Latest news with #NewYorkforAllAct
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NY pols push IRS to probe nonprofit ‘sanctuary' groups helping defy Trump, federal immigration laws
Two New York Republicans are urging the IRS to probe four legal and migrant advocacy groups that have been taking taxpayer funding — while defying the Trump administration's illegal immigration crackdown. Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) and Claudia Tenney (R-Watertown) questioned the four groups' nonprofit status in a letter to the IRS after an expose by The Post that revealed the groups took in more than $600 million in public funds while simultaneously pushing New York's sanctuary policies. 'We are concerned that these organizations may be using tax-exempt resources to provide goods, services or legal advice that (1) encourages, (2), induce, or (3) aid and abet an alien in unlawfully entering, remaining in, or evading detection within the United States,' the lawmakers said in a Tuesday letter to IRS Commissioner William Hollis Long. 5 Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) and Claudia Tenney (R-Watertown) have pleaded with the IRS to probe four nonprofit migrant advocacy groups that have been taking taxpayer funding. Michael McWeeney The pro-sanctuary groups — the Bronx Defenders, the NY Immigration Coalition, Make the Road NY and NY Lawyer for the Public Interest — provide legal services to poor New Yorkers, including criminal defendants and migrants. They said based on prior IRS enforcement of rules for charitable groups the groups' sanctuary activities 'constitutes grounds for revocation of tax-exempt status.' The Bronx Defenders alone has received more than $500 million in city and state contracts since fiscal year 2018, according to The Post review. Make the Road NY was awarded $56 million, the NY Immigration Coalition $46 Million and NY Lawyers for the Public Interest, $19 million over the years. The groups pushed for a statewide sanctuary bill — the New York for All Act — that would bar state and local law enforcement from cooperating with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents. The Bronx Defenders has fought to block ICE from operating at the Rikers Island jail complex and state courthouses. 5 The lawmakers sent a letter to IRS Commissioner William Hollis Long stating that the organizations are using the tax-exempt resources to possibly aid aliens who are staying in the United States unlawfully. Tomas E. Gaston 5 The four pro-sanctuary groups mentioned are Bronx Defenders, NY Immigration Coalition, Make the Road NY, and NY Lawyer for the Public Interest. X / @thenyic The other groups similarly encourage clients or the public not to cooperate with ICE, said the letter from Malliotakis and Tenney, who are members of the House Ways and Means Committee. They said IRS rules that grant groups tax-exempt status are for charitable, religious or educational purposes, 'not for groups that leverage taxpayer subsidized benefits to obstruct federal law.' 'Combined with federal tax-exempt benefits, these public subsidies shift the financial burden onto taxpayers who may oppose the recipients' efforts to shield removable aliens from enforcement,' the House members said. 5 The organizations all provide legal services to low-income New Yorkers, including migrants and criminal defendants. X / @MaketheRoadNY 5 The majority of the migrant-advocacy groups have also encouraged their clients not to cooperate with ICE. AP They also noted President Trump's April 28, 2025, executive order that directs agencies to withhold funds from sanctuary jurisdictions such as New York City that restrict or refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The IRS, lawmakers said, should examine whether the pro-sanctuary groups' actions 'obstruct' federal immigration enforcement' or engage in 'unlawful advocacy.' The lawmakers said 'we respectfully request that their tax-exempt status be revoked' if the IRS concludes they violated the rules. The IRS declined to comment, citing privacy laws for tax-exempt organizations. Representatives of the groups didn't respond to requests for comment.
