FPI in the News

April 1, 2019. This article discusses the disappointment of advocates across New York State with the allocated $20 million funding for the 2020 census included the governor's state budget, which was released Sunday March 31, 2019. The author goes on to highlight that advocates were asking the state to provide $40 million for community based organizations to do outreach and help with 2020 census work, an estimate calculated by the Fiscal Policy Institute. The author goes on to note that New York has a lot to [...]

March 28, 2019. This article covers the reports that $40 million will be included in the budget for community based organizations to help ensure an accurate count in the 2020 census. The author notes that both the Assembly and Senate included the funds in their one-house budgets. The article goes on to highlight that advocates will still urge the governor to include the funds in the finalized budget. State lawmakers will provide $40 million in state money to ensure New Yorkers are ready for next [...]

March 27, 2019. This article discusses the Cayuga County Clerk Sue Dwyer's opposition to a proposed bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses. According to the article, the county clerk claims that her staff doesn't have the capacity or training to verify foreign documents and that she is concerned about voter registration documents being given to undocumented immigrants. Rebecca Fuentes, from the Workers' Center of CNY, said that because undocumented workers can't drive, they have to pay $20 to $30 for underground taxis for grocery [...]

March 23, 2019. This article, the author provides answers to some of the frequently asked questions asked about providing undocumented immigrants with access to driver's licenses. The questions the author provided answers to include the following: does current law prohibit those in the country illegally from obtaining driver’s licenses in New York, is legislation to legalize driver’s licenses for these immigrants expected to pass, how many immigrants are we talking about, Who opposes the measure, and how would an applicant prove identity? New York is again considering legalizing driver’s licenses [...]

March 26, 2019. This article discusses the campaign efforts by advocates that formed the coalition called Green Light NY to urge lawmakers to allow undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses. The author highlights that driver's licenses is also a farm worker issue because many farm workers are undocumented and although they may live on the farm, they can't easily leave it for daily activities and to even get to the hospital for emergencies. The author goes on to discuss how many undocumented immigrants drive because [...]

March 20, 2019. This article discusses the 14 refugee resettlement agencies that came together from across New York State to urge lawmakers and the governor to expand their funding from $2 million to $4.5 million to help with the funding gap these agencies are facing due to the Trump administration's refugee cap. The author goes on to note that both the senate and executive budget bills don't include funding for these agencies, but the Assembly bill allocates $2 million. The proposal would increase annual funding to $4.5 million [...]

March 19, 2019. This article covers the rally that took place at New York City Hall where Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Jerrold Nadler, Grace Meng, Adriano Espaillat and Gregory Meeks spoke about their fear that New York will experience an undercount in the 2020 census and lose federal funds. The author goes on to highlight that the Congress members urged the governor to include $40 million, an estimate calculated by FPI, in the executive budget to help achieve an accurate count. The congress members noted that allocating the [...]

March 19, 2019. This article discusses the efforts of advocates to urge lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow undocumented immigrants to apply for driver's licenses to protect them from the federal attacks on immigrants. According to the article, lawmakers who support the legislation and advocates argue that expanding access to licenses would benefit local economies, make roads safer, and put an additional barrier between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by reducing their risk of deportation. The author notes that a large support for driver's licenses [...]

March 18, 2019. This article discusses the results of a poll conducted by Siena College the found that  61 percent of New York voters do not support allowing undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses. The article goes on to note that the poll also found that 49 percent of Democrats support issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, while 84 percent of Republicans and 71 percent of Independents oppose it. The author highlights the efforts of the New York City Comptroller and FPI to support expanding access to driver's [...]

March 18, 2019. In this op-ed featured on Syracuse.com, the author discusses the efforts of advocates that are urging the governor to support "Green Light NY: Driving Together," a campaign advocating for equal access to driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. The author argues that  undocumented immigrants can't access basic necessities, such as grocery shopping or taking their children to the hospital, without the fear of being separated from their family or being deported,  undocumented women can't escape domestic abuse, and rural workers are more vulnerable to exploitation. The author [...]

March 18, 2019. In this op-ed, featured in Loud, the author, Alessandra Biaggi, discusses the bill that the legislature is discussing that would allow undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses. Alessandra argues that this bill would generate revenue for New York State, improve public safety, and allow undocumented immigrants access to a necessity, not a luxury. The author goes on to highlight the benefits 12 other states plus D.C. experienced, who have already passed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, that include [...]

March 18, 2019. This article discusses the results of a poll conducted by Siena College on March 18 that found that 61 percent of New Yorkers voters do not support allowing undocumented immigrants access to apply for driver's licenses. According to the article, the poll also revealed that among Democrat voters in New York 49 percent support undocumented immigrants obtain licenses, compared to 15 percent of Republicans. The author goes on to highlight that a month prior to this poll,  the New York City Comptroller and FPI [...]

March 13, 2019. This article discusses the march in Riverhead on Long Island, New York organized by the Green Light NY: Driving Together Coalition to support a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses. According to the article, the advocates argue that driver's licenses will decrease the risk of deportation, generate revenues and make the roads safer. According to the Green Light NY: Driving Together coalition, the goal is to expand access to drivers' licenses to all New Yorkers, "regardless of immigration [...]

March 14, 2019. This op-ed, by Monica Sibri, urges immigrants to not get too focused on celebrating the passage of the New York State Dream Act by continuing to push for undocumented immigrants access to driver's licenses to fully support their inclusion into the U.S. The author highlights that New York is falling behind 12 other states, plus D.C. Sibri goes on to reveal that she is an undocumented immigrant herself and that driver's licenses are needed to go to work, reduce the fear of [...]

March 13, 2019. In this op-ed by Monica Sibri, featured in the New York Daily News, the author discusses her personal and other undocumented youth in the United States experiences of not having access to driver's licenses. The author argues that undocumented youth have parents who can't take them to school or doctors appointments, and that they themselves struggle to get jobs because they can't drive to work. This struggle has increased since the Trump administration rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The [...]