Immigration Justice Media Coverage

Immigrants Vote! Campaign: Register NY Voters

October 11, 2018 | Allison Dunne, WAMC Northeast Report

“After individuals vote, wanting to do even deeper follow-up with them around what is civic engagement, the different levels of government, who represents at the different levels, what kind of issues do they work on.”

Middletown agrees to pass law to provide municipal ID cards to all residents

October 3, 2018 | News 12 Westchester

“For the past year, immigrants in Middletown say they have been fighting for the I.D. card program. They say the program will provide identification to undocumented residents and others without I.D.. Ignacio Avecedo works for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, the grassroots organization that helped members push for the I.D. programs in Poughkeepsie, Middletown and Kingston.”

Middletown municipal ID program closer to reality

October 3, 2018 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald-Record

“The purpose of the program is to promote city pride and encourage civic engagement. But the cards will also provide a photo ID for city residents who have unusual difficulty obtaining an ID, such as undocumented immigrants or the homeless.”

Kingston likely to adopt municipal ID program

October 3, 2018 | Mid-Hudson News

“The Kingston Common Council passed a memorializing resolution Tuesday evening supporting a municipal ID program for city residents. The resolution solidifies the city’s commitment to helping undocumented residents secure a means of identification that will allow them to deal with authorities more effectively, use public services and feel more dignified as members of the community.”

Kingston council urged to initiate municipal ID program

September 13, 2018 | William J. Kemble, Daily Freeman

“Ignacio Acevedo, organizer of immigrant rights group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, told city lawmakers municipal ID cars would provide validation to city residents who often find it difficult to have a sense of belonging to the community. Acevedo said common needs for identification include picking up prescriptions from pharmacies and getting children from schools. He also noted there are costs for other forms of identification.”

Group backing municipal ID program in Kingston setting up Midtown office

September 8, 2018 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman

“Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson has been spearheading the recent effort to create a Kingston municipal ID program for people, including undocumented immigrants, to get identification cards that they otherwise could not obtain. Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson is also involved in other advocacy work, including expanding driver’s license access to undocumented New Yorkers and fighting for better gas and electric utilities access and affordability, Bix has said.”

U.S. Cities Issue IDs to Protect Undocumented Immigrants

August 20, 2018 | Liz Brazile, Yes! Journalism

“More than 20 U.S. cities and counties have launched municipal identification programs since 2007 to make civic engagement and day-to-day living more accessible. Several more are in the process of creating legislation that would allow residents of any immigration status to get a local government ID.”

Beacon to Consider Municipal ID

August 3, 2018 | Brian PJ Cronin, The Highlands Current

“In a statement released by Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Beacon Mayor Randy Casale was quoted as expressing support for municipal IDs but in an interview said he wanted to make sure they weren’t already available. ‘You can get a non-driver’s ID at the DMV,’ he said. ‘Are we duplicating something that’s being done already?’ However, unlike non-driver IDs offered by the Department of Motor Vehicles, municipal IDs do not require a Social Security number or birth certificate.”

Voting Volunteers Changing up the ‘Pitch’ for this Year’s Election

August 6, 2018 | By Spectrum News Staff, Spectrum News

“A training session Sunday taught registration volunteers in Poughkeepsie to ask ‘When was the last time you voted?’ instead of ‘Are you registered?’ This is part of a non-partisan effort by the community group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. They say their aim isn’t to sway anyone; rather they want to get more people to go through the quick process to become eligible to vote.”

Kingston Council Majority Leader Open to Municipal IDs

August 1, 2018 | By Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman

“This could be a source of pride for everyone,” Scott-Childress, D-Ward 3, said in a recent interview. ‘[It could] create a better sense of community… The main focus of [those calling for the ID program] may be undocumented residents, but that doesn’t have to be our main focus.”

Statewide Coalition Calls on Governor to Act on Immigrant Driver Licenses

July 31, 2018 | By Mid Hudson News

“A consortium of organizations across the state is urging Governor Cuomo to sign an executive order adopting implementing Green Light NY, which grants access to driver’s licenses for immigrant New Yorkers.”

Hudson Valley Cities Moving Toward Municipal ID Program

July 21, 2018 | By Jesse J. Smith, Hudson Valley One

“A coalition of immigration advocacy groups is spearheading a campaign to create a ‘municipal identification’ program in Mid-Hudson cities, including Kingston. The program, they say, could benefit not only immigrants but many segments of society, from the homeless to the elderly to domestic violence victims.”

