347 days until the next Mayor of New York City.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
CITIES FOR ACTION ISSUES IMMIGRATION POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE 117TH CONGRESS
Coalition’s recommendations include a special focus on an inclusive COVID-19 recovery that considers the needs of all residents and families, regardless of immigration status
Cities for Action (C4A), which represents nearly 200 U.S. mayors and county executives who advocate for pro-immigrant and inclusive policies and programs that strengthen communities and families, today released a Vision for Immigration Action: Local Leaders’ Recommendations for Building Inclusive, Equitable, and Resilient Communities for All and a sign-on letter from local leaders urging bold action to address the needs of immigrant families and communities across America.
Mayors and county executives from small, large, urban, and rural cities and counties, including Aurora, Colorado; Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Tucson, Arizona signed onto the Vision for Immigration Action available at citiesforaction.us/vision. The recommendations position C4A member cities and counties as key partners in building an inclusive and equitable COVID recovery for every member of our communities, and follow the December 2020 Cities for Action nationwide convening with representatives from the incoming Biden-Harris Administration.
“Our city has stood firmly against the Trump administration’s inhumane approach toward our immigrant communities, from their blatant attempts to demonize immigrants to their racist policies that tear families apart,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We have always known that immigrants make our city and our country great, and now is the time to unite and create lasting and meaningful immigration reform alongside the Biden-Harris administration”
“Cities have remained frontline defenders of immigrant rights and American values over the past four years — and we will always stand firm for the dignity of anyone who calls our country home,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The inauguration of the Biden-Harris Administration marks a fresh start for our immigration policies and a chance to reaffirm our commitment, locally and nationally, to protecting the refugees, asylum seekers, Dreamers, and all those who strengthen Los Angeles and communities nationwide.”
“Our strong and resilient immigrant communities have put up a great fight over the past four years against relentless xenophobic and racist policies and rhetoric," said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. "The Cities for Action Vision for Immigration Action outlines the various bold and needed ways the incoming Biden-Harris administration can support our immigrant communities' efforts to build their lives, raise their families, and pursue their dreams free from fear.”
“As a Cities for Action steering committee member, Seattle is proud of this vision for immigration that brings America back on the path of welcoming immigrants,” said Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “This past year presented unprecedented challenges for cities across the world. We saw the resiliency, compassion and determination of our neighbors, friends, first responders and essential workers as our communities came together to respond to these unimaginable dual crises of the pandemic and economic recession. In 2021, in partnership with cities across the country, there is so much hope on the horizon. Cities like Seattle stand ready to collaborate with this new administration to build back stronger, better and more equitable.”
Nationwide, in cities and counties big and small, immigrants are integral members of communities—they are our teachers, food producers, healthcare workers, and family members. Cities and counties affirm that when immigrant communities are thriving, the country is thriving and that all residents benefit from pro-immigrant and inclusive policies. As a result, C4A is urging the Biden-Harris Administration and the 117th Congress to implement a bold national strategy for immigrant integration and immigration reform that includes:
● A pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and essential workers
● Establishment of a White House Office of New Americans
● Respect proven local public safety strategies by ending efforts to condition federal funding on local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement
● Increasing access to citizenship
● Expand support for immigrant crime victims who help law enforcement
● Support for language access at all levels of government
● A national funding stream for immigration legal services
● Keeping families together by rethinking enforcement and shifting away from detention
● Raising the annual refugee admissions ceiling and rebuilding the resettlement infrastructure
● Respect proven local public safety strategies by ending efforts to condition federal funding on local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement
An immigration inclusion and reform strategy would not be meaningful without an effective and equitable COVID-19 recovery plan that recognizes the outsized harms suffered and enormous contributions made by our immigrant communities. Many immigrant community members kept our cities and counties running in essential occupations during the pandemic. C4A subsequently is calling for a federal COVID-19 recovery plan that:
● Expands access to pandemic relief and health care for small business owners, unemployed workers, and families, regardless of immigration status
● Deploys strong, coordinated outreach and multilingual messaging that immigrants should not fear interaction with government and can safely access medical care – including COVID-19 testing, treatment, vaccines, and preventative care – as well as emergency food, shelter, and other resources during the pandemic
● Provides immigration relief that recognizes the contributions of immigrant essential workers and sets them on a path to work authorization and citizenship, as well as enforceable protections for all workers, regardless of immigration status, to help them demand safe working conditions without the fear of retaliation
● Issues a moratorium on immigration enforcement while the pandemic continues to threaten public health and release vulnerable and immuno-compromised individuals from immigration detention
Visit citiesforaction.us/vision to download C4A’s Vision for Immigration Action.
