President Bill Clinton reminds us that the Founding Fathers were fallible humans, who knew they were fallible, not omniscient gods, that they were creating an experiment in self-governance, and that they were forced to compromise to achieve consensus. They purposefully built in the ability to amend the Constitution, in recognition of all they did not know, could not foresee and were forced to accept. When the Declaration of Independence is read aloud today, all the grievances mounted against King George III can be leveled today against a dictator wannabe, willfully ignorant of history, shamelessly uncaring about his responsibilities, obsessed with his personal aggrandizement, who never had an ounce of “public service” in his being. We are living in a time not unlike the colonists, not unlike the Americans called up to defend the Union in the Civil War, which led to the “Second Founding” of the United States, correcting much of what was left out of the Constitution, and not unlike the Freedom Fighters of the 1960s. We are again asked to put our bodies as well as our values and all the force of our being on the line to restore America on the path to that idealized “more perfect union” and the values of the Declaration:“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Statement from President Clinton on America at 250 and the State of the Country
Two hundred and fifty years ago in Philadelphia, our Founders embarked on a radical experiment and declared a new nation rooted in the ideal of equality, with an elected government charged to advance life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Since then, our government of, by, and for the people has become the longest-lasting continuous democracy in the history of the world.
Our road from 1776 to today has been, in Abraham Lincoln’s words, “piled high with difficulty.” At every turn, there have been forces of reaction seeking to claw back the extension of our rights and liberties to more people. But by and large, thanks to celebrated leaders and everyday Americans alike, we have stumbled in the right direction—widening the circle of opportunity, deepening the meaning of freedom, and strengthening the bonds of our community.
Today, we celebrate this milestone amid another period of deep division, renewed questions about America’s future and role in the world, and serious threats to our own institutions and to our democracy itself.
The people in charge have unleashed masked agents on American communities to seize people from their homes, workplaces, and the street. They have started an unconstitutional war on a whim, with no clear objectives or exit strategy, and zero regard for the consequences to the lives of millions of people around the world. With the help of lifetime appointees to the Supreme Court and a compliant Congress, they have weaponized government to settle personal scores, prosecute enemies, stamp out free speech, and made the federal government a new profit center for themselves and their allies. Their New Deal is socialism for the super-rich (and their own enrichment) even if it means increasing poverty, inequality, and illness at home and around the world. They also want to rewrite history to ignore and outright deny our past flaws while banning books that say otherwise from our libraries. And they select even our military leaders based on their version of political correctness over ability.
But this isn’t the first time we’ve come close to the edge. Throughout our history, we’ve fought about what it means to make our union more perfect and who belongs. So far, at every major turning point, we have chosen inclusion over division: in the early days of the Republic, by building a national economic and legal system; during the Civil War, by preserving the Union and ending slavery; in the early 20th century, as we moved from an agricultural to an industrial society, by making our government stronger to preserve competition, promote basic safeguards for labor, and provide for the poor, the elderly, and the infirm; in the 60s and 70s, by advancing civil rights and women’s rights and protecting our natural resources from plunder; and at the dawn of the new millennium, by moving into the global information age in a way that distributed the benefits of our interdependence to more people.
Our Founders were wise when they gave us our mission to form a more perfect union. They knew America would never be perfect but could always be better. That’s what they meant by “more perfect.” We’ve done that by being courageous enough to acknowledge our flaws and missteps—and then bold enough to leave them behind for brighter tomorrows.
That’s the lesson of our first 250 years: we can always do better. In how we treat one another, in person and online; in building a better future for ourselves, our families, and our communities; and in standing up, showing up, and speaking out for our democracy.
There is still nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what’s right with America. We see it in the people lining up to vote, no matter how hard some may try to prevent them. We see it in those bringing groceries to their neighbors, donating to charities in record numbers, and serving their country and communities in countless ways. And we see it in the immigrants eager to bring their talents, hard work, and dreams to our country.
So today, celebrate the miracle that has brought us this far. I know I will, because I love my country so much. Then tomorrow, wake up, and ask yourself what part you will play to keep making our union more perfect by keeping our country in the future business. We owe that much to those who struggled and sacrificed to bring us this far, and to our children and grandchildren who soon will inherit that future.
Some 75,000 NYC Pride marchers representing 695 groups were cheered on by an estimated 2 million people. The biggest and longest-running Pride demonstration in the United States and one of the biggest in the world, The NYC Pride March 2026 was themed “For All of Us,” inspired by a quote from legendary Stonewall veteran Marsha P. Johnson, “There is no pride for some of us without liberation for all of us”.
