For many years, the Assembly Majority has called on Congress to act on immigration reform and create a meaningful path to citizenship. Each year, more and more families are pushed into the shadows of our society, vulnerable and afraid.

Last session, the Assembly passed the New York State Liberty Act to protect the well-being of our law-abiding immigrant communities and to ensure their access to state resources and support services. I commend Governor Cuomo for signing this executive order prohibiting state and law enforcement agencies from inquiring about immigration status unless required by law or as necessary to determine eligibility for services.

The Assembly Majority will not stop advocating for immigrants. They are members of our diverse communities, our friends and neighbors, and above all, they are New Yorkers whose livelihoods and well-being have been compromised because of the political stalemate and hostilities around immigration reform. Protecting our country's borders does not require using fear to intimidate honest, hardworking people who have made this country their home.

We know that undocumented workers have contributed billions to the national and local economies, yet they are denied a fair opportunity to become legal citizens. We cannot allow these injustices to continue. It is past time for Congress and the administration to fix our broken immigration system.