“Immigrants were among the first impacted by the pandemic but the last to get help, despite many risking their lives serving as essential workers and others being left without a job. Here in the Borderlands, immigrants are not only central to our economy, but to our social and cultural fabric as well. I have strong confidence in the ability of the incoming Biden-Harris Administration to be forward-thinking with their immigration policies. I join localities across the country in encouraging them and the 117th Congress to prioritize immigration reform that will build inclusive, equitable, and resilient communities for all,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.
“Our immigrant families deserve our support, compassion, and relentless advocacy; their story is the American story of hope, inclusion and opportunity,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “As Mayor of America’s most unapologetic Sanctuary City, I urge all to support these common sense policies that will end the nightmare for our valiant Dreamers and advance an immigration system that actually supports our communities, our economy, and our American values.”
“Amid the many crises we face, supporting our immigrant and refugee communities is more vital than ever,” said Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter. “This set of priorities will help ensure no one is left behind as we move forward together through these uncertain times.”
“Local leaders know firsthand the critical role immigration plays in realizing economic growth, keeping families together, and reaching our greatest potential as a country. We have seen the devastating impact federal, xenophobic policies and the COVID-19 pandemic have had on our immigrant communities, but are continuously inspired by their resilience and fortitude,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “It is in that spirit of hope that together we present these recommendations for immigration action and stand ready to work alongside the Biden-Harris Administration and Congress to seize this moment and build a more resilient and inclusive nation, for the benefit of all.”
“This past year made ever clear the essential role immigrant New Yorkers hold in keeping the city safe and healthy amid the pandemic,” said JL Paniagua Valle, Deputy Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “I commend the efforts of these leaders across the country to help ensure immigrant communities are fully included in civic life.”
In recent years, in the face of damaging rhetoric and policies at the federal level, C4A and its members have led the charge to create safe and inclusive environments for diverse communities. These initiatives have included the development of municipal IDs, legal and other support for immigrants seeking citizenship or other immigration benefits, the expansion of language access, and the fight to defend our values as localities and a country of immigrants with policies that advance community trust and greater safety for all.
About Cities for Action
Cities for Action is a coalition of nearly 200 U.S. mayors and county executives working to advocate for and promote civic inclusion of our immigrant communities. Click HERE to see a list of Cities for Action mayors and county executives. To learn more about our work, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Monday, January 18, 2021
Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - JANUARY 18, 2021
8,868 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
1,523 Patients in the ICU; 997 Intubated
Statewide Positivity Rate is 6.54%
153 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"While we are encouraged as the numbers begin to come back down to pre-holiday surge levels, we still have a long way to go before we reach the light at the end of the tunnel," Governor Cuomo said. "Not only has the federal government opened up the floodgates of eligibility without increasing the supply of vaccine, now we are seeing new strains of the virus from the UK, South Africa and Brazil that could spark a second wave - yet the federal government continues to do nothing. If these strains hit, we will see our numbers go right back up. New York has used our experience from the spring to prepare our hospitals and our residents as we continue to fight this invisible enemy and it's time for the federal government to follow suit - increase the vaccine supply, test international travelers and actually work with states to win this war."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 186,205
- Total Positive - 12,185
- Percent Positive - 6.54%
- Patient Hospitalization - 8,868 (+97)
- Patients Newly Admitted - 939
- Hospital Counties - 56
- Number ICU - 1,523 (-27)
- Number ICU with Intubation - 997 (-7)
- Total Discharges - 116,502 (+601)
- Deaths - 153
- Total Deaths - 33,052
Governor Cuomo Announces Nearly 1,200 Senior NYCHA Residents Receive First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine at State Pop-up Sites
Vaccinations Completed as Part of Two-Day Deployment of State Community Vaccination Kits to Five NYCHA Housing Complexes
Community Vaccination Kits to be Redeployed in Three Weeks to Complete Second Doses
Deployments Further Governor's Directive to Ensure Fairness and Equity for Underserved Communities in Vaccine Distribution Process
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that following Friday's two-day deployment of State Community Vaccination Kits to five NYCHA housing complexes, nearly 1,200 senior NYCHA residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. These sites will be re-established in three weeks to administer second doses. Following this first pilot deployment at NYCHA locations, kits will be deployed to existing locations and additional vaccination sites that will open throughout New York State to further bolster the State's efforts to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in communities that are underserved by traditional healthcare institutions.
