I’ve spent time in our communities listening to families who live with fear every day—afraid that a knock on the door, a traffic stop, or even showing up to work could tear their lives apart. That’s happening right here all over our district, and it’s not who we should be.

I believe we need to move toward ending the role of ICE in our communities as we know it—because a system that separates families, targets people who are contributing and working, and creates fear instead of safety is broken at its core. The Dignity Not Detention Act is a key piece of this protection. This is a critical piece of legislation that would end New York’s role in civil litigation detention and phase out private detention centers, prioritizing humane treatment over incarceration.

In the meantime, there are real steps we can take right now. I support the New York for All Act because I believe our local communities should be a place of trust, not fear. We need to keep immigration enforcement out of schools, hospitals, and places of worship, guarantee legal representation so people aren’t navigating the system alone, and make sure people feel safe seeking medical care or reporting a crime. Protecting immigrant families is about protecting the strength and stability of our entire community.

I have also been directly impacted by another major safety issue: community gun violence. From mass shooting events to safe storage, common sense legislative measures are essential to keeping firearms out of the hands of people who intend to do harm. In addition to these measures, funding social emotional supports for adolescents is central to any efforts to reduce community gun violence.