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June 2, 2011

Literacy Advocates Protest City Program Cuts

By  NY1 Staff / NY1


Adult students and community leaders [including members of Make the Road New York] rallied in City Hall Park against proposed cuts to adult literacy programs Thursday.

The mayor's budget proposal reduces funding to English, General Educational Development (GED) and basic adult education programs by $13.2 million.

"A lot of immigrants, they work hard. They need a chance to learn English to get GEDs so they can get better jobs. It's an investment in our city," said Manhattan Councilwoman Margaret Chin.

"They need it in order to prepare themselves for better jobs. They need it in order to help their children with their education. And if immigrants are the wheel, the economic wheel, why don't we give them the tools they need?" said Brooklyn Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez.

The mayor has said cutbacks across the board are necessary to address a growing deficit and make up for state and federal budget cuts.

For the original article, please click here.


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Victory for Immigrant Families: Preventing Unjust Deportations in NYC

On March 18, 2013, Mayor Bloomberg signed new legislation to stop federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from using NYC’s criminal justice system to deport thousands of New Yorkers.

Building on legislation we helped to win just over a year ago, Local Laws 21 and 22 prohibit not only the Department of Correction but now also the NYPD from spending millions of city taxpayer dollars to hold individuals on behalf of ICE agents for detention and deportation. Each year, thousands of New York families will stay together who would otherwise have been torn apart by overly aggressive, indiscriminate immigration enforcement.

At a moment when the country is debating immigration reform, with these laws, New York City sends a clear message to Washington that tearing apart thousands of immigrant families is bad policy.

With your support, we look forward to winning national reform that keeps families together. We thank our partners at the Center for Popular Democracy, the Cardozo Immigration Justice Clinic and the bills’ sponsors, NYC Council Speaker Quinn and Council Member Mark-Viverito, for their courageous leadership.


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