"We have one mission - getting shots in arms - and we need to do that in the most equitable way possible," Governor Cuomo said. "The communities traditionally underserved by the health care system have been hit hardest by COVID and we said from the start that we won't let these disparities dictate who gets the vaccine. Through our community vaccination kits, mass vaccination sites, and local partnerships, New York established one of the most expansive vaccination networks - but we will only be as successful as our federally-controlled supply. We see the light at the end of the tunnel but to reach it the federal government must send us more vaccine."
Following the deployment of community vaccination kits by Governor Cuomo, five sites were established to administer the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible NYCHA residents at:
- Bronx
- NYCHA West Tremont Avenue-Sedgwick Avenue Area, 200 West Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10453
- Brooklyn
- NYCHA Stuyvesant Gardens II, 150 Malcolm X Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11221
- East Harlem
- NYCHA Corsi Houses, 307 East 116 St., New York, NY 10029
- Queens
- NYCHA International Tower 90-20 170 St., Queens, NY 11432
- Staten Island
- NYCHA Stapleton, 230 Broad St., Staten Island, NY 10304
The opening of these sites furthers Governor Cuomo's goal of ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. In late 2020, the Governor announced the launch of New York's Vaccine Equity Task Force chaired by Secretary of State Rossana Rosado, Attorney General Letitia James, National Urban League President & CEO Marc Morial, and HealthfirstPresident & CEO Pat Wang. Since its establishment, the Task Force has continued work to ensure vulnerable and underserved communities are not left behind by breaking down the barriers to vaccination and ensuring there is equitable distribution of the vaccine across the state.
To facilitate this effort, New York has continued to build Community Vaccination Kits and work with public housing officials, churches, and community centers to support these efforts and deploy kits to the appropriate locations. Each kit includes step-by-step instructions for how to set up a site, and critical supplies and equipment such as:
- Office Supplies
- Workstation Equipment
- Communications Equipment
- Cleaning Supplies
- Lighting Equipment
- PPE
- Crowd/Traffic Control Equipment
- Vials
- Syringes
- Room Dividers
- Privacy Curtains
Representative Adriano Espaillat Urges Incoming Biden Administration to Keep Its Promise Creating Pathway to Citizenship for 11 Million Immigrants
Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement and list of his recent immigration legislation to urge the incoming Biden administration to keep its promise to prioritize immigration during its first 100 days and create a pathway to citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in America.
"This week's inauguration of the incoming Biden-Harris administration will be historic for a number of reasons. While Democrats have assumed the majority in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate, we will yet again have a Democratic White House and can effectively put into place policy solutions for the betterment of the American people and those seeking the American dream," said Rep. Espaillat.
"There is a real opportunity to set back our nation on a course that helps communities build back better, but also allows us to reverse the targeted attacks we have witnessed the last four years directed at immigrant communities around the nation. Promoting new policies that will improve our immigration system and protect immigrants from further harm will be critical to our future success, and I urge the incoming Biden adminstration to keep its promise to those who are seeking the dream of becoming American citizens, a dream that I hold dear, know too well, and cherish greatly," he continued.
