Most Recent News Coverage
Kingston lawmakers support extension of rent control law
May 8, 2019 | Mid Hudson News
“Currently, nine rent regulatory laws are due to expire in New York State. Amidst what Kingston officials and residents alike are calling a housing crisis, the city is looking to voice their support of such bills as the Expansion of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and prohibition of evictions without ‘good cause.'”
Newburgh Lawmakers Posit Ideas to Increase 2020 Census Participation
May 2, 2019 | Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“Augustin, an immigrant from Oaxaca, Mexico, says in the current social and political climate, there is an overarching fear in the immigrant community with sharing any personal information with any official body for fear the information may be used against them.”
Support grows for driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, group says
April 27, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“Jonathan Bix, executive director of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said this week that an alliance of immigrant groups known as the Green Light Coalition, has drawn increasing support to the driver’s license matter.”
Group urges Newburgh’s support of state bill to keep ICE out of courts
April 22, 2019 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald-Record
“Acevedo shared the story in his pitch to muster the council’s support for state legislation banning ICE from detaining people inside and outside state courts, which include town, county and village courthouses. Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, a local social justice advocacy group of which Acevedo is the lead organizer, brought out 35 people to hold signs and show support for the Protect Our Courts Act at the council meeting.”
One Pulse Offers Their Heart to New Paltz ICE Detainees
April 18, 2019 | Jake Mauriello, New Paltz Oracle
“After hosting several events to raise money and awareness for the homecoming of Martinez, Yastion was contacted by Nobody Leaves Mid Hudson, an organization that brings awareness to gaining rights for undocumented citizens. Here, Yastion became more aware of the struggles faced by members of our own community.”
NY directive restricting ICE action in courts doesn’t go far enough, immigrants rights group says
April 18, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“An immigrant rights group says it will continue to press for a state law to prevent federal immigration agents from making arrests in and around courtrooms despite a similar directive from the state Office of Court Administration.”
Middletown backs proposed law making it illegal for ice to make civil arrests in court without court order
April 17, 2019 |Mid Hudson News, Mid Hudson News Network
The Middletown Common Council Tuesday night voted in support of the state’s Protect Our Courts Act that would make it unlawful for ICE to make a civil arrest while a person is going to,, attending or leaving court unless the officer presents a valid judicial warrant or court order. The Poughkeepsie Common Council, Monday night, approved the same memorializing resolution.
Middletown council endorses effort to keep ice agents away from courts in ny state
April 17, 2019 | Daily Freeman
“The Middletown council voted its support of the state’s proposed Protect Our Courts Act a day after the Poughkeepsie Common Council did the same.”
Ulster county legislature considers backing ny state effort to keep ice away from courts
April 17, 2019 | Patricia Doxsey, Daily Freeman
“Legislature Chairwoman Tracey Bartels said Tuesday that a resolution supporting state passage of the Protect Our Courts Act is being circulated among county lawmakers and could go before the full Legislature in May.”
Middletwon common council backs act keeping ice officers out of courts
April 17, 2019 | Rachel Ettlinger, Times Herald-Record
“The Middletown Common Council on Tuesday night passed a resolution to support the Protect Our Courts Act. Co-sponsored by state Assembly members Jonathan Jacobson and Kevin Cahill, the act would make it unlawful for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to arrest a person who is going to, attending or leaving court unless the officer presents a valid judicial warrant or court order.”
Ny state courts system restricts immigrantion enforcement actions
April 17, 2019 | Associated Press and Freeman staff, Daily Freeman
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents looking to make arrests inside courthouses in New York can’t do so without judicial warrants or orders, according to a directive from the New York State Office of Court Administration that took effect Wednesday.”
Poughkeepsie council backs NY state effort to keep ice agents away from courts
April 16, 2019 | Mid Hudson News Network, Daily Freeman
“The Common Council here has gone on record as supporting the Protect Our Courts Act that’s under consideration in the state Legislature. The act would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to obtain a warrant from a federal judge before attempting to arrest an undocumented immigrant either inside or on the way to or from a court.”
NY assemblyman cahill says restricting ice will stop courts from being ‘traps’
April 16, 2019 |Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“State Assemblyman Kevin Cahill says courts should not be “traps” where immigration enforcement officers “ensnare unsuspecting people.” Cahill, D-Kingston, is a co-sponsor of state legislation called the Protect Our Courts Act, which would bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from arresting an undocumented immigrant either inside or on the way to or from a court unless they have a warrant from a federal judge to do so.”
