"Arrested Lawmakers Invoke Action against ICE and Albany: Demand for Increased Action"
In a dramatic turn of events, fifteen elected officials, including eleven state legislators, were arrested on Thursday at a Manhattan federal building. The protest, which took place in a building where immigrants have been detained, was against President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.
The demonstration began shortly after 3 pm and saw the arrests of these officials, who were charged with blocking and obstructing entrances and hallways. Four other elected officials were arrested outside the building by the New York City Police Department. The arrests occurred in New York state.
Among those arrested was State Senator Julia Salazar, who was apprehended on the 10th floor, and Assemblymember Alex Bores. Bores lamented how ICE actions fracture families and planned to head to ABC's office building to protest against the network bowing to pressure from Trump's Federal Communications Commission.
Organizers stated that nearly 70 people were arrested outside the federal building. Thousands of young immigrants in New York are at risk after Trump ended protections, and NYC Councilmember Alexa Avilés expects the Trump administration to escalate immigration enforcement in New York City.
The state legislature ended its annual session three months ago without passing immigration protection bills. The city of New York is urged by protesters to ask Governor Kathy Hochul for a special legislative session to enact further measures supporting immigrants.
Two bills that would have made a significant difference in this regard were the New York for All Act and the Dignity Not Detention Act. The former would have prohibited state and local authorities from collaborating with ICE, while the latter would have prohibited county jails from detaining people for ICE. Unfortunately, neither bill was brought up for a floor vote.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An employee at 26 Federal Plaza, where the protests took place, accused the officials of creating safety hazards and headaches for people who work there. The employee works for US Citizenship and Immigration Services and declined to give his name.
Assemblymember Robert Carroll called for the state to turn off the power to 26 Federal Plaza. It's unclear if any action has been taken in response to this call. The Dignity Not Detention Act, which would prohibit county jails from detaining people for ICE, also didn't get a vote.
It's a challenging time for immigrants in New York, and the protests are a testament to the community's determination to stand up for their rights. The future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the fight for immigration rights continues.