"As President-elect Biden prepares to roll out numerous executive actions and major policies to address the challenges facing our nation, I urge him and the incoming adminstration to keep its promise to create a viable pathway to citizenship for the nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants, and to include some of the proposals I have introduced during my time in Congress that will improve our immigration system and protect immigrants from abusive enforcement actions. As a nation, we simply cannot afford greater delay," he concluded.
The following legislation has been introduced by Rep. Espaillat and will be reintroduced during the 117th Congress to encourage collaboration with the Biden administration.
Protecting Sensitive Locations Act – H.R. 1011
Rep. Espaillat led five of of his Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation to limit immigration enforcement actions at "sensitive locations," and to expand these safe zones to also include community health centers, school bus stops, courthouses, child care centers, and locations where emergency services providers offer shelter or food.
The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act would prohibit immigration enforcement, including arrests, interviews, searches, and surveillance in the following "sensitive locations":
• Any medical treatment or health care facility, including any hospital, doctor’s office, accredited health clinic, or emergent or urgent care facility, or community health center
• Public and private schools (including pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities, and other institutions of learning such as vocational or trade schools)
• Any scholastic or education-related activity or event, including field trips and interscholastic events
• Any school bus or school bus stop during periods when school children are present
• Locations where emergency services providers provide shelter or food
• Any organization that assists children, pregnant women, victims of crime or abuse, or individuals with significant mental or physical disabilities; or provides disaster or emergency social services and assistance, including, but not limited to, food banks and homeless shelters
• Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship
• Sites of funerals, weddings, or other public religious ceremonies
• Sites during the occurrence of a public demonstration, such as a march, rally, or parade
• Any Federal, State, or local courthouse, including the office of an individual’s legal counsel or representative, and a probation office
• Congressional district offices
• Public assistance offices, Social Security offices, and employment training centers
• Locations where removal and asylum proceedings involving minors are taking place
• Childcare centers
Reunite Every Unaccompanied Newborn Infant Toddler and Other Children Expeditiously (REUNITE) Act – H.R. 1012
Rep. Espaillat's bill would require DHS and HHS to publish guidance describing how they will reunify families and it would direct the Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an Office for Locating and Reuniting Children with Parents to expedite and facilitate the reunification of children and parents separated after entering the United States. The bill would also require the agencies to determine how to ensure sustained, no-cost contact between parents and children, access to children by legal counsel and other advocates, and unannounced inspections by child welfare organizations.
Additionally, the bill would also require daily-updated information about the location of their children and all scheduled immigration proceedings for their children, as well as the opportunity for parents to speak with their children – free of cost – not fewer than 3 times per week, including at least once by video. It would require agencies to use other techniques commonly utilized by United States courts for determining family relationships, including official documents, representations from a witness, parent, relative, or child, and observations of interactions between the adult and the child, but it would prohibit DHS from using any of the information obtained for immigration enforcement purposes.
Finally, the bill redirects $50 million from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to enforcement of this Act, including providing legal counsel to children, and ensuring that children do not appear before a judge by themselves.
ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability Act – H.R. 1013
The ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability Act would ensure that agents and officers of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) wear body cameras when such officers are engaged in official operations. There have been numerous concerning reports that agents have used coercive methods to extract information from immigrants, including DACA beneficiaries, and in some cases, have fabricated the testimonies they received.
The ICE and CBP Body Camera Accountability would require:
• ICE and CBP officers to wear body cameras as soon as they are on duty.
• The Director of ICE and the Commissioner of CBP establish policies, procedures, and best practices for the use of body cameras by agents and officers of ICE and CBP, including training relating to the use of such cameras.
• That body cameras be turned on when the ICE officer or CBP agent begins their shift.
• An agent or officer of ICE or CBP whose body camera does not record footage because of a violation be subject to furlough, reduction in pay or grade, or a suspension of up to 30 days.