Fees Would Offset Kingston Municipal ID Costs, Immigrant Advocacy Group Says

July 21, 2018 | By Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman

“Bix has said the program is intended to help those ‘who struggle everyday with critical tasks those of us with government-issued ID may take for granted, such as picking their children up from school, filling prescriptions, seeing a doctor, opening bank accounts, using the library and interacting with the police.'”

Orange Confidential: Middletown Mayor Optimistic City Will Adopt ID Program

July 14, 2018 | By Lana Bellamy, Record Online

“The group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson is spearheading the recent effort to create a Kingston municipal ID program for people, including undocumented immigrants, to get identification cards that they otherwise could not obtain.”

Advocacy Group Pushes Municipal ID Program in Kingston

July 14, 2018 | By Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman

Kingston Mayor Hails Poughkeepsie Approval of Municipal ID Program

July 10, 2018 | By Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman

“’Congratulations to the city of Poughkeepsie on this significant step forward,’ the Kingston mayor said. ‘With the adoption of municipal IDs, Poughkeepsie has demonstrated a substantial commitment to the safety and well-being of its residents, and I look forward to working with my partners on the [Kingston] Common Council to develop similar legislation in Kingston in the coming months.'”

City of Poughkeepsie to Issue ID Cards

July 10, 2018 | By John B. Warry, Poughkeepsie Journal

“The new program was unanimously approved Monday night by the Common Council. Officials say it could potentially help vulnerable residents open a bank account, secure a library card and pay for a parking meter and public transportation.”

Municipal ID Program Approved in Poughkeepsie

July 9, 2018 | By Ben Nandy, Spectrum News

“A party broke out in the Poughkeepsie Common Council chambers on Monday evening when the council approved the long-debated municipal ID program by a count of 8 to 0. Close to 100 members of the community group, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, erupted in cheers once it was official. “

Hundreds Attend Kingston Rally to Protest Trump Policy of Family Separations at US-Mexico Border

June 30, 2018 | By Patricia R. Doxsey, Daily Freeman

“Kingston’s protest was one of roughly 750 planned to take place across the country Saturday Locally, the protest drew people of all ages and from all walks of life, including more than a dozen members of the area’s faith community and several elected officials.”

Wide Support Voiced for Proposed Municipal ID in Poughkeepsie

July 3, 2018 | Mid Hudson News

“’The card doesn’t convey special government benefits,’ Bix said. ‘It fills an access gap that is created by the fact that a government-issued ID is required for so much of everyday life and yet it is unnecessarily hard for thousands of our residents to get. And, because there is no incentive for fraud, there hasn’t been notable fraud issues in any of the 29 cities with municipal IDs.'”

Immigration Advocates Rally in Kingston

July 1, 2018 | Mid Hudson News

“We are going to push to make sure that Kingston has its own ID, open to anyone that wants one,” the mayor added. The documents will make it easier for undocumented individuals to obtain drivers licenses, and interact with other institutions including public schools, which now require identification.”

Governor Signs Legislation to Increase Protections for Immigrant Children in New York

June 28, 2018 | Mid Hudson News

“Ignacio Acevedo of Newburgh, an organizer with Nobody Leaves MidHudson, said the measure is a good idea but more is needed… Acevedo, a native of Mexico, said there needs to be community IDs and the Greenlight campaign to make drivers’ licenses available to undocumented drivers, making roads safer for everyone.”

Council Supports Undocumented Immigrants Receiving Driver’s Licenses

June 13, 2018 | Kathy Welsh, HVNN

“In response to Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson’s organizing, the city of Poughkeepsie has already passed a resolution in support of the bill, and in response to other Green Light Coalition members the city of Hudson and villages of Ossining, Port Chester, Irvington, and Mamaroneck all previously passed resolutions in support of the legislation.”

Poughkeepsie Common Council Endorses Greenlight Legislation

May 22, 2018 | Kathy Welsh, HVNN

“In response to Green Light’s organizing, the city of Hudson and villages of Ossining, Port Chester, Irvington, and Mamaroneck all previously passed resolutions in support of the legislation, while Mayor Minor of Syracuse has also publicly supported the campaign. Green Light has also made the legislation a core issue in the Democratic primary of the New York Governor’s race, with progressive challenger Cynthia Nixon making driver’s license expansion to undocumented New Yorkers a campaign plank and Governor Andrew Cuomo not having backed the legislation.”

