NEW YORK, New York – Immigration advocates in New York on Saturday warned that President-elect Donald J. Trump’s immigration appointments are setting the stage to “operationalize” his mass deportation agenda involving Caribbean and other immigrants.
Murad Awawdeh“Trump’s most recent appointments to immigration policy and enforcement agencies are deeply alarming and set the stage for the implementation of Project 2025, which threatens to tear apart our immigrant families and destabilize communities—along with the country’s economy,” Murad Awawdeh, president and chief executive officer of the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York.
“Instead of creating a pathway to citizenship for those who have long called America home, Trump’s nominees stand ready to reshape our country, abandon our humanitarian obligations, and destroy millions of families through unnecessary deportations—while fully knowing this approach would burden American taxpayers with a bill estimated to cost trillions of dollars,” Awawdeh said.
“Operationalizing Project 2025 is cruel and economically disastrous to the well-being of the entire nation,” he added. “Now’s the time for President Biden to designate and re-designate Temporary Protected Status for all eligible countries, including El Salvador, Venezuela, and Haiti, to ensure that more families can stay together.”
Awawdeh said Project 2025 is a policy blueprint developed by the Heritage Foundation for overhauling the United States government by expanding presidential power and imposing an ultra-conservative social vision.
“The 900-page policy playbook seeks to create a nationwide deportation system that will have devastating consequences for many vulnerable communities,” he warned.
“Donald Trump has explicitly threatened to deploy local law enforcement to deport all undocumented immigrants in the US – an estimated 11 million people – including around 4,500,000 people residing in New York,” he added “These policies undermine the rights and dignity of immigrants but also aim to dismantle the principles of inclusion and justice that define our country.
“Mass deportations would cost New York City alone billions of dollars in economic activity, reducing the workforce by hundreds of thousands of people and destroying countless small businesses,” Awawdeh continued.
On Friday, Trump announced Caleb Vitello as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Rodney Scott as director of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – US immigration enforcement agencies.
“Along with recently-appointed cabinet members Tom Homan as ‘Border Czar,’ Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Stephen Miller as deputy chief of staff for policy, and others, the Trump administration will spearhead the implementation of a mass deportation operation as outlined in Project 2025,” Awawdeh further warned.
Last week, NYIC led a rally on New York State’s Capitol strongly opposing Trump’s mass deportation agenda that includes Haitian immigrants.
“The Capital District has historically been, and will continue to be, a welcoming place for immigrants. Like other upstate cities including Buffalo, Rochester and Utica, Albany has seen its economy and culture rebuilt by the contributions of immigrant and refugee neighbors,” NYIC said. “As we enter an uncertain time around the next Presidential administration, immigrant advocates and allies will stand together in solidarity with all immigrants in our communities.”
Jahaira Roldan, NYIC’s Capital Region Manager of Organizing and Strategy, said that “immigrants are the backbone of our economy and culture across the state, and a vital part of our Albany community.
“As New York’s population is projected to continue declining, it is imperative that we welcome new neighbors into our communities and workforce,” she said. “Unfortunately, politicians from Washington to Albany have spewed anti-immigrant rhetoric in hopes of advancing their own careers.
“But here in the Capital District, we will continue to welcome our immigrant neighbors with open arms,” Roldan added. “It’s not only the right thing to do, but will also ensure our collective economic success into the future. Together, we must protect and defend everyone who calls Albany home.”
New York State Assembly Member-elect Gabriella Romero, of District 109, which comprises the City of Albany and Towns of Guilderland and New Scotland in Upstate New York, told the rally that she was “Deeply alarmed by the implications of a potential Trump presidency and the threats posed to immigrant communities by the Project 2025 agenda.
“This is not just a political moment; it is a moral one,” she said. “Immigrant protections do more than uphold the law; they make our communities stronger, safer and more vibrant.
“Sanctuary cities, like Albany, are a testament to our shared values—a commitment to human dignity, family unity, and the right for everyone to live without fear,” Romero added. “As a proud representative of Albany, I will continue to fight tirelessly to protect our sanctuary city status. Whether as your councilmember now or as your assemblymember next year, I promise to do everything in my power to ensure Albany remains a beacon of hope and safety for all.”
Bryan MacCormack, co-executive director of Columbia County Sanctuary Movement, said that, “As the incoming administration promises the largest deportation campaign in the history of our country, we continue to build intersectional collective power to disrupt the current and future mass deportation machine.
“We refuse to stand by idle as families are separated, our communities are militarized, and white supremacy runs rampant,” he added. “From know your rights trainings to direct actions, we will continue to move toward collective liberation by any means necessary.”
Hayden Schwartz, senior director of operations at Eden’s Rose Foundation, noted that the gathering took place in Albany, “which has historically been the gateway for newcomers to this country.
“Albany is a sanctuary city; we have an obligation to honor that, and we have an obligation to truly enable families and individuals to feel like they have arrived at home,” he said. “The folks fighting to stay where they landed have gone through unspeakable trauma in order to get a seat at the table, and it is vital that all people here and their children are able to grow up knowing that they are welcome and accepted where they are and how they are, regardless of origin or status.
“It is time for us as a community to provide audacious hospitality to our neighbors, without hesitation,” Schwartz added. “Migrants are vital to our local economy, enrich our shared cultural fabric that illuminates the Capital Region, and all of them are here because they want to contribute to society, work and raise their families. Is it an American value to deny that slice of humanity to those seeking it?”
The Brooklyn-based immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York has called on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to denounce Trump’s plans to use the military for mass deportations of Caribbean and other immigrants.
“Over and over again Donald Trump has shown that his administration will make it a priority to cause devastating damage to immigrant communities,” Theo Oshiro, co-executive director of Make the Road New York (MRNY), told CMC. “It is now up to state and city leaders to take a stand against this agenda, and refuse to work with agencies that violate the rights of immigrant New Yorkers and instill fear in our communities.
“There is no more time for platitudes: Gov. Hochul must state publicly and unequivocally that she will not deploy the New York National Guard to support Trump’s deportation agenda,” added Oshiro, whose organization boats over 25,000 members and operates five community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island; and White Plains, Westchester County.
“New York must be a safe haven for immigrants and it must not fall complicit to Trump’s heinous plans,” continued Oshiro, stating that “MRNY builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education and survival services.”
Trump has confirmed that he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military to aid in the mass deportations of undocumented Caribbean and other immigrants.
Tom Fitton, leader of the conservative group Judicial Watch, said that Trump would “declare a national emergency and will use military assets through a mass deportation program.”
Trump confirmed that statement on Truth Social, his social media platform, writing: “TRUE!!!”
On the campaign trail, Trump and his running mate JD Vance had constantly disparaged immigrants, particularly Haitians residing in Springfield, Ohio.
The US President-elect also said that deporting illegal immigrants will be his top priority when he assumes the presidency, on Inauguration Day, on Jan. 20, 2025.
