New York City’s Labor Movement is United in Opposition to Attacks on Our Communities

For Immediate Release: August 6, 2025
Contact: Rose Ryan 212.814.2778, [email protected]
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New York City’s Labor Movement is United in Opposition to Attacks on Our Communities

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU), 32BJ SEIU, CWA District 1, the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council (HTC), New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), PSC/CUNY, and UAW Region 9A–representing over 400,000 New Yorker City union members–issued the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security stating that they will “flood the zone” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in New York City: 

“New York City’s labor movement is united in sounding the alarm about the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to “flood the zone” to intimidate, harass and racially profile immigrants across our city. We are deeply disturbed by ICE’s escalating tactics of targeting immigrants at courthouses, denying residents’ due process and civil rights, raiding workplaces, and firing munitions at protestors. These unlawful intimidation tactics have no place in New York City and will make our city less safe. 

“Like many generations of New Yorkers before them, our members have come from all over the globe to seek a better life for themselves and their families. They leave their homes before dawn every day to care for the sick, provide essential services and build skyscrapers. They are the engine of our businesses and our prosperity. Many have come fleeing violence, exploitation, and political instability to feel safe. Targeting them and their families—including by ripping away legal status—harms all of us. ICE’s actions in courts, workplaces and neighborhoods are not in the service of protecting New Yorkers.  Instead, they aim to stoke fear and division. We call on all of our elected leaders to protect and defend working New Yorkers and keep our communities free of fear.”

El Movimiento Sindical de la Ciudad de Nueva York se Une para Oponerse a los Ataques Contra Nuestras Comunidades

Los Sindicatos 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU), 32BJ SEIU, CWA District 1, The Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, New York State Association (NYSNA), PSC/CUNY y UAW Region 9A que representan a más de 400,000 neoyorquinos, emitieron la siguiente declaración en respuesta al Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, que afirmó que "inundará la zona" con Agentes de Immigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) en la ciudad de Nueva York:

“El movimiento sindical de la ciudad de Nueva York se ha unido para dar la voz de alarma sobre el plan del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de “inundar la zona” para intimidar, acosar y discriminar por motivos raciales a los inmigrantes de toda nuestra ciudad. Nos perturba profundamente la escalada de tácticas de ICE para perseguir a los inmigrantes en los juzgados, negar a los residentes el debido proceso y los derechos civiles, realizar redadas en los lugares de trabajo y disparar munición contra los manifestantes. Estas tácticas de intimidación ilegales no tienen cabida en la ciudad de Nueva York y harán que nuestra ciudad sea menos segura.”

“Al igual que muchas generaciones de neoyorquinos antes que ellos, nuestros miembros han venido de todas partes del mundo en busca de una vida mejor para ellos y sus familias. Salen de sus hogares cada día antes del amanecer para cuidar a los enfermos, prestar servicios esenciales y construir rascacielos. Son el motor de nuestros negocios y nuestra prosperidad. Muchos han huido de la violencia, la explotación y la inestabilidad política para sentirse seguros. Atacarles a ellos y a sus familias, incluso privándoles de su estatus legal, nos perjudica a todos. Las acciones de ICE en los tribunales, los lugares de trabajo y los barrios no contribuyen a proteger a los neoyorquinos. En cambio, su objetivo es avivar el miedo y la división. Hacemos un llamamiento a todos nuestros líderes electos para que protejan y defiendan a los trabajadores neoyorquinos y mantengan nuestras comunidades libres de miedo.”

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest healthcare union in the country, representing some 200,000 healthcare workers in New York City, and 450,000 across the East Coast. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all. 

The Hotel & Gaming Trades Council represents nearly 40,000 non-managerial hospitality and gaming employees working in all departments across New York and northern New Jersey. The workers represented by our union come from all different backgrounds, and enjoy the best union contract for hotel workers in the world. 

The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.

With more than 185,000 members in 12 states, 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country. 32BJ SEIU members hail from 64 different countries and speak 28 different languages. 

The Communications Workers of America, District 1 represents 145,000 workers in 200 CWA local unions in New York, New Jersey, New England, and eastern Canada. CWA members work in telecommunications, health care, higher education, manufacturing, broadcast and cable television, commercial printing and newspapers, and state, local, and county government.