Council Supports Bill Offering Undocumented Immigrants Licenses

May 22, 2018 | Amy H. Wu, Poughkeepsie Journal

“Common Council Member At-Large Ann Finney, a Democrat and chairwoman of the council, said it comes down to a public safety issue. The bill better ensures drivers are qualified and allows undocumented immigrants to get insurance. ‘There are hundreds and thousands of unidentified and uninsured drives, it’s a worrisome situation,’ said Finney. ‘It’s about safety and car insurance.”

Municipal ID Program will Bring Benefits to all Poughkeepsie Residents: Column

May 18, 2018 | By Yasemin Smallens, Katherine Hite, Jonathan Bix, Sarah Salem, Valley Views, Poughkeepsie Journal

“These IDs would benefit the entire community, uniting residents from all corners of the city together under a shared source of communal identity. A Poughkeepsie ID would also benefit the local economy, encouraging more people to open bank accounts and creating new opportunities for businesses to offer discounts to ID holders.”

New York Ralliers Push Driver’s License Bill

May 14, 2018 | By Caitlin Landers, Spectrum News

“People from all around New York State came to the rally — from Queens, where some say it would ease their work commute, to Rochester, where one farm worker and father says he feared deportation when he was pulled over, but was forced to drive illegally because he didn’t have a license.”

Advocates Lobby Newburgh for Municipal IDs

May 14, 2018 | By Leonard Sparks, Times Herald-Record

“Advocates see locally issued IDs as a benefit to undocumented immigrants without Social Security numbers and to other residents without an official form of identification or proof of residency, including homeless people and recently released inmates.”

Despite Budget Setback, Immigrants Still Pushing for drivers’ licenses, DREAM Act

April 20, 2018 | By Alexa Appel, Legislative Gazette

“With the budget finalized and little progress made on immigrant rights such as the DREAM Act and driver’s licenses for undocumented New Yorkers, advocates are continuing to fight for progression.”

Groups Pushing for Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

April 18, 2018 | By Morgan McKay, News 10

“Through the use of an interpreter, people shared their struggles of trying to live without a license. Natasha Cid’s son, for example, fell sick and ran into problems at several different clinics. ‘They always ask us for a drivers license. My question is why a drivers license? I have the money to pay you, I’m showing you my passport. And the people attending told us that’s not good enough,’ Cid, speaking through an interpreter, said.”

Over 200 Support Middletown Creating a Municipal ID

April 4, 2018 | By Kathy Welsh, Hudson Valley News Network

“‘We’ve spoken to hundreds of Middletown residents who feel a municipal ID would make a tremendous difference in their lives and their children’s lives.’ said Ignacio Acevedo, Lead Organizer at Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. ‘This will make Middletown a stronger, more united community. It will benefit all residents.'”

Large Turnout in Middletown in Support of Municipal IDs

April 4, 2018 | Mid Hudson News

“Some 200 people packed the Middletown Common Council chambers Tuesday evening to support a proposal for the city to create a municipal identification card program. Many of the supporters were from the regional group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.”

Middletown Leaders Consider Municipal IDs for Those Who May Need It

April 3, 2018 | By Caitlin Landers, Spectrum News

“City officials say the idea has been on the table for a year, but now they’re moving forward. They have some ideas, like what the ID could look like and what information would be on it.”

Strong Support for Middletown ID Program

April 3, 2018 | By Lana Bellamy, Times Herald Record

“Men, women and children of all ages were sitting in chairs and on the floor, standing along the walls and spilling out into the second-floor foyer of city hall as they listened to residents, clergy and Mayor Joe DeStefano explain why having a Middletown ID would be important to them.”

Municipal IDs advocated by community advocacy group

April 3, 2018 | Mid Hudson News

“The IDs would be particularly useful to undocumented, homeless and transgender residents, Bix said. The timing for this proposal could not be more relevant given that President Trump said on Easter Sunday that protecting dreamers under DACA is off the table.”

Middletown Considers Offering ID Cards to Residents

April 2, 2018 | By Lana Bellamy, Times Herald Record

“With the creation of a municipal ID, Middletown will make itself a leader in the Hudson Valley in protecting its most vulnerable residents,’ which include those who are homeless, undocumented immigrants and the elderly, said Jonathan Bix, executive director of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.”