Poughkeepsie council supports proposed law to keep ice out of courts
April 16, 2019 | Mid Hudson News, Mid Hudson News Network
“The presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in and around state courts increased about 17-fold, in just one year, according to a report released earlier this year by the Immigrant Defense Project.”
Early Arrival: Hudson Yards Funded Through Questionable Visa Practices
April 15, 2019 | Max Siegelbaum, Documented
“Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity has ballooned 1700 percent in courthouses in recent years. That’s why Democrats recently introduced a state bill that would prevent ICE arrests while a person is attending or leaving court without a judicial warrant or court order. Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, an advocacy group in Hudson County, is drumming up support for the bill around Hudson County cities such as New Paltz, Woodstock, Poughkeepsie and Beacon. ICE activity in the courts has made immigrants afraid of seeking legal help in various courts, including housing court. The Daily Freeman”
Immigrant advocates pressure local boards to support bill limiting ice activity in courthouses
April 15, 2019 |Ben Nandy, Specturm News
“At their Poughkeepsie office, organizers with the immigrant advocacy group, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, were plotting two weeks of almost daily visits to meetings of local lawmaking bodies to drum up support for the Protect Our Courts Act.”
Nobody Leaves Mid Hudson backs state bill barring ICE from arresting people attending court proceedings
April 14, 2019 |Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, the immigrant rights group that has successfully help implement municipal ID programs, is calling on various Mid-Hudson Valley governments to support the bill, which is known as the Protect Our Courts Act.”
New paltz government officials consider local municipal ID card
April 13, 2019 |Terence Ward, Hudson Valley One
“Members of the public came out to support the concept of a local municipal ID card, the creation of which would likely fall to the town clerk and her staff members if it were to happen in New Paltz. Town and village board members had a number of questions about state record-keeping requirements, cost of equipment and other issues which must be clarified before any decision could be made.”
Immigrants rights group spars with kingstonian project developers over rents
April 13, 2019 |Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“An immigrant rights group that successfully advocated for city municipal identification cards for undocumented immigrants is strongly opposing the mixed-use Kingstonian project planned for Uptown.”
One Detained and One in hiding after series of ICE visits in kingston
April 11, 2019 |Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“A series of visits to homes on Wednesday by officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has put intense fear into immigrants in Kingston, whether documented or undocumented. According to organizers with immigrant advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, at least three incidents led to one man being detained and another being forced into hiding.”
Hudson Valley deportations devastate local communities
April 10, 2019 |Tiana Headley, Miscellany News
“I didn’t know the extent to which people were living in fear and suffering in my own community, and it was heartbreaking to hear that a place where I feel so safe and comfortable could be so hostile to others,” local New Paltz activist Ronnie Yastion shared in an email.”
Newburg is fifth Hudson Valley city to adopt muicipal IDs
April 9, 2019 |Mid-Hudson News Network, Mid-Hudson News
“The City of Newburgh has joined the ranks of local municipalities including Middletown, Poughkeepsie and Kingston to adopt legislation to offer municipal IDs to undocumented, as well as all other residents. The city council unanimously passed a resolution to adopt Local Law #2 of 2019, Monday evening, before a packed house of supporters at the city recreation center.”
City of Newburg OKs municipal ID cards
April 9, 2019 |Mid-Hudson News Network, Daily Freeman
NEWBURGH, N.Y. — This Orange County city has become the fifth in the Mid-Hudson Valley to approve municipal identification cards, joining Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon and Middletown.
Maloey calls for answers after Middletown ICE incident
April 6, 2019 |Mid-Hudson News Network, Mid-Hudson News
“MIDDLETOWN – Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney demanded clarification on the US Immigration and Customers Enforcement police regarding Wednesday’s incident where three armed agents went into Middletown City Hall chasing an undocumented resident leaving bystanders confused and alarmed by the situation.”
Surprise ICE action is a step backwards for Middletown, says immigration advocate
April 5, 2019 |Mid-Hudson News Network, Mid-Hudson News
“MIDDLETOWN – This weeks’ action by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, who went unannounced to Middletown City Hall looking to arrest an individual, was a step backwards for the city, said Ignacio Acevedo, the lead organizer for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, the immigration rights advocacy group.”
