Tenants push back after judge halts city effort to block Pinnacle building sale

Judge says Trump administration can’t block child care, other program money for NY, 4 other states for now

Parents push for online protections from gaming, social media platforms

Advocates praise the mayor's push to end solitary confinement

Highlights and challenges of Mayor Mamdani's first week at City Hall 

Hochul and Mamdani unveil free child care plan in New York City

brooklyn

News 12 Staff

111BXPANDP2

Reaction is pouring in here at home and across the country to this disturbing deadly shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an ICE officer. The Department of Homeland Security says the agent was acting in self-defense, but local officials in Minnesota and here in New York City are calling the shooting reckless and unnecessary, and it's sparking protests across the nation. So joining us to discuss is the president. And CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition Murad Awada, thanks so much, Murad for being with us. Thank you so much for having me. Yeah, so I imagine you just saw the video that so many others witnessed. It's disturbing to look at no matter how you watch it of what happened in Minneapolis this past week. What was your reaction when you saw that video for the first time and your response to what the government is saying about what unfolded there? First, you know, our hearts are with um Renee Nicole Goode's family and her six year old son, uh, who went home last night and didn't have his mom to greet him. Um, it is an incredibly horrific video to watch, um, and see an ICE agent murder a woman. Um, I think that this is unconscionable, but it's also unfortunately what we have been fearing. Uh, what happen with ICE agents who've been acting roguely, uh, operating lawlessly, and continuing to sow panic, chaos, and fear across our cities, our states, and across the country as a whole. And I think that in this moment, we are calling upon the federal government to charge the individual who murdered Renee and ensure that ICE stops the chaos that they're spreading across cities, across this entire country. As well as calling upon all people who call this country home to stand up and fight back, what we're seeing is not normal, and I think it's important to say that. And what we need is the active citizenry of this democracy to take action. Democracies are only as strong as the people who make them. So we're calling on everyone to start taking action. Fight for uh your community members. Make sure you're standing up. Ask your state legislators to support the New York for All Act, the Access to Representation Act, and every other bill that's going to push back in this moment and protect New Yorkers. So in terms of that action, and you just went through a few of the bills that are being proposed right now. Uh, you gathered in, in light of the shooting with other lawmakers this week to demand that there is work done to protect immigrants here in New York City. Can you expand a little bit more on what's in each of those proposals and how quickly we could expect to see action on each? You know, we can see action as quickly as the next session day, which is on Monday. Um, and we're calling on the state legislator to pass the bills. We just heard the majority leader, Andrea Stewart Cousins say she's excited to deliver on New York for all. Um, New York for all would prohibit state collusion with immigration enforcement without a judicial warrant. And we should not be using our state resources to support family separation, gutting of our communities, and harming our local economy. Um, the Access to Representation Act would ensure that people going in front of an immigration judge have access to a lawyer. Right now, most people are showing up without a lawyer. And when that happens, your chances of being able to win your case are slim, very slim. Uh, almost very to, to zero. and we see the federal government operating lawlessly in the courts as well. So it's important to have someone by your side fighting with you against a government-appointed judge and a federal prosecutor whose sole job is to remove you from this country. So those are the two bills that we've been pushing very hard, New York for all and the Access to Representation Act to ensure that New Yorkers have a fighting shot to continue calling New York home. So we've seen protests unfold over the last few days across the country, of course here at home included, and we are also in budget season right now both at the city and state level. Do you feel like that applies pressure on lawmakers to act in light of what we saw in Minneapolis? I think that we need our elected leaders to have the courage to deliver for New Yorkers. The time to wait and see is far gone. We need them to step up in this moment. We need them to deliver for their. Entire constituency. There are 19 million New Yorkers. They need to fight for every single one of those 19 million people, and these laws, New York for all, access to representation, the Build Act, uh, the MELT Act, um, which would unmask federal agents who are operating lawlessly across our state, uh, the Radar Act, which would ensure that there's A dashboard accounting for the, the actions that are happening. These are common sense solutions to critical issues that New Yorkers are facing day in and day out. Um, I think that there is, regardless of your status, undocumented, documented, or applying for status, or even if you're a US citizen, we're seeing ICE and federal agents attacking everyone. Renee Good was a US citizen, a legal observer who was murdered. I think that this should wake some folks up because what the federal government is trying to explain to people is, and trying to tell people is that some people have rights and others don't. And if that's the case, none of us really do. So it's incumbent on our local leaders and our state leaders to deliver. Deliver protections for everyone who calls New York home. You said that you are calling on federal officials to charge that officer with murder. How confident are you that that action will happen and what do you think has to happen to make that a reality? If we're a nation of rules and laws, then we have to continue to do that. We have to uphold the laws that are on the books that we have. We can't say that some laws apply to some people and not to others. This woman was murdered. She was murdered in a street. Her son went home. To no one. His mother is gone. There needs to be accountability, and there needs to be accountability for the over 30 people who died in ICE custody as well. And I think that in this moment, we need to stop thinking that this issue is so far off away from us. This is happening to our neighbors, to our families, people in our community are hurting. This administration's entire, entire effort of what they're doing has nothing to do with safety and security. It's about cruelty, and that is their point.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/0ee38d72-2bd7-4694-a91a-10fa4949e590/0ee38d72-2bd7-4694-a91a-10fa4949e590.transcribe