DACA Deadline Brings Protestors to Faso’s Kingston Office

March 6, 2018 | Mid Hudson News Staff

“He and the other 10 dreamers who attended the protest are calling for a “clean” dream act with no funding for the wall on the Mexican border or for immigration enforcement.”

Demonstrators Call on Faso to Protect Dreamers

March 5, 2018 | Staff, Hudson Valley One

“This afternoon, local organization Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and allies held a protest at Congressman John Faso’s office in Kingston. The protest called on John Faso and Congress to pass a Clean Dream Act – permanent legislative protections for DACA recipients that do not include any funding for a border wall or immigration enforcement.”

DACA, Oscar, negocios, comunidad y Radio fueron los temas de hoy en La Voz

March 5, 2018 | Radio Kingston

“Fue un día de sentimientos encontrados en La Voz en Radio Kingston hoy. Por un lado, tuvimos una noche inolvidable en los Oscars … Mejor director, mejor película, mejor película de animación, mejor canción original, se entiende, varios premios Oscar para los latinos. Por otro lado, el día para renovar DACA llegó a su fin. Entonces, sí, hablamos sobre los Oscar. Luego, sobre negocios con Sandra Salguero (Latinos in Business Success), radio con Juve Santiago (Juan 95.7 FM), comunidad con Marco Ochoa (MA Ochoa Home Improvements) y DACA con Alan Perez y Margarita Hernandez (Nadie se va del Mid-Hudson).”

Three Nightmares for Elvis Ramos

February 17, 2018 | By Alexander Reed Kelly, Hudson Valley News

“Elvis Ramos doesn’t sleep well. Some nights he dreams that he is permanently separated from his children, who are seven, eight and 10-years-old. In other dreams he cannot find the employment he needs to support them, or they become casualties of Mexico’s drug war.”

One Year Later: Hudson Valley Responds to Trump

February 1, 2018 | By Hillary Harvey, Chronogram

“With ongoing spotlights on police brutality and racist, anti-immigration rhetoric, racial justice is a defining conversation of Trump’s first year… Ignacio Acevedo, lead organizer for the Poughkeepsie-based racial justice group, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, recently told the Poughkeepsie Journal that the Hudson Valley is experiencing a surge in activism among people of color since Trump’s election.”

Some local DACA advocates slam Democrats’ agreement to end government shutdown

January 22, 2018 | By Leonard Sparks, Times Herald-Record

“‘A lot of people are not happy today,’ said Ignacio Acevedo of Newburgh, the lead organizer for a grassroots organization called Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. ‘Why is it such a difficult thing to do right now – for our representatives to work together and find solutions?'”

Activism grows in Hudson Valley amid divisive times

January 14, 2018 | By Geoffrey Wilson, Poughkeepsie Journal

“Acevedo, the lead organizer with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, a Poughkeepsie organization that advocates for working-class people of color, said the Hudson Valley is experiencing a surge in activism… ‘After living here for 27 years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen people of my community speaking up like this before,’ he said.”

Organizing One by One for DREAMers—Alfredo Pacheco

December 21, 2017 | By Sarah Jaffe, The Progressive

” Organizers around the country are demanding action, including Alfredo Pacheco of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, who took a group to Washington, D.C. to join a massive protest December 6th. But fighting for the DREAM Act is only part of the work that Pacheco does, and he explains how it all connects, as well as what he’s looking forward to fighting for in 2018.”

Pro-DACA Group Heads to DC For Nationwide Protest

December 6, 2017 | By Caitlin Landers, Spectrum News

“DACA lets undocumented immigrants who came to America as kids stay in the country. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says there are about 690,000 active DACA recipients in the country. Lopez, along with 50 others, were up before the sun to get on a bus to Washington, D.C., and advocate for keeping the program in place, since it’s being phased out.”

The Attack on DACA is About Racism. Period.

September 6, 2017 | By Sarah Jaffe, In These Times

“They keep saying, ‘America First!’ They keep saying that, but it’s just racism towards us. We are the minority now and we’re going to become the majority eventually. They’re afraid of that. My parents are not criminals. They’re not.”

