FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
CONTACT: media@vera.org

NEW YORK, NY – Following Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2026 State of the State address today, Vera Institute of Justice initiative directors Shayna Kessler and Alana Sivin issued the following statements regarding the governor’s proposals on immigration and public safety in the face of ongoing federal pressure.

Shayna Kessler, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Advancing Universal Representation initiative, said: 

“We appreciate Governor Hochul’s acknowledgment of the challenges facing immigrant communities and applaud her for advancing some initial steps to protect our immigrant neighbors. However, we need comprehensive investments and policy action to meet the moment, as immigrant New Yorkers are facing an unprecedented assault from the federal government and the devastating impacts of mass detention and deportation efforts.

“We urge the governor to invest urgently needed resources to increase immigration legal services to $175 million and to pass the Access to Representation Act and the BUILD Act. By guaranteeing a right to counsel in deportation proceedings and investing in the legal infrastructure necessary to uphold it, New York will keep more families together, more business owners and employees on the job, and send a clear and unequivocal message that due process is not optional. This is not just an investment in legal services; it is an investment in the stability of our families, the strength of our economy, and the safety of our communities. 

“We welcome the governor’s support for holding federal immigration officials accountable and her recognition of the need for increased protections for immigrants at risk of immigration enforcement, but more is needed. New York must also pass the New York For All Act so immigrant New Yorkers no longer fear potentially deadly interactions with ICE while they are simply living their daily lives. Using New York State resources, such as local law enforcement and government agencies, to aid in this indiscriminate enforcement destabilizes communities and makes everyone less safe. By passing these lifesaving policies, New York can confront the federal government’s overreach and once again lead the nation in protecting immigrant communities.”

Alana Sivin, director of the Vera Institute of Justice’s Greater Justice New York initiative, said: 

“We thank Governor Hochul for her approach to creating safe communities and a subway system that works for everyone. We especially welcome her plans to expand SCOUT teams and invest in platform barriers and community-based mental health services that connect people in crisis to care. These commitments will make the transit system safer for riders and workers alike without criminalizing poverty or mental illness. True public safety requires prevention; law enforcement presence cannot make up for needed investments in services that break the cycle of crime.

“We also appreciate the governor’s attention to reducing gun violence while protecting communities. We look forward to providing feedback on how state legislation can effectively reduce gun violence without overcriminalizing the very same neighborhoods it has harmed. 

“Beyond these community safety measures, the governor must confront the systemic failures in New York’s prison system. The killings of Robert Brooks and Messiah Nantwi by corrections officers—and the illegal strike that followed—exposed a system in crisis. The prison omnibus bill was a step forward, but much work remains.

“In facilities like Bedford Hills, incarcerated people report being denied showers, visitation, and out-of-cell time, while violence persists. Solitary confinement worsens mental health and makes prisons less safe, which is why the HALT Solitary Law only allows separation with rehabilitative small-group programming. Yet a recent report from State Senator Julia Salazar, chair of the Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, reveals that most incarcerated New Yorkers are still confined to their cells for 23 hours a day, causing severe and lasting harm. 

“New Yorkers deserve a public safety agenda built on prevention, dignity, and accountability, not fear or half-measures. The path is clear: invest in communities, fully implement existing law, and hold systems accountable when they fail. By prioritizing solutions that truly reduce harm—on our subways, in our neighborhoods, and within our prisons—Governor Hochul can ensure safety and dignity for all New Yorkers.”