Ice offers statement after agents chased a man through city hall
April 4, 2019 |Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents chased a man through the building trying to detain him. Thursday, Spectrum News received a response to the incident from Rachael Yong Yow, the Public Affairs Officer for ICE New York.”
fewer immigrants apply for municipal ids after ice agents chased man in city hall
April 4, 2019 |Ben Nandy, Specturm News
Ardelio Reyes says he was not surprised to be the only one at city hall on Thursday applying for municipal ID.
“Reyes says he understands immigrants who fear coming to handle their everyday business because of the fiasco the day before, on Wednesday, where ICE agents attempted to detain a man pursuant — according to ICE — to an administrative warrant, not a criminal warrant signed by a judge.”
Newburg sets public hearing on municipal ID program
March 27, 2019 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald record
“Newburgh may soon become the fifth Hudson Valley city to launch a municipal ID program. City officials have spent several months planning the new program that allows residents to buy a photo identification card verifying that they live in the City of Newburgh.”
Public hearing set for newburgh municipal id program
March 27, 2019 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald record
“The Newburgh City Council scheduled a public hearing for a municipal identification card program for April 8. The hearing will take place during the regular council meeting at 7 p.m. on April 8 at the Activity Center, located at 401 Washington Street.”
Ulster county clerk says she’ll abide by law if undocumented immigrants are allowed driver’s licenses
March 26, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
KINGSTON, N.Y. — Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack says she’ll abide by a state law, if passed, that allows undocumented immigrants to get New York driver’s licenses. Postupack, who oversees the local office of the state Department of Motor Vehicles, didn’t state a personal position on the proposed Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, saying only that it is her “responsibility to uphold the laws of the state of New York.”
Kingston mayor, police chief back driver licenses for undocumented immigrants
March 23, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“KINGSTON, N.Y. — Making state-issued driver’s licenses available to undocumented immigrants is a good idea, two top city officials say. Mayor Steve Noble and Police Chief Egidio Tinti endorsed the proposal, which drew support from Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa and Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagara last week.”
Kingston expects to start issuing municipal id cards in june
March 19, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“The city expects to start issuing its newly approved municipal ID cards in June, a bit earlier than expected, according to Mayor Steve Noble. “We have purchased and received the equipment,” Noble said in an email. “… We are now in the process of designing the cards and training the staff on how to use the equipment.'”
Kingston mayor expects municipal ids in june
March 18, 2019 | Mid-hudson news network
“City of Kingston residents can expect to sign up for municipal identification cards this summer. Mayor Steven Noble said the city is ordering the necessary equipment and setting up the procedures and expects the cards to be ready in June.”
middletown starts issuing municipal Ids
March 14, 2019 | Mid-hudson news network
“Residents here lined up outside the City Clerk’s Office first thing Wednesday to get the new municipal identification cards being offered by Middletown. Mayor Joseph DeStefano was among the first to be issued an ID card.”
Green light ny movement converges on Albany
March 13, 2019 | Mid-hudson news network
“They came from Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Middletown, Newburgh, Warwick and points in between to travel by bus to Albany on Tuesday to join the Green Light NY movement. That effort is attempting to convince the state legislature to approve a measure that would allow for driver’s licenses for undocumented residents.”
Villiage of Warwick Boards Adjust Meeting Schedules
March 13, 2019 | Katie Bisaro, Warwick Dispatch
“Alfredo Pacheco, representing the advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, asked the Village Board for an update regarding the proposed Municipal ID program.”
Middletown issues its first photo id cards
March 13, 2019 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald record
“Residents lined up well before the city clerk’s office opened Wednesday morning to get some of the first-ever Middletown identification cards. City Clerk John Naumchik estimated 65 people received the new photo IDs on Wednesday.”
Middletown becomes first area city to issue municipal ids
March 13, 2019 | Mid-Hudson News Network
“Residents in Middletown lined up outside the city clerk’s office at City Hall the first thing Wednesday morning to secure the new municipal identification cards.”
Call For License Acess for Undocumented
March 6, 2019 | Hudson Valley Press
“Over 200 residents of Orange County packed the Perkins Recreation Center in Middletown on Saturday to urge passage of legislation to expand driver’s license access to undocumented New York residents.”
Middletown forum shines light on driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants
March 2, 2019 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald Record
“Both the state Senate and Assembly are considering bills to expand driver’s license privileges to undocumented immigrants living in New York. Both bills were referred to their chambers’ respective transportation committees in January.”