“As Pride events face economic and political threats around the world, it’s vital that those local LGBTQIA+ populations in Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, and more still have safe spaces to discover and celebrate their community,” stated NYC Pride | Heritage of Pride, a world leader in LGBTQIA+ Pride organizing. “This year’s theme seeks to welcome LGBTQIA+ individuals everywhere to join us as we honor the legacy of the very first NYC Pride March in 1970, which commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising.
“LGBTQ+ Pride events are under attack around the world, but NYC is determined to march on,” said Im Lynde, NYC Pride Executive Director. “We invite our LGBTQIA+ community from near and far to join us in the birthplace of Pride as we continue the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality – for all of us.”
Grand Marshals for the 2026 NYC Pride March included Dominique Jackson, Peppermint, Bernie Wagenblast, Bowen Yang, and Gays Against Guns, which had an enormous contingent.
“Our Grand Marshals have blazed trails and opened doors in entertainment, media, and advocacy,” Lynde said. “Their visibility alone is worth celebrating, but they are fighting for opportunity, support, and safety for our entire LGBTQIA+ community.”
“Organizing the largest Pride March and moment of LGBTQIA+ visibility in the country is a responsibility we take deeply seriously. In our work, we always seek to center the most vulnerable among us to provide a platform for advocacy for every member of our community that galvanizes progress, while welcoming protest and further advocacy for the work that needs to be done.
“These attacks seek to divide our community. But, in the spirit of our theme this year, For All of Us – from the movement rallying cry: “no pride for some of us, without liberation for all of us” – we will keep fighting for liberation for every member of our community. To find justice. To live authentically. To have access to the quality healthcare we deserve. And for a future in which every LGBTQIA+ person can thrive with dignity, safety and opportunity.”
The march included a large number representing health, hospitals and human services.
“Many of our March contingents, including those of local hospitals and healthcare systems, are driven by the organization’s LGBTQ+ groups, not the leaders making system-wide decisions,” the organizer stated. “And by keeping these partners at the table, we can use our relationships to hold them accountable, advocate for the underrepresented and marginalized and propel progress. We have had and continue to engage in productive, advocacy-focused conversations with these institutions about their approach to providing the affirming care trans youth need.”
Governor Kathy Hochul atPride March, NYC, June 28, 2026, announces expanded initiatives to support the LGBTQ+ community (Photo: Governor’s Office)
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, who marched in the parade, took the occasion to also announce several expanded initiatives designed to increase support for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, including additional investments to support LGBTQ+ youth and transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming communities (TGNCNB). This year’s enacted budget included an investment of $1.8 million to provide LGBTQ+ youth with specialized crisis counseling and train local 988 crisis counselors on the concerns of LGBTQ+ youth, ensuring access to lifesaving services when the Trump administration defunded the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ Youth Specialized Services program.
“New York is the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ movement, and I could not be prouder of that,” Governor Hochul said. “When there are assaults on LGBTQ+ rights all across America, New York will not sit on the sidelines. We will always stand hand-in-hand with our LGBTQ+ community and continue our fight for equality because feeling safe is a human right. We stand for those rights today, and we’ll always keep fighting for those rights in the future.”
Building on this support, the enacted budget also included $500,000 to develop a statewide LGBTQ+ legal hotline and resource website to provide free legal advice and community resources to LGBTQ+ New Yorkers being targeted by legal and policy attacks from the current federal administration.
To further address the needs of transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary New Yorkers, funding for the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund increased by half a million dollars, bringing the total of the fund to over $16 million, the largest fund of its kind in the nation.
New York stands on a strong foundation of LGBTQ+ history and activism against the federal government’s efforts to dismantle years of civil rights progress and advocacy. Earlier this year, when the federal government attempted to target and erase this history by removing the Pride Flag from Stonewall National Park, Governor Hochulsuccessfully fought back and amplified the history of the Stonewall Uprising.
As a national leader in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, Governor Hochul continues to ensure that New York is a safe and inclusive home for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. Since taking office, the Governor has championed legislation to make New York a safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth and signed the Shield Law 2.0 to offer greater protections.
To expand on this work, the Governor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs is currently accepting requests for workshop proposals for the 2026 LGBTQIA+ Convening, which will occur on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, in Albany, New York, at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. This annual event, entering its fifth year, brings together policymakers and government officials from across state agencies to hear directly from advocates about the most pressing needs facing our state’s LGBTQ+ community and learn about proposed efforts New York State could take to meet those needs.
Pride is about celebrating the right to live openly, visibly and freely as your authentic self without discrimination, oppression or judgement,” State Assemblymember Harry Bronson said. “As the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and home to Stonewall Monument, New York has a proud record of not only defending human rights but advancing them. Despite attacks against our LGBTQ+ community from other states and at the federal level, especially against our trans, gender nonconforming and non-binary siblings, New York will always fight for human rights for all. We secured many victories this year to enable people to live authentically and openly – including Shield Law 2.0, funding for LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotline with training for 988 crisis counselors, and critically, ensured that TGNCNB New Yorkers have the resources and support to live safely and freely. There is still more work to be done, and together, we will continue the fight to increase equity, opportunity, and justice for all.”
