By Michael V. Cusenza
In response to the Trump administration’s rescinding of Temporary Protected Status for individuals from numerous nations in recent months, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and community-based organizations from across Queens on Monday held an immigrant solidarity rally at Borough Hall.
Since assuming office in January, Trump has rescinded TPS protections for immigrants from Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Afghanistan and Cameroon—individuals who have fled political strife, extreme poverty, war or the aftermath of catastrophic natural disasters that continue to plague their nations of origin.
Richards noted that while ongoing legal challenges have delayed at least some of these decisions from taking effect, the futures of thousands of families across Queens—home to significant populations of Haitian, Venezuelan and Nepalese immigrants, specifically, who have lived in The World’s Borough for years—are now nonetheless deeply uncertain.
“Immigrant communities across Queens are under attack,” Richards said. “But we won’t cower in fear of the fascist regime in Washington.”
On Monday, the City—as part of a coalition of 13 local governments from across the United States—took action to safeguard Temporary Protected Status for Honduran, Nepali, and Nicaraguan immigrants by filing an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in National TPS Alliance v. Noem. The brief opposes the effort by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to strip TPS status for these groups, threatening their legal status in the United States.
In other immigration news this week, the U.S. Department of Justice sued NYC seeking to invalidate its status as a sanctuary city, claiming that Gotham’s policies have allowed dangerous criminals to roam the streets and commit heinous crimes
A sanctuary city has been defined as a municipality that limits or denies its cooperation with the national government in enforcing immigration law.
The City Council Common Sense Caucus praised the DOJ’s move to neutralize NYC’s “dangerous” sanctuary city status. Williams ripped the legal action.
“All the data shows that sanctuary cities are safer than those without protections, that immigrant communities commit fewer crimes than others, yet relentless bigotry from Donald Trump and equivocation from his allies has led us to this moment, when we are told to fear the victims of targeting, abuse, and abduction at the hands of ICE more than the perpetrators,” the public advocate said.
“This is a consequence of Mayor [Eric] Adams misleading people about our sanctuary laws and assuming that fealty to Donald Trump would insulate the city from attacks by the federal government. The mayor who opened the doors for ICE, and is only now beginning to notice their abuses, is now faced with another moment to step up, show he cares about the city, and clearly condemn this dangerous suit.
“We will stand by our immigrant New Yorkers and alongside good faith governing partners to ensure that we not only maintain the protections in place for our neighbors, but strengthen our resolve in fighting back against the immoral actions of an authoritarian federal government. I sincerely hope the mayor will stand with New Yorkers as well.”