“Treat Us Like Humans”: Emergency Protests Erupt Against DACA Repeal

September 6, 2017 | By Sarah Jaffe, Truthout

“We’re humans. Treat us like humans. Treat us like citizens of, not the country, citizens of the world. That’s what I want. We are humans. I am tired of people saying “What are you?” I’m human. Treat me like a human.”

Dreams Die Hard: Where Do They Go After DACA?

September 6, 2017 | By Sarah Jaffe, Moyers & Company

Defending Migrants Through Hell and High Water

September 8, 2017 | By Sarah Jaffe and Michelle Chen, Dissent Magazine

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Vassar Community Must Continue to Fight DACA Decision

September 13, 2017 | By the Editors, Vassar College Miscellany News

“We hope that the College will take further action in the coming months to protect students affected by DACA and communicate said plans to the Vassar community. Furthermore, we urge President Bradley to extend her concern to all students who come from families of immigrants, as all of these people are affected by this presidential administration’s bigoted immigration policies.”

Poughkeepsie City Council Votes in Favor of Safe City Resolution

June 20, 2017 | Spectrum News Staff

“The resolution — similar to sanctuary city legislation presented in cities around the state — protects undocumented immigrants from being reported to federal immigration officials by local authorities.”

Poughkeepsie Rally: Hundreds Protest Trump Immigration Ban

February 4, 2017 | Poughkeepsie Journal

“Hundreds of demonstrators stage an immigration ban protest outside the Dutchess County Courthouse on Market Street in Poughkeepsie of Feb. 4, 2017.”

Community Members Gather To Form Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone

January 16, 2017 | Allison Dunne, WAMC Northeast Public Radio

“The January 14 gathering in Beacon brought together an audience some 200 strong, from all over the Hudson Valley. The Hate Free Zone is a network of people and institutions who have committed to standing up against hate, and to protect communities coming under attack.”

Hate Free Zone Holds First Meeting

January 24, 2017 | The Highlands Current

“More than 200 people gathered at St. Luke’s Church in Beacon to support the group, which organizers say was modeled after one formed in Queens ‘in response to an increasingly hostile climate for immigrants, people of color, Muslims, Jews, LGBTQ people, women and workers.'”

‘Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone’ Brings Communities Together Under Common Goal

January 14, 2017 | Jackson Wang, Spectrum News Hudson Valley

“‘So many of us are dealing with all sorts of discriminations and all of our communities are unrepresented,” said Dominique Suddith, of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. “We need people to come together and make a change.'”

Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone Convenes in Beacon

January 14, 2017 | Jack Howland, Poughkeepsie Journal

“Dominique Suddith, a member of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, spoke about where the group goes from here, according to the release. ‘What’s next is to take into consideration what happened today, look at our pledges, and turn it into action,’ Suddith said, according to the release. ‘This is just the beginning.'”

Hudson Valley ‘Hate-Free Zone’ Movement Forms in Beacon

January 18, 2017 | Carol Reif and Sam Barron, Northwest Dutchess Daily Voice

“The Common County in Ulster County’s Kingston, for instance, recently adopted a resolution declaring that the city was welcoming and inclusive toward undocumented immigrants and wouldn’t be asking crime victims, witnesses, or other people who come in contact with police for low-level matters such as traffic infractions about their immigration status.”

Hudson Valley Residents Stand Up Against Hate

January 16, 2017 | Bobby Welber, Hudson Valley Post

“The Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone team wants people and organizations to stand together to help protect communities that could be targets of hate.”

Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone

January 16, 2017 | Hudson Valley News Network

“The Hate Free Zone is a network of people and institutions who have committed to standing up against hate and pledging protection of communities coming under attack.”

Local Organizations Plan “Hate Free Zone” to Protect Vulnerable Communities

January 12, 2017 | Staff, Hudson Valley One

“In the afternoon of Saturday, January 14, local activist organizations Community Voices Heard and Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson will hold an assembly at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church to form the ‘Hudson Valley Hate Free Zone,’ described as ‘a network of people and institutions who have committed to standing up against hate, and for the protection of communities coming under attack.'”

Mid-Hudson Declared Hate Free Zone

January 15, 2017 | Mid Hudson News

“Due to President-elect Trump’s comments regarding deportation of undocumented persons, a main facet of the Hate Free Zone is to eliminate the fears of deportation for the undocumented and to remove the stigma against them.”