SYRACUSE, NY (WRVO) - Democratic candidate for governor Cynthia Nixon said Gov. Andrew Cuomo could be doing a lot more to protect undocumented immigrants in New York State. This comes after last week’s raid on a dairy farm in Rome by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Standing outside an ICE field office in Syracuse, Nixon said Cuomo’s fiery words on threatening to sue the agency are welcoming.
“I’m glad to hear him speaking out on this," Nixon said. "But like so many things that he does, he was long on rhetoric, short on policy and short on action. He threatened them. He gave them a warning. They've been coming after our people for more than a year. This is a little late. He threatened something that was always in his power to do.”
Nixon said she supports driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants, which she said would curb deportations.
“You have to drive to be able to get to work," Nixon said. "You have to be able to drive to take your children to the school, to go to the doctor. If you don’t have a driver’s license and you get stopped for a minor traffic infraction, then the police officer understands you don’t have a driver’s license, you’re undocumented and then the system gets tripped.”
Nixon called for passing the Liberty Act which she said would draw a line between state and federal law enforcement on immigration issues. She said there are a number of executive orders Cuomo could make to stop sharing information and cooperating with ICE.
Former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, who has been considering a run for governor, declared Syracuse a sanctuary city last year. Nixon said she’s not surprised Miner did that. She said she’s had conversations with Miner, is a great admirer of her and called her a tremendous leader.