Press Room

Public Advocate Jumaane Williams issued the following statement after Governor Cuomo announced the lifting of most COVID-19 precautions today, as New York reached a threshold of 70% of adults receiving at least one vaccination dose.

"As we see another major lifting of COVID-19 restrictions today, I want to express my gratitude to New Yorkers for their efforts to keep themselves and each other safe. "At the same time, our excitement at what's been achieved, and eagerness to fully reopen, shouldn't mean relaxing our standards for what constitutes safety from the virus, or ignoring the truth that in many of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic, we remain far from that standard. 70% of adults in New York may have received at least one shot, but only about 60% of adults are fully vaccinated, and in places like Canarsie, that number is 37%." "If the Governor is going to celebrate tonight, then he must follow the fireworks with a plan to protect the communities that have seen the worst of this pandemic. We need to reach more people with vaccines and ensure that New Yorkers get a second dose rather than let the Governor's shifting standards of safety threaten their own. "I know that the people of our city will continue to do their part to keep one another safe as we work toward recovery, and I'm happy to celebrate that spirit."

Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams called for passage of the New York For All Act, which would strengthen protections for New Yorkers against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), at a New York City Council Joint Hearing of the Committees on Criminal Justice and Immigration on Wednesday. He and Council Member Carlos Menchaca sponsor a city resolution in support of passage of the state legislation.

"Despite New York City's status as a Sanctuary City for immigrant residents, City and State law enforcement agencies have furthered ICE's cruel and xenophobic agenda." said Public Advocate Williams in support of his resolution."By needlessly inquiring about residents' immigration status, sharing information with ICE, and directly collaborating with ICE operations, these agencies have funneled New Yorkers into ICE detention and deportation."

"These practices break up families and communities, put the health and safety of immigrant New Yorkers at risk, and run contrary to our values as a City. They must end now....If passed at the state level in tandem with the important introductions that are being heard on the City level today, the New York for All Act would create real protections against the ICE deportation machine."

Read the full statement as delivered by the Public Advocate below, and watch the full hearing here. TESTIMONY OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS  TO THE COMMITTEES ON IMMIGRATION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ON RES. 1648 JUNE 9, 2021 Good morning, my name is Jumaane Williams, and I am the Public Advocate for the City of New York. I want to thank Chairs Carlos Menchaca and Keith Powers and the Committees on Immigration and Criminal Justice for holding this important hearing on New York City detainer laws and for including my Office's Res. 1648 as part of the agenda.

Despite New York City's status as a Sanctuary City for immigrant residents, City and State law enforcement agencies have furthered ICE's cruel and xenophobic agenda. By needlessly inquiring about residents' immigration status, sharing information with ICE, and directly collaborating with ICE operations, these agencies have funneled New Yorkers into ICE detention and deportation. These practices break up families and communities, put the health and safety of immigrant New Yorkers at risk, and run contrary to our values as a City. They must end now.

Res. 1648 calls on the State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign the New York for All Act, A2328A (Reyes) / S3076A (Salazar), which would take important steps to ending the municipal and State pipelines to ICE custody through four key provisions.

First, it would prohibit state and local officers, including law enforcement and corrections officials, from enforcing federal immigration laws and inquiring about immigration status. This will ensure that our state and local agencies do not act outside of their governmental jurisdictions. Second, it would remove language in State law that requires information sharing between State and City agencies with immigration enforcement and limit ICE's access to State informational databases. Third, it would require people in custody to be given notice of their rights before being interviewed by ICE. Fourth, it would prohibit ICE from entering non-public areas of State or local property without a judicial warrant.

If passed at the state level in tandem with the important introductions that are being heard on the City level today, the New York for All act would create real protections against the ICE deportation machine. I urge members of the Committee to move this resolution. Thank you for your time and consideration.

"This has been a year of loss and grief for so many across our city. As we now look with hope to a recovery - seen this weekend in outdoor gatherings that would have been unthinkable a year ago - we must acknowledge that recovery means remembering.

"Today in particular, we remember all those who have been killed in the course of military service for our nation. It is vital to show our gratitude, through memorial, for the sacrifice of all who risk and lose their lives in defense of others. We must separate opposition to particular military actions, which I often express, from appreciation of the people willing to answer the call to service, which include members of my own family.

"As New Yorkers celebrate safely this Memorial Day, we honor and uplift those who showed the dedication, resolve, and spirit of service to protect their fellow neighbor."

"One hundred years ago today in Tulsa, Black Wall Street burned. Hundreds of lives were lost as a violent mob, desperate to uphold white supremacy and oppress their Black neighbors, descended on a thriving Black community with bloodshed, burnings and bombings, destroying lives and livelihoods.

"This tragedy is so underdiscussed, undertaught, buried through willfulness and ignorance, that it can now feel incredibly distant by design. But as survivors of this attack know, as they still suffer the harm of a century ago, the massacre in Tulsa is not so far removed from this moment.

"For a mob fighting to uphold white supremacy through violence, we need only look back to January of this year. For efforts to suppress Black power, steal Black wealth, and take Black lives, we need only to look around our nation.

"The truth is that we're still rebuilding Tulsa. There, and in communities that have been denied support and investment all across the country, we are still waiting for renewal. And we must continue to fight back against systems that are working as designed to prevent that."

"When CityFHEPS housing vouchers are valued far less than the units they’re intended for, they become essentially useless – all but ensuring that New Yorkers most in need of safe, stable, affordable housing will not be able to access it. Half-measures perpetuate the affordable housing and homelessness crisis rather than meaningfully addressing it, and as rents continue to rise, the current voucher value becomes more inadequate.

"Intro. 146-C will fundamentally transform the program, matching CityFHEPS voucher value to federal Section 8 subsidies. New York should be leading the nation in efforts to provide low-income individuals and families access to quality housing – but it must at least be on par with national standards. This legislation would be transformative for homeless, housing insecure, and extremely low income New Yorkers – it’s fiscally prudent and morally necessary.

"I congratulate Council Member Levin, the City Council, and all of the dedicated advocates who have worked for years to finally bring Intro 146 to a vote, and I look forward to the Council passing it today."

"One year ago today, George Floyd was murdered on a Minneapolis street, and on camera. When the world witnessed his death, it launched a protest movement of a scale and scope unlike any we've seen in decades - and this anniversary asks us to reflect on where we've been, where we are, where we're going.

"In a year, we've seen the beginning of a long overdue national reckoning on racial injustices, demanded through activism across the country. But we've also seen many assert, whether through intention or ignorance, that Black lives matter less than white privilege. We've seen rising bigotry, and hateful voices condemn George Floyd in death, and condemn the movement his death inspired. We've seen the path before us on the moral arc toward justice, but also how far that arc still stretches. We've seen so, so many more Black lives lost.

"And while we heard millions declare a year ago that Black Lives Matter, it seems that removed from the moment, many of those voices have quieted in confronting the challenge of real change. It's vital that we not allow leaders to take a knee without then taking action. To use symbolic steps as a means of slowing or stopping real progress on injustices and public safety.

"It's critical to acknowledge that while George Floyd's death spurred a movement, while we lift up his name in the cause of justice, that he did not sacrifice his life. It was stolen from him. And when we talk about Justice for George Floyd, it doesn't simply mean consequences for Derek Chauvin. It means the kind of transformational change that would have kept George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Ma'Khia Bryant, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Ramarley Graham, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, and too many others, alive. And that's change we'll still be pursuing for many more anniversaries."