Most Recent News Coverage
A Wave of Upstate Cities Could ban eviction without “Good Cause”
July 16, 2021 |New York Focus
“There is a massive housing crisis especially here in upstate New York, where there’s less regulation around rents and eviction,” Brahvan Ranga, political coordinator at the grassroots advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, told New York Focus.
Kingston Food Co-op hosts summer party on July 17
July 3, 2021 |Daily Freeman
The event is a collaboration with Radio Kingston, La Voz, My Kingston Kids, RiseUp Kingston, Tilda’s Kitchen and Market, the Kingston YMCA Farm Project, the A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center, Kingston Needs a SkatePark, Future Fruits, Bike Friendly Kingston, and Nobody Leaves Mid Hudson.
Skoufis Helps Expand Drinking Water Protections
June 30, 2021 |Hudson Valley Press
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson Political Coordinator, Brahvan Ranga, said, “Access to clean water is a human right, and something that the state government has a responsibility to protect.”
Community groups rally for passage of parole justice, clean slate and New York for All legislation
June 2, 2021 |Mid-Hudson News
In Kingston, Rise Up Kingston, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and other groups gathered to urge Senator Michelle Hinchey to support the legislation, said Rise Up Kingston Executive Director Callie Jayne.
‘Compassionate New York’ Agenda Seeks Fairness for the People
May 29, 2021 | Kingston Wire
Unjust evictions, mass incarceration and the lack of universal healthcare torment many and ruin lives. Earlier this week, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, a group which says it works against social systems that oppress underserved communities, held a rally at Academy Green in Kingston to offer a solution.
New Paltz passes measure supporting universal healthcare and opposing unjust evictions and mass incarceration
May 27, 2021 |Hudson Valley One
Last week, at the urging of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, the Town of New Paltz unanimously passed a resolution for the Compassionate New York agenda, a statewide legislative plan to guarantee healthcare for every New Yorker, stop unjust evictions and end mass incarceration.
After ‘housing nightmare,’ Kingston immigrant becomes activist
May 26, 2021 | Spectrum News
This week he joined organizers advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson at Academy Green Park to rally for passage of several pieces of legislation including the ‘Good Cause Eviction’ bill. If enacted into law, monthly rent increases would be capped at 3% each year. And to evict a tenant, a landlord would have to obtain approval of a reason to evict by a judge.
Resolution Passes For Compassionate Agenda
May 26, 2021 | Hudson Valley Press
The resolution is the first of its kind in the state of New York and comes on the heels of rallies last month by elected officials, community leaders, and activists who first unveiled the agenda.
Photos, video: A plea for compassion and criminal justice reform
May 24, 2021 | Daily Freeman
The New York Health Act would reduce total healthcare spending by at least $10 billion, Good Cause Eviction protections would save over $1.6 billion, and Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole bills would save $522 million annually.
New Paltz Town Board passes resolution for Compassionate NY Agenda
May 23, 2021 | Mid-Hudson News
“This is an important step forward,” said Jonathan Bix, executive director for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. “The Town of New Paltz understands that residents in the Hudson Valley and across the state are continuing to feel the deep injustices the COVID-19 crisis only further exacerbated. Working people and communities of color continue to be hit the hardest by these crises.
NY Activists Rally in Newburgh to Protest Fossil Fuel Power Plants
May 21, 2021 | Food and Water Watch
“The construction of this plant violates the most basic values of the people of this state: it actively works against the public health of our communities, it damages the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley, and it violates New York’s State’s commitment to renewable energy. As such, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson joins our neighbors to stand up to the construction of Danskammer,” said Rene Mejia Jr., Organizer with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.
New York’s Excluded Workers Fund gives Middletown immigrants hope
May 6, 2021 |Times Record Herald
New York lawmakers passed the state budget on April 12, which included a provision for the Excluded Workers Fund. The $2.1 billion program aims to provide economic relief to people who were ineligible for traditional unemployment benefits or federal aid under various stimulus packages.
Letter To The Editor: Small business owner supports Excluded Workers Fund
May 5, 2021 |Hudson Valley One
That’s why I proudly support the Excluded Workers’ Fund that recently passed in the New York State budget. Not only will it bring a $208 million economic boost to the lower and mid-Hudson Valley, it will provide real relief to those who have been denied it for so long. This fund is good for our businesses, our communities and our future.
Area civil rights group endorses local primary candidates
May 5, 2021 |Mid-Hudson News
HUDSON VALLEY – The regional civil rights group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson has endorsed candidates for the 2021 primary elections in the region.
