NEW YORK, United States (CMC) — The New York State Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill prohibiting United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting Caribbean and other immigrants in New York courthouses without a judicial warrant or court order. 

The measure, which was passed in the State Assembly on Monday and in the Senate on Wednesday, must be signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in order for it to become law. 

 “We have seen federal ICE agents make a concerted effort to use courthouses as a means of entrapment, which in turn has created a hostile environment for individuals seeking recourse from New York courts,” said Haitian American Assemblywoman Michaelle C Solages, who was recently elected to serve as the chair of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus (BPHA) for a two-year term starting on January 1, 2021.

“We have fought tirelessly to protect New Yorkers from the unjust federal policies that target our immigrant communities,” added Solages, who represents the 22

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 Assembly District in Nassau County, Long Island, a New York City suburb. “This legislation will protect all New Yorkers’ access to the justice system, to ensure public safety.” 

Solages, a third-term legislator, is the first person of Haitian descent to be elected into the New York State Legislature. 

She represents the Long Island communities of Elmont, North Valley Stream, Valley Stream, South Valley Stream, South Floral Park, Floral Park, the Village of Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, North Woodmere, Stewart Manor and sections of Franklin Square.

New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, who sponsored the legislation in the State Senate, said: “We cannot allow our courthouses to become a hunting ground for federal agents attempting to round up immigrant New Yorkers.”

The legislation would prohibit immigration-related courthouse arrest, which is an arrest while on the way to or returning from a court proceeding. 

It would promote public safety and ensure that all New Yorkers have access to the justice system and can attend court without fear of immigration consequences.

According to New York’s Immigrant Defense Project, from 2016-17 arrests by ICE agents at courthouses in New York increased by 1,200 per cent. 

The project said that fear of being targeted, either due to a lack of documented immigration status or concern about the uncertain status of a family member, have dissuaded many individuals from contacting law enforcement or following through with necessary court proceedings. 

The New York State Assembly said district attorneys and legal representatives have expressed frustration and concern regarding their ability to pursue cases, “as victims and witnesses are sometimes too afraid to attend court proceedings.”

“This inability of law enforcement and the legal system to work effectively with immigrant communities and individuals has potentially severe consequences for public safety,” said the Assembly in a statement.