State Senator Erik Bottcher said, “It is always an incredible privilege to celebrate Pride with hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers marching through our streets in celebration of love and authenticity. I am especially honored to represent the district that is home to the Stonewall Inn — the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. The Stonewall Inn serves as a daily reminder that progress is never guaranteed and that every generation has a responsibility to defend it. Pride is both a celebration of how far we’ve come and a call to action. At a time when transgender youth and LGBTQ+ communities are facing relentless attacks across the country, New York must continue to lead with courage and compassion. I’m grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul for reaffirming that commitment through new investments in LGBTQ+ youth mental health services, expanded support for transgender and non-binary New Yorkers, and stronger legal protections for our community. Together we are sending a clear message: New York is a place where everyone belongs, and we will never stop fighting for equality.”
State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas said,”At a time when LGBTQIA+ communities, especially transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming New Yorkers, are facing relentless attacks from the federal government, New York is sending a clear message: you belong here, and we will fight for you. These investments are more than budget lines, they are lifelines. By restoring specialized crisis services for LGBTQ+ youth, creating a statewide legal hotline, and expanding the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund, we are ensuring our communities have the support, protection, and dignity they deserve. I appreciate Governor Hochul’s commitment to advancing these critical investments, and for recognizing that our safety, health, and humanity are not up for debate. We will continue working together to ensure every LGBTQIA+ New Yorker can live openly, safely, and with the resources they need to thrive.”
“The LGBTQ+ community is under attack across the country. It is our duty as New Yorkers and Americans to go above and beyond to be a sanctuary where all people can be free from persecution, have access to healthcare, and can afford to live. That is what we march for and we will never stop fighting for,” Assemblymember Tony Simone said.
To further showcase support for the LBGTQ+ community, Governor Hochul announced State landmarks would be illuminated from June 28 through 30.
As the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, New York State extends a year-round invitation to LGBTQ+ travelers through the New York State Division of Tourism at Empire State Development. Created in 2012, the I LOVE NY LGBTQ+ initiative promotes events and destinations across the state, anchoring this season’s travel with a statewide calendar of more than 100 Pride celebrations. More information, including travel guides and blogs, is available at iloveny.com/lgbtq.
Here are more photo highlights from NYC’s Pride March, June 28, 2026:
The Trump administration is boasting about its anti-immigrant tactics and policies aimed at reversing the demographic reality of an emerging non-White majority. The White House, cheering the Supreme Court’s decision allowing revocation of TPS protections, listed 60 anti-immigrant/non-citizen actions it has taken.
The anti-immigrant policies have been extended from going after “the worst of the worst” criminals here illegally, to rounding up any person of color, interfering with their compliance for legal status, deporting them without judicial review or locking them up in detention centers without access to help (to force them to voluntarily self-deport), separating and incarcerating children; then going after migrants here legally under Temporary Protected Status, trying to remove green-card holders, denying visas to international students, moving to de-naturalize those who have gone through the arduous citizenship process, throwing out refugees who have been vetted, including the Afghans who worked with US soldiers, obstructing now canceling altogether the asylum process (mandated by US and international law).
All of this instead of creating Comprehensive Immigration Reform that would either deport the unworthy or provide legal status to the migrants who from its founding have built this nation.
These anti-immigrant actions – reminiscent of the 1920s – are on top of Trump going after Diversity, Equity, Inclusion programs – actually making them illegal; efforts to rewrite history and force changes at museums and educational institutions (“Slavery was good!” “There was no genocide of indigenous people.” “America is always virtuous and right!”)
