermines local and state economies.

Attorney General James and the coalition also highlight the staggering costs of this policy. In 2024, immigration detention cost U.S. taxpayers $3.4 billion – roughly $152 per detainee per day. By contrast, DHS’s own Alternatives to Detention program costs less than $4.20 per day and is equally effective in ensuring court appearances. The attorneys general argue that DHS’s shift away from these cost-effective alternatives wastes taxpayer dollars while delivering no added benefit.

The attorneys general emphasize that indefinite detention severely limits detainees’ ability to access legal representation, particularly when they are transferred to remote facilities far from their families and attorneys. This drastically reduces their chances of obtaining legal relief, even when they are eligible to remain in the country.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that in addition to being inhumane, denying individuals the opportunity for a bond hearing contradicts longstanding legal precedent and fundamental due process protections. The coalition emphasizes that individualized assessments are standard in both civil and criminal proceedings, and immigrants should not be treated differently simply because of their status.

The attorneys general are urging the court to grant partial summary judgment for the plaintiffs and strike down DHS’ unlawful policy.

Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.