111BXPANDP3

As we return to our conversation with the head of the New York Immigration Coalition Murad Awauda about the impact that the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro could have on migrant communities here in the city, I think in just this week plus of 2026 of just all that has unfolded on so many fronts in New York really at the crossroads of so much of it, a big component of the migrant population here in the city as of late, Venezuelan migrants who've sought asylum from political persecution at home, and then earlier. This week we see the US go into Venezuela and arrest the president there. What have you, or what do you rather think of the fact that President Nicolas Maduro is now here in US custody and he was the one that many were fleeing and he's now here in the US facing charges. Well, one thing, um, on this is that our foreign policy is the reason why we're creating refugees and displaced people across this country, uh, across the globe, uh, not, and then them coming here seeking safety because of the damage that we have done in their home countries. And in this moment, you know, Venezuelans have, uh, had CPS. The Trump administration canceled that. Uh, they were allowed to come in with humanitarian parole. They canceled all that. So, a lot of folks are gonna start losing their status. And in this moment, because of the actions of the Trump administration, they should be actually, uh, implementing deferred enforcement, uh, departures, DED for Venezuelans immediately. Um, just because they took out the president doesn't mean that. The conditions have changed significantly, and the reason why a lot of people were fleeing, uh, Venezuela was the economic conditions, which are again because of our foreign policy. You went where I was going next when you brought up TPS and the fact that it is expiring. What protections are available to Venezuelan migrants who are currently in the city with that now on the chopping block. You know, I think everyone who is seeking information and options for relief should have an immigration legal consult, um, and they should call the New York State Office of New Americans hotline. And request uh immigration legal screening so that they are able to understand what their relief options are moving forward. But what we're seeing is that this administration is canceling people's statuses. We're seeing them wage war against all immigrants regardless of your status here, including saying that they're going to go after the uh naturalized citizens and try to denaturalize them. This is why this fight is so critical in this moment. They are going after immigrants. With status, without status, new American citizens, and it's important that we stand up and fight back. Murad Awada, thank you so much for the breakdown and insight here on power and politics. We appreciate it as always. Thank you for having me. And that's all for this week on Power and Politics here on News 12. Thanks for watching.

https://vod.prod.alticeustech.com/transcode/afd56eac-9e12-4d00-ba94-b572a2bd81d5/afd56eac-9e12-4d00-ba94-b572a2bd81d5.transcribe

Council Member Justin Sanchez and Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition, join the show.

Local

Crime

Weather

Taking Action

beWell

The East End

Crime Files

Toll of Commuting: Congestion Pricing

Local

Crime

Weather

Taking Action

beWell

The East End

Crime Files

Toll of Commuting: Congestion Pricing

Main

News

Sections

Choose Your Region

Be the first to know

Main

News

Sections

Change

Be the first to know

More Stories

More from News 12

Judge says Trump administration can’t block child care, other program money for NY, 4 other states for now

Venezuelans in NY question how their temporary legal status will be handled in aftermath of Maduro's capture

Power & Politics: New year, new mayor - highlights from Mamdani's inauguration

Sources: Nicolás Maduro to arraigned Monday in Southern District of New York

Zohran Mamdani makes history, takes oath as NYC’s 112th mayor

Mamdani set to take oath -- and take on a tough mayoral agenda

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Ad Choices

Privacy Manager