New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday that the state will at least partially cooperate with federal immigration officials. Hochul stated that she would be "the first one" to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove illegal immigrants who break the law, even as she expressed support for lawful immigration, particularly for asylum seekers.
"If someone breaks the law, I'll be the first one to call up ICE and say, 'Get them out of here,'" Hochul said during a press conference in Queens.
When asked how she would respond to Donald Trump's agenda for mass deportation, Hochul added, "When those are identified, I'll be the first one to help get rid of them. I don't want them here. I don't want anybody terrorizing my citizens."
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Hochul also emphasized her commitment to supporting legal immigrants in finding employment in the U.S. "Those who come here legally—we want to get them jobs. I have 460,000 open jobs in the State of New York," she said.
Hochul Criticizes the Immigration System
The Governor described the current immigration system as "woefully broken," lamenting a missed opportunity for meaningful reform, possibly referring to a federal immigration measure supported by Democrats.
President-elect Donald Trump had promised to carry out mass deportations of illegal immigrants across the nation.
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Hochul’s Remarks Spark Concern Among Immigration Advocates
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, criticized Hochul for "playing into Trump's dangerous games" at the expense of New York residents.
"We need New York's elected officials to stand up for and defend all of our immigrant neighbors," Awawdeh said in a statement.