Area reaction to Derek Chauvin conviction in death of George Floyd
April 21, 2021 |Mid-Hudson News
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson responded to the verdict: “George Floyd should be alive today, but we hope that his loved ones can finally feel some kind of peace. Every day, police across the country repeat the same kind of violence with impunity. Countless people, with names that we will never hear, will never know justice.”
What’s Inside the State Budget
April 16, 2021 | Leonard Sparks, The Highlands Current
“In a statement, Serino criticized that expenditure, saying it will support “people living in the state illegally.” But Jonathan Bix, executive director for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, an advocacy group based in Poughkeepsie, called it “a historic victory” that will “finally bring vital support to workers excluded from even the most basic state and federal relief during the pandemic, including thousands of workers across the Hudson Valley.””
Activists march on executive mansion in Albany
April 3, 2021 | Kate Lisa, NNY 360
“Rene Mejia Jr., an organizer with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said how his family and other loved ones, many of whom are immigrant essential workers, have not been afforded access to the same programs as other Americans for financial relief during the pandemic. Mejia recalled how one family member was forced to return to work immediately after burying a loved one.”
Activists: State Lawmakers Must Deliver More to Excluded Workers
March 30, 2021 | Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“Rene Mejía Jr., an activist with the immigrant advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said he will not be satisfied with the compromise. “To ensure that people, in fact, get what they need and get a proper amount, as well, we have to still look at pushing for more,” Mejía said during a Zoom interview Tuesday. Mejía said only an amount of $3.5 billion or higher would be enough to provide previously ineligible families monthly payments retroactive back to March 2020.”
Supporters lobby for increase to Excluded Workers Fund
March 25, 2021 | MID-Hudson News
“Workers’ rights advocates and local elected officials gathered in the City of Newburgh, Wednesday, to request an increase to the proposed Excluded Workers Fund, which would provide COVID benefits to undocumented workers, those recently released from incarceration and others not eligible for unemployment and COVID stimulus benefits.”
HV Civil Rights Groups Support Bill To Tax The Rich To Help Marginalized Workers
March 14, 2021 | Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“During the pandemic, Rivera has struggled to find work, stay in her home, and set up reliable transportation for her daughters’ school events and activities. She said immigration status should not affect whether a hard worker receives a government lifeline. “We are one conscience, all together, as humans,” she said, holding her one-year-old daughter Avalon, before taking a moment to collect herself.”
Kingston rally draws attention to proposed ‘worker bailout program’ for undocumented immigrants
March 5, 2021 | Patricia R. Doxsey, Daily Freeman
“Diana Lopez, a community activist with the group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said that while the pandemic has been difficult for everyone, it’s been especially harsh for those who are ineligible for the safety net programs that have been put in place to help struggling New Yorkers.”
24 Groups Support Gianaris’ Effort to End State Incentive for Trump Opportunity Zones
February 24, 2021 | The National Herald
“Groups supporting the legislation include Reinvent Albany, NYSUT, 1199 SEIU, CWA District 1, Make the Road NY, ALIGN-NY, NYPIRG, Chinese-American Planning Council, Citizen Action of NY, Coalition for Economic Justice, Community Service Society of NY, Fiscal Policy Institute, Good Jobs First, Institute on Taxation and Policy, Legal Aid Society, Long Island Progressive Coalition, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Pratt Center, PSC–CUNY, RWDSU, Strong Economy For All, Tenants PAC, and UFCW Local 1500.”
Immigrant Rights an Issue in Orange County Clerk’s Race
February 19, 2021 | Ben Nandy, Spectrum News
“That led to some undocumented applicants arriving at the Goshen Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) office in the middle of the night to claim one of the limited spots in line for the following day. “It was total segregation,” said Rene Mejía Jr., of the immigrant rights group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. “You would get people coming in at like three in the morning or four in the morning, really exaggerated times, because they wanted to make sure they had a spot, unlike someone who was documented or did have a social, they would just come and they would go in like normal.””
Immigration Has Not Been Magically Fixed Under Biden
February 16, 2021 | Michael Frank, The River
“One state legislative solution, backed by the Immigrant Defense Project and local advocates like Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, is the New York for All Act, which would make it unlawful for police, court officers, parole officers, or school officers to work with ICE or CBP; would bar them from enforcing immigration law; and would prohibit passing information to federal agents without a judicial warrant.”
Letter: Workers in New York state need bailout fund
February 12, 2021 | Itzayana Juarez, Daily Freeman
“When the pandemic started, the hotel closed for two months, then only brought back some of us workers, and I couldn’t keep working there. There aren’t so many places hiring. I have a 2-year-old son, and I can’t afford to pay my rent, car, car insurance, utility bills, and what my baby needs. We had to find another place to live due to the rent being too high.”
Letter to the Editor: State lawmakers need to help workers, tax the rich
February 12, 2021 | Omar Garibay, Mid-Hudson News
“I’m one of over 1 million workers who has been left out from Unemployment and Stimulus Payments. I’m an interior painter. But people are scared of COVID so they don’t want people in their homes. Work isn’t there but the bills keep coming. I send money to my mother. For now, I still have some money in the bank. But I don’t know what I will do if the money runs out. If I don’t find work in 3 months, I don’t know what will happen.”
Biden, Harris bring sense of relief and hope to some in Mid-Hudson Valley
January 20, 2021 | Diane Pineiro-Zucker, Daily Freeman
“Diana Lopez, an Ulster County organizer with the group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said members of the county’s undocumented community breathed “a sigh of relief that we have a new administration. “Tonight we’re going to sleep knowing that today is the change, that things will change,” Lopez said.”
Coronavirus Roundup: Biden Era Begins With Mask Order, While Cuomo Pleads for More Vaccine
January 20, 2021 | Lisa Harris and Phillip Pantuso, The River
“An ICE detainee housed at the Orange County jail has been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to statistics maintained by ICE, and five guards have also tested positive. In a press release, the grassroots nonprofit Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson suggested the infection may have come from a recent transfer of detainees from a jail in Hudson County, New Jersey, which also contracts with ICE. Detainees protested with a hunger strike in late December, demanding they be released to be with their families while fighting their cases. Afterward, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson contends that some were transferred to Orange County as retaliation.”
Newburgh activists reflect on 2020 and look to what lies ahead
January 3, 2021 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald-Record
“Mejia, who is the Newburgh organizer for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, and Angela Montiel, a volunteer with the group, said that this year they saw the city’s Black and Hispanic/Latino communities come together at the Black Lives Matter rallies in a way they hadn’t seen before.”
Letter: State must deny proposed Central Hudson rate hike
December 20, 2020 | Jonathan Bix, Daily Freeman
“Instead of another rate hike, we need debt forgiveness and a continued moratorium on power shutoffs. And ratepayer funds shouldn’t be used for fossil fuel infrastructure, but instead for increased energy efficiency and renewables.”
New coalition urges lawmakers to act on mass incarceration
Dec 9, 2020 | Heather Yakin, Times Herald-Record
“The coalition’s goals include addressing inequities in how resources are allocated for mental health, social work and housing programs, said Vanessa Cid, 23, of Middletown, an organizer with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, one of the founding groups.”
Kingston at a Crossroads
OCTOBER 25, 2020 | Peter Aaron, Chronogram
“Among those other organizations are Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, a group started in 2012 originally to fight on behalf of residents against foreclosures and evictions resulting from the 2008 financial crisis. With offices in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, and Middletown as well as Kingston, the multiracial, intergenerational association centers its work on organizing people around issue-based and electoral campaigns.'”
Despite Eviction Moratorium, Kingston Officials Force Mother and Two Children From Their Home
OCTOBER 9, 2020 | BEN NANDY, Spectrum News
“Activist Diana Lopez of immigrant advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson wonders why city officials are digging deep into code to justify removing two children from their home when the community is in crisis.'”
Letter: Deadlines approach for voter registration, ballot requests
OCTOBER 2, 2020 | Daily Freeman
“At Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, we’ve directly contacted over 129,000 people so far to register them to vote and provide education as a part of the New York Immigration Coalition’s “REMAP NYS 2020” campaign, a statewide initiative to provide new voter education, voter registration access and get-out-the-vote messaging.’
Local activism groups set voter registration drive in Newburgh. Organizers stress importance of races.
September 25, 2020 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald-Record
“”We just want folks to remember they have a voice and they have a right to vote,” Mejia said.
But before a person can participate, they have to be registered.
Count, or Undercount
August 14, 2020 | Leonard Sparks, Highlands Current
“Before COVID-19 hit, NLMH members had knocked on 5,000 doors, said Jonathan Bix, the group’s executive director. Since the pandemic put a halt to the doorstep campaign, volunteers have been using phone calls, text messages and social media to encourage people to be counted.”
On the Ground With the Young Activists Transforming Newburgh
August 13, 2020 | Gilles Uzan, The River
“I spend a majority of my free time volunteering in the community. I mostly volunteer with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, an organization that fights for human rights, justice for all, and bringing people together in unity.”
Newburgh Vigil Spotlights Prevalence of Sexual Violence
July 18, 2020 | Lana Bellamy, Times Herald-Record
“Men at the vigil, such as city Councilman-at-Large Omari Shakur, county Legislator Kevindaryan Lujan, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson’s Rene Mejia and NAACP leader Ray Harvey, who is a veteran, said men need to speak up for abused women and hold other men accountable.”
Newburgh residents protest racism in policing down Broadway
July 14, 2020 | Times Herald-Record
“About 100 people marched down Broadway toward City Hall and the Public Safety Building on Monday evening before the City Council meeting to protest racism in policing and support youth leadership in Newburgh.”
Protesters denounce need for new jail in Dutchess just before it wins approval in committee
July 10, 2020 | Mid-Hudson News
“Edwards and her Democratic colleagues were joined by organizations including the Dutchess County Democratic Committee, Stop the Violence, and Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson to bring attention to the costs associated with a new facility … and to stop the issuance of the unused portion of the bond for the project, totaling more than $132 million.”
Vigil for Maurice Gordon, Poughkeepsie Man shot by police
June 24, 2020 | Poughkeepsie Journal
“The rally and vigil were organized by Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Community Voices Heard, the End the New Jim Crow Action Network'”
WHAT ABOUT UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WHO LOST THEIR JOBS?
MAY 8, 2020 | BEN NANDY, Spectrum News
“Diana López, the Ulster County organizer for the immigrant rights advocacy group, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, says the state’s response to immigrant families during the pandemic has been ‘really awful.'”
Language barriers may obscure vital information
MAY 8, 2020 | LANA BELLAMY, TIMES-HERALD RECORD
“Lujan said ear-to-the-ground organizations like Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson that have built trust with local immigrant populations are critical to safely connecting immigrants with resources.”
Are Online Census Response Efforts Working in Newburgh?
April 21, 2020 | BEN NANDY, Spectrum News
“’Looking at the numbers, something must be working,’ Mejia Jr., an activist with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said in a FaceTime interview Tuesday. Mejia said outreaches, specifically targeting immigrants, could further drive up the self-response and help account for families who might not otherwise be counted by the enumerators later in the summer. Historically, children and recent immigrants are difficult to count.”
Communities urge residents to remember census during pandemic
MARCH 21, 2020 | TIMES-HERALD RECORD
“Rene Mejia Jr., co-chair of the Newburgh Counts immigrant subcommitee and Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson’s Newburgh organizer, said he believes they will still reach a large amount of the local immigrant community.”
20 to watch in 2020 in mid-Hudson
JANUARY 4, 2020 | TIMES-HERALD RECORD
“It only took a few years for Rene Mejia Jr. to become fed up with the broken state of social services for undocumented immigrant families while employed as a caseworker and interpreter in Poughkeepsie… His frustration pushed him into the world of volunteering and immigrant justice advocacy with the local, grassroots group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.”
NY Green Light Law draws crowds to DMV offices; state rebukes Dutchess clerk for barring out-of-county residents
DECEMBER 16, 2019 | Daily freeman
“Diana Lopez, of the immigrant rights group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said she heard from a man who passed his permit test and ‘was very happy.'”
Long lines at DMVs as people sign up on first day of Green Light law
DECEMBER 16, 2019 | MID-HUDSON NEWS
“Undocumented residents in the region may sign up for drivers’ licenses effective today as the state’s new Green Light takes effect.”
Green Light law kicks in today
DECEMBER 16, 2019 | MID-HUDSON NEWS
“Undocumented residents in the region may sign up for drivers’ licenses effective today as the state’s new Green Light takes effect.”
The US city preparing itself for the collapse of capitalism
OCTOBER 31, 2019 | Alexandra Marvar, THE GUARDIAN
“Organizations like RiseUp Kingston, Kingston Citizens, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, and the Kingston Tenants Union facilitate civic engagement, combat displacement, and advocate for policies to address an increasingly dire housing shortage.”
Woodstock considers municipal ID card
August 27, 2019 | Nick Henderson, Hudson Valley One
“‘Woodstock may be the first small town in the state to issue municipal identification cards, making it easier for undocumented immigrants and others without paperwork to conduct town and other routine business.‘”
Tense times in local Latino community
August 10, 2019 | LANA BELLAMY, Times Herald-Record
“In reflecting on the El Paso shooting, Rene Mejia Jr., an organizer for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said there is a tension in the local Latino community in the wake of the massacre.”
Ulster against ICE: Local groups, governments defy feds to protect immigrants
August 5, 2019 | Jessie J. Smith, Hudson Valley One
“‘ICE has always been in and out of Kingston but in the past it was mostly outside of probation offices, courts, government offices,’ said Diana Lopez, a community organizer for immigration advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson. ‘But now it’s to the point where they’re knocking on doors. It’s terrifying.’”
Residents Fearful of Advocates Offering Help After ICE Visits in Kingston
July 17, 2019 | BEN NANDY, Spectrum News
“As bulletins went out over social media from activist groups and the City of Kingston, Midtown — a neighborhood heavily populated with recently arrived hispanic immigrants — began to look like a ghost town. NLMH organizers posted its warning to followers early Wednesday morning on social media, after an organizer shared video and photos of what he claimed were ICE agents walking around a house and looking in windows.”
Newburgh immigrants in hiding after they say ICE was in area, knocking on doors
July 16, 2019 | news 12 Westchester
“Ignacio Acevedo, with local nonprofit “Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson,” tells News 12 that people sent him a photo of ICE agents outside their door on Carpenter Avenue arriving in a blue Hyundai. People also sent him photos of sightings in Middletown and Monroe Monday. He says his phone has been ringing off the hook with people worried they’ll be next and asking him when they’ll be safe.“
Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson celebrates driver’s license law
July 15, 2019 | MID hudson news
“The nonprofit’s lead organizer Ignacio Acevedo was thrilled for the new law, known as the Green Light bill. ‘The meaning for the community in particular is being able to survive without being scared of being separated from your family. I’m a citizen, so not being worried for my family gives me peace of mind.’“
Local immigration advocates chime in on ICE crackdown
July 15, 2019 | Mid hudson news
“Jessica Moss, an intern at Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and junior at Vassar College, also weighed in on the raids. ‘It’s probably very frightening for people in the community,’ Moss said. ‘Most are residents who have lived in the community for years and years, so we at Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson work to ensure that everyone has their rights.’“
Green Light victory celebration in Newburgh
July 14, 2019 | Rachel Ettlinger, TIMES HERald record
“Amid reports of an elevated Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in New York City, advocates for the state’s recently passed Green Light Bill hosted a party in Newburgh to celebrate their ‘victory.’ Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson hosted a ‘Fiesta de la Victoria’ Sunday afternoon into the evening at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center to celebrate the June passage of the Green Light Bill, which authorizes driver’s licenses for immigrants in the country illegally.“
Kingston’s Lights for Liberty vigil illuminates city hall
July 13, 2019 | MID HUDSON NEWS
“The Lights of Liberty vigil, held Friday evening in front of Kingston City Hall, drew a large crowd of area residents and human rights organizations protesting the conditions held at the Mexican detention camps in America. The most prominent organizations attending the event were Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and Citizen Action of New York, with Dianna Lopez representing the former and Fanon Fraizer representing the latter.“
Newburgh Sunday Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson event
July 12, 2019 | Rachel ettlinger, Times herald record
“Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson will host a ‘Victory Party’ in Newburgh on Sunday to celebrate the passing of the state’s Green Light Bill. The group that works out of Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties hopes to have its more than 1,200 members in Newburgh and Middletown come out with their families ‘who want to celebrate the victory and want more information on next steps,’ said Vanessa Cid.“
Capital Region immigrant advocates get ready for ICE nationwide arrests Sunday
July 11, 2019 | Mallory Moench, Times Union
“Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a statement Thursday pledged that New York would fight back and told the state to be on high alert to assist families in need of legal services… ‘It’s really disturbing but not unexpected. We knew that this was going to be coming back,’ said Jonathan Bix, director of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, that serves thousands in Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster counties.“
Community rallies at jail to stop the persecution of migrants
July 11, 2019 | Pamela Chergotis, Warwick advertiser
“They were there to support undocumented migrants seeking refuge and express their horror at the tactics employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the U.S.-Mexico border. The protest was organized by the local Jewish community in cooperation with the advocacy group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.“
Protesters denounce Orange County jail agreement with ICE
July 9, 2019 | Times Herald record
“Vanessa Cid of Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson speaks to protesters assembled outside Orange County Correctional Facility on July 8, 2019 in Goshen.”