• Footage be made available to each party to any administrative proceeding, civil action, or criminal prosecution to which such footage pertains.
Rep. Espaillat led a bipartisan effort to secure the funds required to finally equip all CBP border agents with body cameras, and was able to get a directive approved that would require ICE to report to Congress on the status of its body camera pilot, so we can equip their officers with cameras in short order.
Family Reunification Act – H.R. 3312
In 1994, Congress authorized a new, temporary program that allowed undocumented immigrants who were otherwise eligible for visas through family relationships or job skills to become legal permanent residents without having to return to their country of origin. The program, known as “Section 245(i)” for its location in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), provided an important path to legalization for those with ties to the United States who could pass a criminal background check. This path to legal status became even more important after Congress enacted the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, implementing three- and 10-year bars on return for those who were unlawfully present in the United States, by allowing eligible applicants to circumvent those onerous bars.
Section 245(i) enjoyed bipartisan support and its application deadline was extended numerous times throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s on bipartisan votes in both chambers. However, Congress has failed to extend this program since it closed in 2002. This left millions of eligible applicants without a path to legal status that would not separate them from their families. Some estimates put the number of current potential beneficiaries of the program at approximately 4 million.
Rep. Espaillat introduced the Family Reunification Act to reopen this critical path to legal status, shielding immigrants from the overly punitive three- and 10-year bars, by eliminating the application deadline originally enacted. The Espaillat bill would also shield from removal proceedings any individual who has an immigrant-visa application pending or is waiting in a long line for a visa to be issued. This measure will finally provide certainty to countless law-abiding immigrant families.
Governor Cuomo Requests to Purchase COVID-19 Vaccines Directly from Pfizer
Vaccine Demand Dramatically Outpaces Supply from Federal Government
CDC Dramatically Expanded Eligibility for the Vaccine; More Than 7 Million New Yorkers Are Now Eligible for Small Number of Available Vaccines
Click Here to View the Letter
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued a letter to Pfizer Chairman and CEO Dr. Albert Bourla asking for the ability to purchase COVID-19 vaccines directly from Pfizer, as the company is not bound by commitments that Moderna made under Operation Warp Speed.
The full text of the letter is available below:
Monday, January 18, 2021
Dear Dr. Bourla:
On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want to thank you and the teams at Pfizer and BioNTech for your hard work to develop a safe, effective vaccine for COVID-19. The last ten months have been exceptionally dark — but your efforts have provided a bright light at the end of the tunnel and hope for a better future. It is abundantly clear that these vaccines are the weapons that will finally win the war against COVID-19. But with hospitalizations and deaths increasing across the country this winter, we are in a footrace with the virus, and we will lose unless we dramatically increase the number of doses getting to New Yorkers. After myself and seven other governors called on the Trump Administration to release more doses, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said that relief was on the way. To date, however, the federal government has not acted on that promise — in fact, New York will receive just 250,000 doses this week, 50,000 fewer than the week prior.
Because you are not bound by commitments that Moderna made as part of Operation Warp Speed, I am requesting that the State of New York be permitted to directly purchase doses from you. The distribution of any doses obtained directly from Pfizer will follow the rigorous guidance the State has established, while enabling us to fill the dosage gap created this week by the outgoing federal administration. All of this will further our goal to vaccinate 70 to 90 percent of New Yorkers as soon as possible and reach herd immunity.
You no doubt understand the challenges New York and other states face. Shifting guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention drove the number of New Yorkers eligible and prioritized for the vaccine from 5 million to 7 million practically overnight. The federal administration essentially opened up a floodgate while cutting our supply — leading to confusion, frustration, and dashed hopes.
Pfizer is a New York company - something I am greatly proud of. The company's decision to opt out of Operation Warp Speed, which the Biden administration plans to overhaul, puts it in a unique situation that could help us save lives right here in New York. I am happy to discuss this matter further with you.
Sincerely,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo