Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: Good afternoon, New York City. At a moment where the federal government is trying to drive us apart, I'm glad to be here together. I want to acknowledge our 1199 SEIU president, Yvonne Armstrong. I acknowledge union leadership and members. I acknowledge the community that is here with us. I know that we had Governor Hochul speak earlier, Attorney General James, our Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. We have Council Members Rita Joseph, Mercedes Narcisse [and] Assembly Members Phara Souffrant Forrest, Michaelle Solages [and] Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn. We have members of 1199 who are not just here but also gathered across New York City. I think we have our district attorney from Brooklyn, Eric Gonzalez, who is here with us; the Haitian Bridge Alliance; as well as Murad; and our Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs, Faiza Ali, who's joining us here.
For centuries, our city has stood as a beacon of opportunity, bright enough to be seen the world over. People have immigrated here from thousands of miles away because they believe in what this city represents, what this country represents: freedom, prosperity [and] a place where anyone can live a life of dignity. I am one of those immigrants. More than 3 million people who call this city home are immigrants. And I know that so many others here today share that same story. You may have come from Haiti. You may, like my wife's family, have come from Syria. For so many here, home was not something that was given, but something that you had to make for yourself. And I am so proud that each of you has chosen to make your home in New York City. No matter where you were born, no matter how far you had to travel to get here, I want to be clear: you are a New Yorker. Today, tomorrow and every day, you are a New Yorker.
As health care workers, as teachers, as organizers — you have not just made your home in New York City, you have dedicated your lives to New York City. You have bettered New York, and you have helped to build New York. So, hear me when I say this: The people of New York are going to show up for you. As we face down a Supreme Court ruling that just opened the door to fear, instability and the threat of deportation for so many, New York City will do everything in our power to fight back. This is a city where we look out for our neighbors, where we don't let those who are afraid of what makes this city great try to divide us, where we reject a politics of fear. Now, they may traffic in cruelty, yet we will lead with something even more powerful than that: solidarity. City Hall will stand with you and stand up for you.
Now, our MOIA Legal Hotline is ready to receive calls from New Yorkers with legal questions and to provide referrals for legal help. You can call the hotline at 800-354-0365, or if you see our Commissioner Faiza Ali, you can ask her in person. The Mayor's Office will issue additional information for New Yorkers on your rights and where to receive support. And for anyone feeling alone and afraid today, I want to be clear: New York City is your home no matter what this decision brings in the weeks to come. You are not going to face this alone, and I am also here. I was given this flag as I walked in, and I want to say that especially when it comes to Haiti, we owe this nation a great debt. It is a nation that taught the world about freedom, and for descendants of that nation to now have to worry that their own freedom will be stripped away from them in a country that we are so proud to belong to precisely because of our commitment to freedom. It's unacceptable. It's unconscionable. And it's not who we are as New Yorkers, nor who we as Americans. I was so proud as I was running to become the mayor of this city to meet so many Haitian immigrants across this city, to see just a glimpse of the lives that they have built, not just for themselves, but for their families, for their neighbors. I've learned broken Creole along the way. What all of these words tell us is that that language, this people — they are of this city. This city will protect anyone who feels that their life is threatened by this decision and we will not be ashamed to do so. We will be proud to do so, because it's what makes us New Yorkers. Thank you for having me
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