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Albany, New York - The New York State legislative session closed Wednesday as rights advocates denounced lawmakers' lack of action to protect from growing threats under the Trump administration.

A protester holds a sign reading "I Love Immigrant NY" in a demonstration against the Trump administration's mass detentions and deportations. © MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

"As ICE terrorizes New York’s immigrant communities, the New York Legislature’s shameful failure to pass a single bill protecting immigrants and those at risk of deportation is a stunning abdication of responsibility – and a gift to the Trump administration," Zach Ahmad, senior policy counsel with the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement.

"Right now, immigrant New Yorkers are afraid to get groceries, go to work, and take their kids to school – and understandably so," he continued.

"Since Trump took office, ICE agents have stormed workplaces, ripped children from their homes, and detained tens of thousands of New York’s immigrants across our state. Through it all, New York lawmakers have stood by and watched."

Advocates specifically lamented lawmakers' failure to pass:

• The , to prohibit local law enforcement collaboration with ICE
• The , to ban New York jails and prisons from contracting with ICE
• The , to establish the right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings
  
• The , to help people facing deportation get a fair chance at clemency
  
• The , to require certain documents and forms to be provided in the 12 most common non-English languages

"As the Trump administration continues to ramp up its dangerous mass deportation agenda, our state should be acting as a shield – protecting our hard working families, communities, and economy against unwarranted attacks," added Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition.

"Instead, Albany chose inaction, missing the opportunity to build a safer, more inclusive, and more just New York."

"We urge our State leaders to treat the safety and dignity of immigrant New Yorkers as a priority and demand they call for a special legislative session to pass these bills."

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