(U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Flickr)
Oct. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin
A new state law will soon make it illegal to threaten to report someone to ICE as a form of blackmail.
The legislation, which Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law last week, classifies such threats as extortion or coercion under New York law and therefore a crime.
“New York is built on the hard work and determination of generations of immigrants, and we need to support people who are trying to build better lives for themselves and their families,” Hochul said in a statement. “This legislation will protect New Yorkers from bad actors who use extortion or coercion due to their immigration status, and make our state safer against vile threats and intimidation.”
The legislation expands existing state law to include threats to report someone’s immigration status and threats of deportation in the legal definitions of extortion and coercion. Previously, such threats were only crimes in cases of labor trafficking and sex trafficking.
The new law gives the court power to prosecute individuals who use a person’s immigration status as blackmail, even when unrelated to labor or sex trafficking.
“For an undocumented immigrant who fled danger in their home country, being reported to ICE can be a death sentence, yet sadly, far too many people are willing to take advantage of our more vulnerable neighbors by threatening to reveal their immigration status in order to exploit them in some way,” the bill’s sponsor Sen. Anna Kaplan said.
“By enacting this long-overdue measure, we’re updating the laws on extortion and coercion to ensure that immigrant New Yorkers aren’t left vulnerable to such vile threats.”
Similar measures have been enacted in other states such as California, Colorado, Maryland and Virginia.
The legislation, introduced by Kaplan and Assembly Member Michaelle Solages, passed both the Senate and Assembly in June. It passed the Senate by a vote of 48 to 14 in June, and the Assembly by a vote of 106 to 41.
Hochul signed the bill on Oct. 9. The new law goes into effect 30 days after her signing.
“This legislation breaks new ground in New York’s ongoing efforts to protect undocumented immigrants, who can be some of our state’s most vulnerable residents,” Solages said in a statement. “Arbitrary threats of deportation are extremely harmful to New Yorkers trying to feed their families and give their children a better life, and we stand with them, today and always.”
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40 Comments
Nyc is a sanctuary city.
A safe haven for undocumented. You can report all you want. Nothing will happen. And the nypd does not work with ICE even if the person has a criminal record.
So if a person is a criminal alien who was deported for a crime of moral turpitude, let’s say heroin trafficking, did their time upstate, gets deported back to their native country, but he/she/they/them reenter illegally through the southern border and he/she/they/them is at it again dealing, committing more crimes who is going deal with this criminal element? ICE is required and tasked to handle it and has a job to do as they will detain he/she/they/them with no trial, no right to due process and have the individual finish their time in a Federal lock up and do NEW time for reentering illegally after deportation, its a deterrent against recidivist criminal aliens entering our country. Our national security is at stake by transnational criminal aliens – we have enough to handle with our own home grown criminals. I say we need more security rather than less. See something say something!
The overwhelming majority of illegals just fly in and overstay visas.
Hey Interim Governor Huchul:
Can’t you people understand that this is a country of laws?!
Hey Joe:
Did you know it’s against the law to black mail?
It’s a shame Trump was so soft on border security. His followers believed he’d get a “one-time payment” from Mexico to pay for it, oops! ?
DHS is too busy right now building a security fencing around the presidents beach house.
https://nypost.com/2021/10/22/dhs-455k-for-security-fencing-around-bidens-beach-home/
Mike – A fence surrounding the house of the sitting President of the US isn’t 2,000 miles long and still cheaper then security costs for Donald Trumps spoiled kids per month.
Mike- A 400 Square foot fence sure does pale in comparison to a 2,000 mile long wall with tunnels already built under it. Biden’s fence is still cheaper than one months security for Trumps 3 spoiled children. You should contribute to Bannions wall fund.
To quote this article “ A new state law will soon make it illegal to threaten to report someone to ICE as a form of blackmail.” What article are the Fox Entertainment fans commenting on? Blackmail is illegal.
Please pray for the american missionaries kidnapped in Haiti.
Abolish ICE!!
Yes, let’s allow anyone to pass our boarders , just to be nice , friendly and sweet. There are many passing through the boarders that are hard criminals , gangsters, pedophiles , these people must be tracked and brought back , and I do realize they are many who come here to work and have that opportunity we are blessed with however ICE is there to find the rotten apples and keep them out
Law and order is the only way for a country like the USA to function
As you can see , the country is out of control now because there is no LAW or ORDER or a competent person in charge to run this country
Shrek came out before ICE was created. The INS already handled immigration. Thanks to spending lots of taxpayer money, now we have more big government agencies!
Thanks for the spell check !
After 9/11 INS wasn’t as effective and they needed a tougher branch of immigration to sort out the bad bunch
INS had the power to investigate, detain and deport illegal immigrants. However INS could not detain or deport illegal immigrants in their homes,
ICE is money well spent to keep the rotten apples out and keep the country safe
Why do wokes live life through movie refrences and expect to be taken seriously?
