Think about what you’d do if you saw a car accident on your street. You’d call the police, right? Without even thinking. You trust that they’ll show up and help.
Now, picture your neighbor, Maria. She’s a mom from Guatemala. She sees the same accident. But for her, that instinct to help is choked by fear. What if the officer asks for her papers? What if a call for help ends with her in detention, and her kids coming home to an empty house?
That isn’t a made-up story. That’s the real, gut-wrenching calculation many immigrant families in New York make every single day. It’s a fear that forces good people into the shadows, and that silence makes all of us less safe.
That’s why we need to pass Bill S2235A, the Protect Our Immigrant Communities Act. It’s built on a simple idea: our local police and public servants should protect everyone, no matter where they were born. Their job is public safety, not federal immigration enforcement.
This bill rebuilds shattered trust with clear rules. It means a police officer can’t ask about your immigration status during a traffic stop. It means our local jails won’t hold someone just because ICE asks. It means your private information stays private at town hall. It’s about making sure every person in New York feels like their government is on their side.
To all potential critics: this bill being soft on crime – it’s actually quite the opposite. We are prioritizing what’s most important – safety. If criminals can get away when people are too scared to report a crime or testify as a witness, we are jeopardizing the safety of all.
When parents are afraid to take their kids to the library or sign up for a park program, our whole community suffers. Fear doesn’t keep us safe; it isolates us.
I see the weight of this fear at my high school. I see it in the eyes of my friends when the topic comes up. They carry a quiet stress that no teenager should ever have to bear — the fear that their family could be torn apart over a simple misunderstanding. No one should have to choose between helping a neighbor and protecting their family.
This bill doesn’t tie the hands of the federal government. It just says that here in New York, our tax dollars and our local officials will focus on what matters most: keeping our communities safe, supportive, and strong for everyone who calls them home.
My generation values fairness. We believe in looking out for each other. Passing this bill would be a powerful statement that New York does, too. It tells my friends and their families, “You are safe here. You belong here.”
To our leaders in Albany: please, let’s build a New York where everyone feels safe enough to be a good neighbor. Pass S2235A. Let’s choose trust over fear, for everyone’s sake.
(Winnie Wu is a Dongan Hills resident.)
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