Before we provide the White House’s run-down of the 60 different actions Trump is so proud of to keep America White Christian and Nationalist, here are some facts (assembled with help of A.I.) about the importance of immigrants and immigration to American society and the economy, correcting the falsehoods perpetrated by Trump, which apparently the White Christo Fascist Imperial Supremes do not recognize as blatantly racist and unconstitutional (“they’re eating your dogs”, “shit-hole countries”)and branding migrants as terrorists, criminals, rapists, gangmembers – Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com
Immigrants Enrich the USA
Immigrants substantially bolster the U.S. economy, contributing an estimated $1.7 trillion in consumer spending power and consistently driving labor force growth. They generate a massive net fiscal surplus, represent a major driving force in business innovation, and help stabilize the country’s tax revenues. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Labor & Fiscal Impact
Tax Contributions: Immigrants pay more in taxes than they receive in public benefits, contributing over $1.3 trillion in taxes annually. Even undocumented workers pay an estimated $96.7 billion in local, state, and federal taxes, largely without receiving government benefits. [1, 2]
Labor Force Growth: Over 95% of cumulative growth in the prime-age U.S. labor force since the mid-1990s comes from immigration, preventing stagnation in key industries like construction, manufacturing, and healthcare. [1, 2]
Consumer Power: First-generation immigrants and their children make up nearly 20% of the disposable income and purchasing power in the U.S.. [1]
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Business Creation: Immigrants are more likely to start businesses, with over 55% of billion-dollar “unicorn” startups having at least one immigrant founder. [1]
STEM & Patents: Immigrants make up roughly 23% of the U.S. STEM workforce and are twice as likely as native-born workers to patent and commercialize their innovations. [1]
Social & Demographic Stabilization
Age Distribution: Immigrants typically arrive as young adults of working age, helping to expand the tax base and sustain social safety nets like Social Security as the native-born population ages. [1]
Long-Term Growth: Studies show that employment-based immigrants and refugees, over a 20- to 30-year span, contribute more in federal, state, and local taxes than they utilize in public services or settlement support. [1, 2]
This is from the White House:
The Supreme Court has delivered a major victory for American sovereignty, ruling that the Trump Administration has full authority to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants. The Biden Administration weaponized TPS as a backdoor amnesty to flood the country with millions of unvetted migrants — and that loophole is finally closed.
This is the latest decisive win in President Donald J. Trump’s relentless effort to end the border invasion and put American citizens first.
Here are 60 key actions the Trump Administration has taken as part of its historic America First border agenda:
The Supreme Court affirmed the Trump Administration’s authority to remove green card holders who threaten American communities.
The Supreme Court upheld the Trump Administration’s policy to swiftly turn back illegal aliens seeking asylum before they set foot on U.S. soil.
The Supreme Court affirmed the Trump Administration’s full discretion over Temporary Protected Status designations and terminations.
The Supreme Court allowed the Trump Administration’s Safe Third Country deportation program to continue.
A federal appeals court affirmed the Trump Administration’s expedited removal policy, accelerating deportations of illegal aliens.
The Trump Administration reformed the citizenship test to better assess aliens’ understandings of American history, government, and values, and better ensure aliens meet all eligibility requirements.
The Trump Administration dramatically expanded the immigration enforcement workforce, including more than doubling the number of ICE agents.
The Trump Administration restored the practice of conducting neighborhood investigations of potential new citizens to verify their claims and ensure we get a full picture of their character.
The Trump Administration dramatically accelerated immigration court hearings.
The Trump Administration restricted access to immigrant work permits, prioritizing U.S. workers and tightening security.
The Trump Administration moved to raise naturalization fees so American taxpayers are no longer subsidizing the process.
The Trump Administration moved to secure our financial system against illegal aliens.
The Trump Administration ended government-backed mortgage financing for illegal aliens and H-1B visa holders.
The Trump Administration immediately suspended refugee resettlement and dramatically reduced the number of refugees admitted.
The Trump Administration banned foreign nationals — including green card holders — from accessing Small Business Administration loans intended for American entrepreneurs.
The Trump Administration banned illegal aliens from more than a dozen taxpayer-funded healthcare programs.
The Trump Administration implemented strict English proficiency and residency requirements for commercial driver’s license holders.
The Trump Administration accelerated deportation flights to record highs.
The Trump Administration moved to implement a new remittance tax on money sent out of the country by illegal aliens.
The Trump Administration launched an aggressive crackdown on asylum fraud.
The Trump Administration welcomed the largest-ever class of new immigration judges.
The Trump Administration declared a national border emergency on Day One.
The Trump Administration deployed thousands of military personnel to the southern border to support enforcement.
The Trump Administration resumed construction of the border wall to defend the homeland.
The Trump Administration reinstated the successful Remain in Mexico policy.
The Trump Administration established Safe Third Country agreements to expedite deportations.
The Trump Administration ended dangerous “catch-and-release” policies, delivering 13 straight months of zero releases at the border.
The Trump Administration repurposed the failed Biden-era CBP One app into a self-deportation tool.
The Trump Administration paused visa processing for 75 high-risk countries.
The Trump Administration launched an unprecedented denaturalization effort targeting those who fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship.
President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, requiring detention of illegal aliens charged with serious crimes.
The Trump Administration restricted entry of H-1B aliens unless their petition is accompanied by a $100,000 payment.
The Trump Administration dramaticallyexpanded federal immigration detention capacity, including the largest migrant detention facility in U.S. history.
The Trump Administration announced a new policy generally requiring aliens in the U.S. temporarily to return to their home countries to apply for a green card.
The Trump Administration moved to protect American workers by ending employers’ ability to pay substandard wages to foreign workers in certain visa programs.
The Trump Administration ended the practice of granting automatic extensions of employment authorization documents for aliens.
The Trump Administration ended the random selection process for H-1B registrations.
The Trump Administration tightened visa interview waiver categories, requiring most applicants to attend in-person interviews.
The Trump Administration implemented a new visa integrity fee to all visitors applying to enter on nonimmigrant visas, as well as several other new fees — all designed to enhance the integrity of the visa application and deter overstays.
The Trump Administration moved to establish a fixed time period of the completion of their program or four years (whichever is shorter) for foreign students and exchange visitor visa categories.
The Trump Administration moved to significantly expand the data schools are required to provide on students studying in the U.S., including information on programs of study, funding sources, graduation dates, and more.
The Trump Administration moved to prohibit using federal assistance and grant funding to provide services to illegal aliens.
The Trump Administration commenced data sharing programs on illegal aliens receiving taxpayer-funded health insurance benefits.
The Trump Administration implemented bonds of up to $15,000 for visa applications from citizens of high-risk countries.
The Trump Administration blocked illegal aliens from accessing federal funds for higher education programming.
The Trump Administration moved to bar illegal aliens from abusing refundable individual income tax credit benefits.
The Trump Administration moved to purge tens of thousands of illegal aliens from states’ voter rolls.
The Trump Administration enhanced the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to ensure noncitizens cannot vote in U.S. elections.
The Trump Administration implemented a new visa restriction policy for family members and associates of individuals sanctioned over ties to fentanyl trafficking.
The Trump Administration launched a stipend program to incentivize self-deportation and reduce costs.
The Trump Administration launched a fine program to incentivize illegal aliens to self-deport.
The Trump Administration moved to strip federal funding from sanctuary jurisdictions.
The Trump Administration upgraded the human trafficking hotline.
The Trump Administration terminated so-called “sanctuary” policies in Washington, D.C.
The Trump Administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport illegal alien gang members.
The Trump Administration launched major immigration enforcement operations in cities around the country, including Operation Metro Surge, Midway Blitz, and Catahoula Crunch.
President Trump signed the Secure America Act into law, delivering $70 billion in vital homeland security funding for ICE and CBP.
The Trump Administration secured new partnerships with local law enforcement to facilitate crackdowns on illegal immigration.
The Trump Administration revoked thousands of visas from foreign students for crimes and support for terrorism.
The Trump Administration re-launched the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office to assist Americans harmed by immigrant crime.
“These actions are only part of the largest and most aggressive immigration enforcement effort in American history — and more are on the way. President Trump will never stop putting the interests of the American people first.”
Today, on the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in ‘Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization’, which sharply restricted access to abortion nationwide, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced that the New York State Department of Health and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are investing $495,000 to expand theNew York City Abortion Access Hub’s referral network. The expansion will allow the Hub to connect callers with a broader network of abortion providers and support organizations outside the five boroughs, helping more people access reproductive health care regardless of where they live.
“As we commemorate four years since the Supreme Court’s disastrous Dobbs decision, New York is sending a clear message to the rest of the country: We’re not going to let Washington Republicans take us backwards,” Governor Hochul said.“Thanks to our support, we are expanding the reach of this vital resource so more people have access to safe reproductive health care.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said,“Four years ago, the disastrous Dobbs decision stripped away a fundamental right and put reproductive health care out of reach for millions of Americans across this country. Since then, New York has led the fight to protect abortion care. On this anniversary, we are expanding the successful Abortion Access Hub so that anyone seeking care can more easily find it. Together with New York State, we are strengthening a lifeline that connects people to abortion care, medication, transportation, lodging and support. Because abortion is health care. And health care is a human right.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said,“New York State will continue to fight to protect access to abortion care and reproductive healthcare for anyone in need of these vital services, despite ongoing politically motivated efforts to remove these hard-fought rights. Our partnership with New York City and the expansion of the Abortion Access Hub enables New York State to further protect these fundamental rights and remain a safe harbor for anyone seeking care.”
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga said,”The importance of safe, accessible abortion care cannot be overstated, especially as states across the country continue to attack reproductive freedom. The people most harmed by these restrictions are often those already facing the greatest barriers to care — including low-income communities and communities of color. This expansion will help ensure that thousands more people can access the services they need with dignity and support.”
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said,“Reproductive healthcare remains under attack across the country, but New York City and State are unwavering in our commitment to protecting and uplifting access to care for anyone in need. Despite robust protections, too many people still face barriers to care. On the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s disastrous Dobbs decision, I’m proud to work with our partners across the state to reduce the burden for more New Yorkers.”
New York State’s annual investment of $250,000 will support the Hub’s coordination with abortion providers outside New York City and organizations that assist patients with travel, financial support and lodging associated with obtaining care.
Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has authorized millions of dollars to protect and expand access to reproductive health care. Through the Supplemental Abortion Provider Support Program and the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Grant Program, the state has provided funding to clinics and providers offering abortion and reproductive health services across New York.
NYC Abortion Access Hub
The NYC Abortion Access Hub is a confidential hotline that connects callers to abortion care and related services, including financial assistance, insurance enrollment, transportation and lodging. The Hub was launched in response to the Dobbs decision.
Since its launch, the Hub has answered more than 10,400 calls and nearly 5,000 live chat messages. More than half of callers seek medication abortion services, while one-quarter of calls come from outside New York state. Among out-of-state callers, the largest shares come from Florida (35 percent), Texas (27 percent) and Georgia (15 percent), where abortion access is heavily restricted.
Most callers are younger than 30 years old (60 percent). Nearly half identify as Latino (47 percent), nearly one-quarter identify as Black (24 percent), and most report annual household incomes below $25,000 (59 percent).
NYC Sexual Health Clinics
In addition to direct referrals to independent providers, the Hub connects callers toNYC Sexual Health Clinics, which offer no-cost medication abortion, contraception and on-site pregnancy testing at four sites. More than 60 percent of clinic patients receive same-day care, and services are provided regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Additional services offered by the clinics include birth control, emergency contraception, pap smears, and onsite iron level tests for potential medication abortion patients.
The new partnership between State and City health departments will allow the Hub to engage a broader network of providers and expand referral options statewide.
Washington, DC —On the four-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Reproductive Freedom for All announces the launch of My Body. My Ballot., a $23.5 million campaign to mobilize voters, hold anti-abortion politicians accountable, and elect reproductive freedom champions in key races across the country in order to restore women’s reproductive freedom and rights.
At the center of this campaign is a simple truth: support for abortion access is popular across party lines – more popular than any individual politician or political party. As many voters turn away from Trump and the MAGA movement because of their continued attacks on abortion access, Reproductive Freedom for All is seizing the opportunity to elect pro-abortion candidates up and down the ballot.
The campaign marks Reproductive Freedom for All’s largest-ever midterm electoral program and will focus on persuading and mobilizing voters – including independents, soft Republicans, and split-ticket voters – whose support for abortion access puts them at odds with Trump and his endorsed candidates. It will deploy a layered strategy that includes on-the-ground organizing, research, digital engagement, and political accountability. The program will include deep investments in direct voter contact, including coordinated canvassing programs designed in direct partnership with specific campaigns. It will also include relational organizing training with our members, with priority investments across Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Georgia. Top-tier targets will include AZ-06, MI-07, and NV-03 congressional districts, alongside critical statewide races and ballot initiatives. The campaign will also include a national communications and digital program designed to reach voters across legacy media, podcasts, creator platforms, and social media ecosystems where public opinion and cultural conversation are increasingly shaped.
Four years after Dobbs, reproductive freedom remains one of the most salient issues in American politics. Anti-abortion politicians and extremists have made clear they will not stop at overturning Roe. They are attacking medication abortion, undermining emergency abortion care, defunding Planned Parenthood, gutting Medicaid, and pushing policies that raise costs for families already struggling to make ends meet. My Body. My Ballot. seizes on a critical political moment as divisions deepen within the Republican Party. As anti-abortion groups pressure the Trump administration to go even further, Republicans are caught between a radical anti-abortion movement demanding a nationwide ban and the 8 in 10 voters who support legal abortion and overwhelmingly oppose political interference in personal medical decisions.
“Abortion is popular – more popular than any individual politician. What’s not popular is Trump and the MAGA movement, who continue to lose voter support with every new attack on abortion access. Instead of lowering costs or helping families plan their futures, MAGA Republicans have advanced policies that make it harder for people to decide whether, when, and how to grow their families,” stated Reproductive Freedom for All President and CEO Mini Timmaraju.
“My Body. My Ballot. is about making sure every voter understands how the issues they care most about are connected: our bodies, our families, our health care, our economic security, and our freedom. We have the members, the political power, and the organizing infrastructure to turn outrage into action.
“Four years after Dobbs, abortion bans have created a dangerous and chaotic patchwork where access to care depends on where someone lives, how much money they have, and whether they can travel. Anti-abortion politicians created this crisis, and this November, Americans will make sure they are held accountable.”
Impact of Losing Reproductive Freedom
According to data compiled by314 Action, a national organization working to recruit, train and elect Democratic scientists across all levels of government, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe four years ago has had significant impact on lives:
41 states have some form of an abortion ban in effect.