From ice (dot) org:
HSI – Historic Origins
Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) story begins in 1789 when Congress established the U.S. Customs Service and in 1891 with the creation of the Office of the Superintendent of Immigration under the Treasury Department.
And why ICE was created :
On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists aboard American Airlines Flight 11 intentionally crashed a plane into the World Trade Center’s North Tower. The tower was home to the U.S. Customs House at 6 World Trade Center.
After the events of 9/11, the U.S. government created a stronger approach to national security with the passage of the Homeland Security Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. The department was formed by combining 22 different federal organizations into a unified force.
In 2003, Customs and INS were merged into the department’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In 2010, HSI was formed within ICE from elements of ICE’s previous Offices of Investigations, Intelligence and International Affairs.
But if 9/11 wasn’t in a movie or anime then it’s NOT IMPORTANT…Right?
Those of who want to be in this country please be respect those who fought for our freedom by being nautralized like my grandmother was and be a citizen then ICE will not be necessary.
But to prevent another 9/11 for those of us who KNOW it’s not make believe ICE is a necessity. Especially scince “Prez.Bonehead B” lost Afgan to Taliban we need to be protected from another 9/11 especially with the nuclear war games going on with Iran, China, North Korea, & China.
Also if those migrants meant NO HARM, –WHY– Did they SHOOT — MACHINE GUNS– at the boarder patrol??? Before storming into the US? Where are there “forced” mandated jabs so big pharma can make $$$$$$!
Disclaimer: Go Back to the movies and sets. You’re not Ready for Reality! Enjoy your nap!
democrat positions
3.5 trillion = $0 cost
torching police cars = free speech
childcare = infrastructure
don’t come to the border = but if you do we’ll let you in give u free stuff
empty shelves = the economy is booming and people are buying too much
gas pipeline bad = begging OPEC to turn up production
homicide rate spike = people are getting out more post covid
when are liberals going to stop saying everyone bad is really good?
If people are here illegally, thats is by definition against the law
@Tucker Carlson- I have never heard a Democrat say any of the things you’re professing.
We all know that.
I’ve seen too many Democrats protest this and loot that because anything pisses them off. They don’t work because they either don’t want to, feel they shouldn’t have to or can’t hold a job because of their barbaric behavior. The free meal tickets for the ghetto behaving people has got to stop.
@Snowflake. Biden said the infrastructure plan will cost 0. BLM has called rioting free speech so has your boyfriend Chris Cuomo. Biden has told illegals not to come but he’s letting them in. And the homicide rate spike being blamed on people getting out more post covid has been the excuse of DiBlasio and every progressive in this city trying to defend the violent criminals that are their constituents.
Hashtagger- When you say “letting in” you actually mean sending back.
Politics -Fox Entertainment states that 96% of BLM protests were peaceful. Fact! You’re crying about a very very small percentage. Yours is the exception not the norm.
Snowflake? That means you win the argument!! Congratulations! Your debating skills, command of the English language and unsurpassed knowledge of the issues is just beyond commendable. Your “dumbing down” instructors and handlers must be elated. Keep up the good work.
Who’s Teump?
Long overdue ?
This is great news. Hope this will be a law in more states soon. These people have been suffering for so long,
People LEAVE countries where they are suffering. They don’t go through hell and high water to get onto them.
You’ve got it completely backwards. Bravo!
Are there any other law breakers I can’t tell I’m going to call the authorities on?
Shoplifters? Burglars? Car thieves? Drug dealers?
You can report illegals all you want, this makes it illegal to use the threat of reporting someone as an illegal alien as a means of blackmail. It doesn’t criminalize reporting someone being in the country illegally, it criminalizes being a scumbag. Big difference.
Oh, you mean the ones that cause actual harm, unlike the illegal immigrants who just deliver your food and mind their own business?
When tyranny becomes law rebellion becomes duty.
You’re adorable. “Libertas.” So cute.
Unbelievable. Next it will be illegal to actually report them.
This isn’t necessary. ICE should simply not exist.
Threatening someone is not good. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as well as other law enforcement agencies, allow you to report illegal immigrants anonymously online or over the phone.
Don’t threaten, just do it then. Problem solved.
So reporting someone who has committed a crime is now a crime
Wow
Helps if you have the brainpower to read the article. Reporting someone who’s committed a crime is still totally fine and will continue to happen every day. BLACKMAILING someone is illegal and will continue to be illegal.
If you see someone steal something, and you say “I won’t call the cops if you give me $5k,” that’s illegal. Has always been illegal. That’s what we’re talking about here.
And not just threaten to report it???
why threaten to report? there’s no reason for it. just go ahead and report it. its federal law.