New York Post
21-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
NY awarded more than $600M to ‘sanctuary' groups helping defy Trump, federal immigration law
Legal and migrant advocacy groups fighting to block New York from helping the Trump administration enforce US immigration laws have been awarded more than $600 million in taxpayer dollars from the city and state governments, a Post review of contracts revealed. The Bronx Defenders alone has received more than $500 million in city contracts since fiscal year 2018 to provide a host of legal services to poor criminal and civil defendants, including migrants, according to a review of contracts from 2009 to the present. 7 The Bronx Defenders alone has received more than $500 million in city contracts. The Bronx Defenders/ Facebook And the legal aid group raked in another $32 million from the state over the years, records kept by the state comptroller's office show. Other groups were also funneled big bucks as they worked to undermine federal immigration policy, including Make the Road NY — which received $56 million to provide legal, health and other services mostly to immigrants, state and city contract records. The group helped organize a rally at the state Capitol last month urging passage of a sanctuary bill as rally goers chanted, 'No hate, no fear. Immigrants are welcome here.' 7 The legal aid group raked in another $32 million from the state over the years. X / @thenyic The New York Immigration Coalition received $46 million. 'New York City should not be in the business of carrying out Donald Trump's mass disappearance agenda, which is in fact illegal under our local laws,' said Murad Awadeh, executive director of the NYICC, on his X handle @HeyItsMurad. Awadeh also reposted an interview he did with New York Public News Network on May 30. 'Sanctuary policies are public safety measures,' he said. 'They encourage people to participate within our society so that they're able and comfortable enough to report things that are happening and without them, a lot of people won't do that, because they are fearful, and rightfully fearful, especially in the world that we're living in today, that they may end up entrapped in this ICE enforcement that's happening.' 7 Portrait of Murad Awawdeh, CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition. X / @HeyItsMurad Additionally, New Yorker Lawyers for the Public Interest received $19 million, including about $5 million from 2022 to present, city and state records show. The Bronx Defenders have been part of a wider push for a statewide sanctuary bill — the New York for All Act — that would bar state and local law enforcement from cooperating with US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents. That would include assisting in providing information, turning over or deporting illegal immigrants. Another bill with a push from activists called the Dignity not Detention Act would ban local jails from renting space to ICE to increase their detention capacity for suspected illegal migrants. 7 The New York Immigration Coalition received $46 million. Robert Mecea 'State leaders are not powerless against the federal administration's mass deportation agenda,' the Bronx Defenders said in a June 11 statement on X. 'We have a couple ideas: pass New York For All and Dignity Not Detention now, before it's too late.' The state Senate adjourned for the summer without passing either of the bills. Passage could become a political liability for Democrats who control the state government and US House of Representatives members who are running for office next year, including Gov. Kathy Hochul. 7 New Yorker Lawyers for the Public Interest received $19 million, including about $5 million from 2022 to present. X / @MaketheRoadNY Meanwhile, New York City is slated to spend $75 million on immigration legal services in its new budget, under a spending agreement approved by Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council. That spending plan includes $41.9 million in free legal assistance for migrants facing deportation But politicians who back President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration fumed that groups helping break federal immigration law are receiving massive taxpayer funding. 'Non-governmental organizations that help shield criminals from deportation should not receive a single penny,' said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn). 7 New York City is slated to spend $75 million on immigration legal services in its new budget. Robert Mecea 'While I don't have much faith in Governor [Kathy] Hochul and New York Democrats to stop funding left wing groups who work against law enforcement and the interests of citizens, we're taking decisive action on the federal level to end the Biden-Schumer gravy train of years past and put that money towards border security and enforcement to get foreign gangs and criminals out.' Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said, 'Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to undermine public safety and our immigration laws. They are fighting to protect those who are dangerous criminals. 'It's a poke in the eye to hard working taxpayers. Is the money well spent?. The answer is no.' 7 Politicians who back Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration fumed that groups helping break federal immigration law are receiving massive taxpayer funding. X / @MaketheRoadNY State Conservative Party chairman Gerard Kassar: 'There is no excuse for New York authorities not to cooperate with federal authorities. New Yorkers should not be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on groups fighting to keep illegal aliens in the United States.' The staggering tally comes after an off-duty US Customs and Border Protection agent was shot in the face in New York City during a robbery — with the shooter allegedly an illegal migrant. President Trump also ripped Democrats for flooding 'our Nation with Criminal Invaders.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rochester immigration advocates push for New York for All Act approval