Miscarriage care is being directly impacted in hospitals. There’s been a 2.8% increase in miscarrying patients being sent home to ‘wait and see.’ There’s been a 2.2% decrease in medication management and a 13.8% increase in doctors only treating miscarriages with misoprostol, which isn’t the US standard of care and can cause longer, more painful miscarriages.
51 Planned Parenthoods were forced to close in 2025 alone (which impacts reproductive care beyond abortions).
There are more and morereports emerging about women dying due to lack of miscarriage care, because of doctors fearing prosecution for giving life-saving abortions. The exact number is obviously unknown due to HIPPA, fear of speaking out, and cross-state laws, but ProPublica has been doing an incredible investigative series.
OBGYNs are leaving states with abortion bans in mass exodus, which creates a gap in reproductive care for all—not just those who need an abortion.
Republicans are using the courts to try to make it illegal to ship safe medical abortion drugs like mifepristone.
“The full devastation and exact numbers of women harmed by this decision can’t fully be quantified for a range of reasons (including, as you mentioned, abusive relationships, lack of reporting from states with abortion bans, fear of speaking out, etc.)—but the damage that is documented show that women are at risk, no matter where they live. It’s why 314 Action is working to elect pro-choice doctors and scientists to office—to put healthcare back in the hands of the patients, not politicians,” the organization stated.
“Four years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States turned back time on one of the most fundamental rights in America—the freedom to choose. Today, in Donald Trump’s America, women are routinely denied access to reproductive healthcare for abortion, pregnancy complications or miscarriage. Post-Dobbs, women in every state are at risk because of this decision, even where abortion remains legal and protected.
“Reproductive healthcare isn’t a game, it’s life or death. Republicans are attacking reproductive healthcare at every level, which is why 314 Action is electing candidates at every level. This year, a record number of doctors and scientists have stepped up to run for office. In the face of these attacks, 314 Action’s mission remains crystal clear: elect pro-choice scientists and doctors to office who will place healthcare decisions back in the hands of patients.”
314 Action launched Guardians of Public Health in 2025 and is working to elect 100 new doctors, up and down the ballot and across the nation by 2030, raising and spending over $25 million in the effort.
Voters Support Reproductive Freedom
New polling by Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly known of NARAL Pro-Choice America, which has been advocating for women’s rights for 55 years), underscores the opportunity for its campaign. The research, conducted by Impact Research, surveyed likely voters in battleground U.S. House districts, including an oversample of voters who did not support Kamala Harris in 2024 but voted “yes” on abortion rights ballot measures statewide in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada. The results show that voters overwhelmingly want lawmakers to protect reproductive health care—and that communicating clearly about politicians’ efforts to gut health care access, undermine medical privacy, and prioritize abortion restrictions over families’ needs can meaningfully move voters.
Eight in 10 voters surveyed said it is important for lawmakers to protect access to reproductive care, including 58% who said it is very important. Battleground voters also rejected additional abortion restrictions: Half said lawmakers should pass laws protecting abortion access nationwide.
Support for a nationwide abortion ban carries significant political consequences. More than 4 in 10 voters said a politician’s support for a nationwide abortion ban would be a total dealbreaker—placing it among the most disqualifying positions tested, alongside raising taxes on middle-class families and cutting Medicaid. After hearing messaging about attacks on health care access and privacy and politicians’ misplaced priorities, voters backed a generic Democratic congressional candidate by 12 points, 48% to 36%—a net five-point gain from the start of the poll (45% to 38%).
Reproductive Freedom for All’s National Week of Action
The campaign launch also kicks off Reproductive Freedom for All’s National Week of Action, running June 22–28, with events across the country designed to educate voters, train volunteers, elevate storytellers, and drive direct action in target states and districts. The week will feature 11 in-person events across our chapter states, alongside 12 national activations — including multiple phone banking actions and shifts, as well as a national text bank.
Key components of the campaign include:
● A national organizing program powered by members: Reproductive Freedom for All will activate its 4.5 million members nationwide to grow its volunteer leadership infrastructure and launch direct voter contact and visibility events in priority districts and regions. The campaign will span canvases across our chapter states — including cities like Phoenix, Tucson, Bakersfield, and Savannah — alongside Pride marches, rallies, community roundtables, and press conferences with elected leaders and stakeholders. It will also feature multi-day phone banks at both the in-person and virtual levels.
● Direct voter contact in priority states and districts: The program will include deep investments in direct voter contact, including coordinated canvassing programs designed in direct partnership with specific campaigns. It will persuade and mobilize voters – including independents, soft Republicans, and split-ticket voters – whose support for abortion access puts them at odds with Trump and his endorsed candidates. The program will also include relational organizing training with our members, with priority investments across Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, California, and Georgia. Top-tier targets will include AZ-06, MI-07, and NV-03 congressional districts, alongside critical statewide races and ballot initiatives.