Community calls for driver’s license access for undocumented New Yorkers
March 2, 2019 | Mid Hudson News
“Over 200 residents of Orange County packed the Perkins Recreation Center in Middletown on Saturday to urge passage of legislation to expand driver’s license access to undocumented New York residents. The forum, organized by Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and the Worker Justice Center of New York, both members of the Green Light NY coalition, was attended by State Senator Jennifer Metzger and Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther.”
State lawmakers in Ulster county back drivers licenses for undocumented
March 2, 2019 | Paul Kirby, Daily Freeman
“State Sen. Jen Metzger, D-Rosendale, and state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston, both said they favor state legislation allowing the workers to secure driver licenses.”
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson on Radio Kingston
March 1, 2019 | Radio Kingston
“Ignacio Acevedo of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson discusses the organization’s work, building community, and the Green Light legislation in the State Assembly and State Senate. Join them in Middletown on March 2nd and in Albany on March 15th.”
Green Light legislation wins support of Middletown lawmakers
February 21, 2019 | MidHudson News
“The Middletown Common Council has unanimously supported proposed Green Light legislation that would allow anyone in New York – including undocumented immigrants who pass a driving test – to obtain a driver’s license. Middletown Council President Miguel Rodrigues said the proposal, which the governor has promised to sign if the state legislature approves it, would be beneficial for all.”
Community pushes for support of legal licenses for undocumented immigrants
February 6, 2019 | Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“NLMH is now lobbying even harder in support of the Green Light Bill (A10273 and S8680), which would increase privacy measures in the application process, allowing undocumented immigrants to get licenses.”
City of Newburgh expected to approve municipal IDs soon
January 15, 2019 | Mid Hudson News
“The lead organizer of the grassroots group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson Monday night urged the Newburgh City Council to adopt a municipal identification card program similar to those recently approved in the cities of Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon and Middletown. Ignacio Acevedo, a resident of Newburgh, implored council to approve the program.”
Beacon approves municipal IDs
December 21, 2018 | Highlands Current, Brian PJ Cronin
“The Beacon City Council voted unanimously on Monday (Dec. 17) to begin offering a municipal identification card within six months. With the vote, the city joined three other municipalities in the Hudson Valley (Poughkeepsie, Middletown and Kingston) and about two dozen across the country that offer IDs.”
Kingston mayor signs municipal ID card legislation
December 19, 2018 | Daily Freeman, William J. Kemble
“‘Our number one goal is to be able to use this for public safety,’ Mayor Noble said. ‘So every time that someone has an interaction with one of our police officers or anyone [who] is a municipal employee, they’ll be able to have some sort of municipal ID. As you get into commercial industries, [such as] the banking industry, it is really incumbent upon that … industry as to whether they would accept our municipal ID.'”
‘Rise Against Racism’ vigil Dec. 4th at Kingston City Hall
November 23, 2018 | Daily Freeman
“The aim of the gathering is to ‘bring light against the darkness of Islamophobia, racism and anti-Semitism by standing for justice’ with members of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, a group that aims to protect immigrants living and working in the region.”
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson Contacts 10,000 Voters Ahead of Mid-Term Election
November 6, 2018 | Karina Curry, Boilerplate
“In preparation for the 2018 midterm elections, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson has successfully registered over 1,000 new voters and contacted 9,000 more voters to increase voter turnout.”
Middletown Municipal ID Program Approved
November 6, 2018 | Caitlin Landers, Spectrum News
“For two years the advocacy group ‘Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson,’ with support from Mayor Joseph DeStefano, campaigned for the program. It was a packed common council chamber in Middletown as members voted unanimously to approve it.”
Making the census count
October 31, 2018 | Gregg McQueen, Manhattan Times News
“The data the Census collects is the data that every level of our government will use,” Settle said. “It’s also the data that businesses and universities will analyze, and it’s the most important data that we will have about New York residents for the next 10 years.”
For More News Coverage
Call For License Acess for Undocumented
March 6, 2019 | Hudson Valley Press
“Over 200 residents of Orange County packed the Perkins Recreation Center in Middletown on Saturday to urge passage of legislation to expand driver’s license access to undocumented New York residents.”
Call For License Acess for Undocumented
March 6, 2019 | Hudson Valley Press
“Over 200 residents of Orange County packed the Perkins Recreation Center in Middletown on Saturday to urge passage of legislation to expand driver’s license access to undocumented New York residents.”