FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
January 30, 2026

“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my vision—then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.“ -Audre Lord

Armed and masked ICE agents are subjecting individuals to unreasonable searches and seizures, violently detaining immigrants without warrants and killing peaceful protestors in Minneapolis with impunity. These actions are the culmination of the administration’s increasingly deadly deportation policies and undermining of the rule of law.

The New York Women’s Bar Association unequivocally denounces the Trump administration’s deadly and unconstitutional deportation enforcement policies. These policies—which include tear gassing an infant, detaining preschoolers, and dragging a disabled woman out of her car—have now escalated to shooting innocent civilians at point-blank range. We unequivocally denounce the recent extra-judicial killings of citizens in Minneapolis peacefully protesting civil rights violations by ICE.

We are deeply troubled by the administration’s promulgation of an unsupported narrative that the victims killed were domestic terrorists or to blame, which are directly disputed by the video footage and eyewitness reports, and the cancellation of the customary joint federal and state investigation into the shooting of Renee Good.

These actions undermine the Constitution and rule of law and are a direct threat to our democracy. Federal agents’ unjustified use of deadly force against unarmed civilians engaging in peaceful protest violates the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizures; the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and assembly; and the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Breaking into private homes without judicial warrants and randomly stopping people in their private cars also violates the Fourth Amendment.

In our own backyard in New York, immigrants are being hunted down in schools, hospitals and courthouses; their attorneys are being denied access to immigration courts; and they are being detained under inhumane conditions right across from 60 Centre Street, including being forced to sleep on filthy floors and to share a single bathroom among nearly 30 people. These draconian policies have created a culture of fear, where our neighbors are afraid to access basic services such as childcare, education, the criminal justice system, and health care.

New York must take decisive action to counteract these constitutional and humanitarian violations by enacting legislative measures to protect its immigrant communities and families and those individuals who stand up for them.  Pending before the NYS legislature are several legislative proposals that seek to do just that.

These include bills pending in both chambers giving private citizens the right to file suit against federal officials who violate their constitutional rights. If passed, these bills would permit citizens to hold accountable in a court of law ICE agents acting beyond the scope of their duties.   Also pending before the NYS legislature are the New York for All Act, which would prohibit local and state law enforcement agencies from colluding and sharing information with ICE; the Dignity Not Detention Act, which would eliminate New York’s involvement in immigrant detention facilities by prohibiting their ownership or operation by persons or entities in New York State; the Access to Representation Act, guaranteeing legal representation in deportation cases; and  bills creating ICE-Free Zones and restricting agency inquiries into status.

I am proud to serve as President of an organization that takes a stand against injustice and in support of the Constitution and the rule of law. And as we wrap up our annual membership drive, I am reminded how fortunate we are to have each of you as a member, contributing your talents and time, organizing and participating in our events, and being part of this wonderful community.

Now, I invite you to stand with us in denouncing these extreme and unlawful policies, helping our immigrant communities and fighting for the rule of law. Volunteer to draft habeas petitions or provide pro bono representation to immigrants or protestors. Call and write to your congresspeople and to your NYS legislators. Support the work of organizations doing critical work, such as Make the Road New York, North Star Funds Rapid Respond Fund and the New York Immigration Coalition, as well as the NYCLU and ACLU. Take a training on “Know Your Rights” or deportation preparedness, report ICE sightings, and serve as a legal observer.  Unite with fellow attorneys to make change, such as Lawyers Defending American Democracy and the Coalition for the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer.

The NYWBA will be adding a section on its website with information, resources and links on how we can educate, agitate and legislate around these issues. Stay tuned!

Together, we are more than the sum of our parts, and collectively we can make a difference.  As Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter”.

Lissett C. Ferreira, President
New York Women’s Bar Association
president@nywba.org

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