Newburgh issues 93 cards on first day of city ID program
July 9, 2019 | Lana bellamy, Times herald record
“We are learning as we go, but providing nearly 100 people with IDs today is a win all around,” Donat said Tuesday afternoon. Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson has made a major push in municipalities throughout the region to institute municipal ID programs and had a handful of volunteers at City Hall to help with Newburgh’s launch.“
Newburgh launches municipal ID program
July 8, 2019 | Times Herald record
“The City of Newburgh has completed the quickest rollout of a municipal ID program in the mid-Hudson, according to City Manager Joe Donat. It took Newburgh just more than 90 days to launch after adopting the program on April 8… Volunteers with the local activist group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson will be on-hand Tuesday to help residents with translation and filling out applications.”
When Paying a Traffic Ticket Can End in Deportation
June 30, 2019 | Christina Goldbaum, new york times
“‘This isn’t just about going to court. No one is going to go get a municipal I.D. or go to a community meeting with the mayor if they think ICE might be around that building,’ said Ignacio Acevedo, a community organizer in Middletown with Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, an advocacy organization.”
Ulster County Exec Signs Order Banning Employees From Cooperating With ICE
June 27, 2019 | ALLISON DUNNE, WAMC Public radio
“Ryan’s order prohibits county employees from gathering information about immigration status or sharing such information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection patrol officers unless compelled to do so by law… Ryan signed the order with members of a number of community groups on hand, including Citizen Action, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, Rise Up Kingston and the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network.”
Immigrant groups thrilled with new driver’s license law, county clerks are not
June 19, 2019 | Mid Hudson news
“Immigrant rights organizations are ecstatic about the new law allowing undocumented people to obtain New York State driver’s licenses, but county clerks say it will place a massive burden on their offices. Ignacio Acevedo, lead organizer for Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson, said they want to assist the state in getting the program up and running.“
HV Reaction To Green Light Bill Varies
June 18, 2019 | Allison dunne, WAMC Public Radio
“The Green Light bill that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed late Monday is getting mixed reaction in New York. The bill allows the state to issue driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status… Seven Senate Democrats voted against the bill; six from Long Island and one from the Hudson Valley.“
Beacon Launches Photo IDs
June 7, 2019 | Jeff simms, The highlands current
“Applications for the Beacon IDs can be downloaded from the city’s website. City residents can submit applications and have their photos taken at the City Clerk’s office from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The cards cost $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors.“
Poughkeepsie to launch municipal IDs on Friday; Beacon began its program on Tuesday
June 6, 2019 | Mid Hudson News
“Last year, Poughkeepsie became one of the first municipalities outside of New York City to adopt plans for a municipal ID. Since then, the cities of Kingston and Middletown have adopted a similar program and have begun issuing the IDs. On Friday, June 7, the City of Poughkeepsie will allow residents to receive theirs.“
Kingston to start issuing municipal ID cards on Sunday
May 29, 2019 | Daily freeman
“Municipal ID cards will be available to Kingston residents ages 14 or older who are able to meet identity and residency requirements, according to the mayor’s office. ‘I am excited to launch the Kingston ID program, which closely aligns with our efforts to build a safe, welcoming and inclusive community where every person is valued and respected,’ Noble said in a prepared statement.“
Middletown has issued 700 municipal ID cards so far
May 28, 2019 | Mid-Hudson News network
“This Orange County city has issued some 700 municipal identification cards during the two months the cards have been available, the city clerk says… The local efforts have been spearheaded by the immigrant rights group Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson.“
Ulster County Legislature endorses NY Protect Our Courts Act
May 22, 2019 | Paul kirby, Daily freeman
“The Ulster County Legislature on Tuesday threw its support behind a state proposal to to prevent federal immigration agents from making arrests in and around courtrooms. The Legislature voted 13-8 in favor of a resolution that supports that state’s Protect Our Courts Act.“
Newburgh establishes ID fees
May 15, 2019 | Lana bellamy, Times Herald Record
“The Newburgh City Council approved prices for its municipal IDs during Tuesday’s regular meeting at City Hall… Examples of documents that can prove residency include a utility bill, jury summons, bank statement or an employment pay stub.“
Middletown requests help for accurate census count
May 8, 2019 | Rachel Ettlinger, Times Herald Record
“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.'”
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.”
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.”
Newburgh 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 Newburgh 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.
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.”
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.'”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.'”
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.”