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Immigration advocates in the city of Rochester took over Austin Steward Plaza to urge the approval of the New York for All Act. Those in support said this bill will stop New York's resources from being used to carry out what they called unlawful federal immigration enforcement. Organizers said Wednesday's vigil was set to be a more heartwarming event, but in the past 48 hours, they said 'attacks' from the state and national government prompted a more urgent and deeper message. 'We're going to continue to uplift our immigrant communities. We're going to continue to uplift our neighbors, our families, our friends, and ensure that people feel safe,' Cassandra Bocanegra with the New York Immigration Coalition said. Bocanegra told News 8 the fear she has seen in the immigrant community in Rochester is polarizing. 'We've seen children not going to school, being kept home for fear of what could happen in with the repeal of the sensitive locations memo,' Bocanegra said. In January, according to the Department of Homeland Security, guidelines for ICE preventing law enforcement from entering what were deemed as sensitive areas, such as schools and churches, were rescinded. Bocanegra and several advocates said the New York for All Act will protect immigrants, but it is being argued at the state level. 'We have federal folks like Tom Homan who comes and instills fear in Albany and New York State, and really like criminalizes and vilifies a community that does nothing more than support and contribute to the areas that they live in,' Bocanegra said. Wednesday, New York Assembly Republicans spoke alongside 'Border Czar' Tom Homan in Albany who called on New York to end sanctuary city laws. 'It's time for New York to follow suit and to do its part and assist in the apprehension of these individuals and what that means is putting an end to the sanctuary state policies that have funneled illegal immigrants to our state and have fueled the migrant crisis we are dealing with that has eroded public safety and has cost our state billions of dollars over the last couple of years,' Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo said. While the conversations from both sides continue, Bocanegra said she and those who held Wednesday's vigil hope to spread this message: 'Immigrants are part of the Rochester community, and we have solutions that can be pushed forward.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
23-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
New Yorkers call on Gov. Kathy Hochul to remove Mayor Eric Adams at Manhattan protest
New Yorkers are demanding more from Gov. Kathy Hochul. Demonstrators gathered Saturday, insisting the governor remove Mayor Eric Adams from office rather than simply limit his power. The march was led by the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). Over 1,000 people joined as they made their way from Washington Square Park to City Hall. A march from Foley Square to City Hall with the same message is set for next Thursday. Demonstrator calls New York governor "Spineless Kathy" This past week Hochul said she would not remove the mayor from office, but took steps to limit his power, like letting city officials sue the Trump administration without the mayor's approval. But demonstrators Saturday said that's just kicking the can down the road, with New York Communities for Change political director Alicé Nascimento calling the governor "Spineless Kathy." "What we need is somebody who stands up to Donald Trump by not just removing Eric Adams, but by passing [the] 'New York For All' [Act]," Nascimento said. According to NYIC, the New York for All Act would change how state and local officers enforce federal immigration laws and interact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Gabina Santamaria from Staten Island hears concerns from undocumented New Yorkers. "They're afraid. They don't want to go to work because they're afraid of, they're gonna be attacked, there's gonna be invasion on their working place," she said. Protesters concerned about Adams' relationship with Trump Some New Yorkers' concerns about the mayor have grown since he was accused of making a quid pro quo arrangement with the Trump administration to have the Department of Justice dismiss his federal corruption charges in exchange for cooperation with ICE. The mayor has denied the allegations. On Friday, Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal sent out a formal complaint against Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove over the DOJ's memo to drop federal charges against Adams, calling it "abuse of legal process for political ends," and asked that moves be made to strip him of his license to practice law. Many demonstrators cited the mayor's relationship with President Trump as their main concern. "He was elected again to represent New York City residents, not Donald Trump and that is what he's doing," NYIC President and CEO Murad Awawdeh said. In an interview with CBS News New York political reporter Marcia Kramer on Friday, Adams said he's making no apologies for his relationship with the president. "Just the opposite. I would be irresponsible as the mayor of this city if I did not engage with the White House and engage with the president," Adams said.
