CAIR-NY, Immigrant Advocates, Elected Officials Rally As Legal Proceedings on Local Law 11-2022 (Immigrant Voters Rights Bill) Commence
Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY’s Legal Director, stands with coalition partners at the Our City, Our Vote rally outside of Richmond County Supreme Court in Staten Island, N.Y.
(NEW YORK, NY, 6/7/22)— Today, the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), along with the Our City, Our Vote coalition held a press conference alongside elected officials at the Richmond County Supreme Court ahead of the start of the legal proceedings around the lawsuit against the Our City, Our Vote law (Local Law 11-2022). Enacted in January, Local Law 11-2022 allows lawful permanent residents and persons authorized to work in the United States in New York City to participate in municipal elections beginning in 2023.
Local Law 11 enfranchised over 800,000 immigrant residents in municipal elections making New York City the largest jurisdiction in the country to offer voting rights to its non-citizen residents. The lawsuit was filed shortly after Local Law 11 was enacted. The lawsuit seeks to invalidate Local Law 11 and restrict voters’ access to the ballot box.
In response to the lawsuit, CAIR-NY, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, intervened in the lawsuit to defend Local Law 11 and uphold non-citizens access to the ballot box.
“New York City is a city of immigrants, and the Municipal Voting Law enfranchises immigrant New Yorkers, including Muslim Americans, and provides immigrants an opportunity to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Ahmed Mohamed, Legal Director at the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY). “Local Law 11 should be celebrated by all democracy-loving New Yorkers, and CAIR-NY looks forward to defending the right to vote for immigrant New Yorkers.”
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq. Executive Director, CAIR-NY, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com; Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Legal Director, 646-481-2103, ahmedmohamed@cair.com