New York Immigration Coalition Outlines Priorities for 2015
New York Immigration Coalition Outlines Priorities for 2015
The New York Immigration Coalition's outlined its priorities for the new year in its annual Immigrant Equality Agenda.
Advocates are calling on Governor Cuomo to remember New York's immigrant communities in his State of the State address on January 21.
Christina Chang with the New York Immigration Coalition says one thing they want Governor Cuomo to do this year is to prepare the state to assist the more than 250,000 undocumented immigrants who can now stay in the country thanks to President Obama's executive action.
"To ensure that qualifying immigrants can actually access the legal services needed to apply for Deferred Action," she said.
Chang says these immigrants call New York home, and have made great contributions to its economy.
"They pay taxes in terms of when they're paying rent, when they're buying goods and, once they are able to get work authorization through the deferred action program, they will also be taxed on their income," she said.
Chang says other priorities on the Immigrant Equality Agenda include assisting the recent wave of unaccompanied minors that have migrated to New York, as well as passing the DREAM Act. It would expand the state's tuition assistance program to immigrant students.
