Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski), Sen. Republican Leader Rob Ortt and fellow members of the Republican conference to present another round of solutions to address the ongoing migrant crisis in New York. Slater collaborated with Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R,C-Sayville) on new legislation that will give law enforcement the tools to do the job they were sworn to do by restoring collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), controlling the crisis and ultimately protecting New Yorkers (S.8533/A.9167).
The current policies of New York state, many of which have been approved since 2017, prohibit law enforcement and local officials from being able to share information or coordinate with federal immigration authorities for deportations or identifying individuals residing in the country unlawfully.
New Yorkers are growing increasingly frustrated with this crisis, yet the underlying reasons remain largely unaddressed by the governor. This all boils down to failed Democrat policies, including New York’s “Sanctuary City” policy, the Green Light law and the Protect Our Courts Act—which Slater and Gandolfo worked on repealing to ensure immigration officers can obtain illegal immigrants who are being processed by the courts.
“While Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams do nothing but spend billions of taxpayer dollars on illegal immigrants, I am proud to stand with my colleagues and continue to offer real solutions to the migrant crisis in New York,” said Slater. “This legislation we are working on will finally reduce and remove barriers that stop law enforcement from doing their jobs and working with ICE. We will continue to fight against these terrible policies that incentivize illegal immigration and make New York a magnet for illegal immigration.”
“New York Democrats have consistently worked to undermine federal immigration authorities and protect those who enter the United States illegally,” said Gandolfo. “When migrants feel emboldened to commit acts of violence against New Yorkers, including police officers, it is clear we need immediate action. We must compel law enforcement at every level to cooperate with ICE and strengthen our laws so New York is no longer a preferred destination for illegal immigrants—especially those with criminal intent.”
“Joe Biden left the southern border open for three years, and illegal migrants have taken full advantage of the welcome mat rolled out by New York Democrats. By undermining the authority of ICE and other federal agencies, Democrats threw gas on a fire and have no ability to get it under control,” Leader Barclay said. “I commend Assemblyman Gandolfo for introducing this legislation as the migrant crisis continues to intensify. It’s time to restore the basic protocols that protect our nation’s sovereignty and our citizens.”
In May of 2023, Slater helped lead the initial Republican effort by introducing legislation that would require all migrants coming to New York to have background checks, submit fingerprints and be tracked until their asylum status was ruled upon by the federal government. In recent weeks, New York Police Department officers were assaulted by a group of migrants who then supposedly fled to another state to escape the consequences of their actions.
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