● Research-backed messaging on freedom, care, and economic security: The campaign will use Reproductive Freedom for All’s latest research to connect abortion access to the economic pressures families are already facing, including the reality that deciding whether to have a child is one of the biggest economic decisions a person can make. Campaign messaging will also educate voters on threats to medication abortion, emergency care, health privacy, and access to reproductive health care nationwide.
● Candidate endorsements and accountability: Reproductive Freedom for All will endorse reproductive freedom champions and hold anti-abortion politicians accountable for their records, including those aligned with anti-abortion groups pushing the Trump administration to restrict access even further. The campaign will make clear who is working to protect abortion access—and who is working to push care further out of reach.
● State ballot measures. Reproductive Freedom for All will support ballot measure work in Virginia, Missouri, and Nevada, as part of a broader strategy to engage voters around reproductive freedom up and down the ballot. This work will connect ballot measure engagement to the campaign’s broader voter contact, persuasion, and turnout strategy.
● Digital and creator program to mobilize voters: Reproductive Freedom for All will run a comprehensive digital program across social media, podcast platforms, creator partnerships, paid digital, email, SMS, and rapid-response content. The creator strategy will go beyond paid amplification by partnering with trusted messengers, independent creators, storytellers, and issue-adjacent voices who can authentically reach persuadable audiences and encourage voter engagement.
The campaign builds on Reproductive Freedom for All’s latest research, which connects reproductive freedom to economic security and the freedom to decide whether, when, and how to grow a family. That research will inform the campaign’s ads, field scripts, digital content, volunteer trainings, and voter conversations—including outreach to independent and soft Republican voters who are frustrated by rising costs and alarmed by continued attacks on abortion access.
For over 55 years, Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for everybody. Reproductive Freedom for All is powered by its more than 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.
KINGS POINT, N.Y., June 22, 2026 — The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) today graduated 188 new merchant marine and military officers during its 90th commencement ceremony.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy, whose department oversees the Academy, one of the Nation’s five service academies, introduced the keynote speaker, U.S. Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll.
In his introduction, Rear Admiral Tony Ceraolo, USMS, Superintendent, called Secretary Duffy “the most Kings Point–loving secretary of transportation in the history of secretaries of transportation.” He added, “In my career, I have never known another secretary of transportation who has been as invested in the United States Merchant Marine Academy as you have been. Your passion for this place and for these midshipmen is felt across our entire community, from the regiment to the faculty and staff to our alumni and supporters around the country.”
Duffy underscored the significance of the moment while addressing the graduating class and introducing the keynote speaker, saying, “This is a special moment in our nation’s 250th year, and you are stepping forward at a time when duty will call and America will ask more of you. I have come to deeply appreciate the grit, patriotism and honor of the midshipmen here, and I am committed to matching your dedication with my own.”
Driscoll delivered the commencement address to the Class of 2026 before an audience of more than 3,000 family members, friends, alumni and representatives from the federal government, U.S. military and maritime industry.
Driscoll emphasized the enduring partnership between the Army and the Merchant Marine, both of which predate the Nation itself, as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, saying, “Two days before the Army was officially established on June 14, 1775, a group of local fishermen and sailors in Maine armed themselves with axes and muskets, inspired by Lexington and Concord. They commandeered ships and chased down a British schooner. They boarded her and captured warships of the most powerful navy at the time.
“For the rest of the American Revolution, merchant mariners harassed British supply lines and enabled our Army to win. That was the birth of the United States Merchant Marine in fire and fury and revolution.
“Just eight days ago, the United States Army celebrated its 251st birthday, which is also a celebration of our shared heritage, because our two institutions have been inextricably linked for over 250 years.
“The Army was built to win our nation’s wars, and the Merchant Marine was built to ensure we actually get to the battlefield and then sustain the fight once we’re there. In every single major conflict abroad, sealift has delivered Army heavy metal to the fight — from the shores of Cuba and the Philippines, to the beaches of Normandy, the jungles of Vietnam and the deserts of the Middle East.
“The most powerful weapons do not simply appear on the battlefield. They are delivered by mariners. All of you on this field are what keep our Army and the joint force moving around the world, and you are more important now than ever before,” Secretary Driscoll said.
The Academy awarded each graduate a Bachelor of Science degree, a U.S. Coast Guard license as a merchant marine deck or engine officer, and a commission as an officer in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Rear Adm. Michael E. Platt, USCG, commander of the Coast Guard Northeast District, administered the Merchant Mariner Oath. Rear Adm. Benjamin Nicholson, USN, USMMA Class of 1993 and commander of the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, administered the oath of office for newly commissioned officers.
The Academy recognized its top academic graduates. Midshipman John Walter Smolenski, a maritime logistics and security major from Colonia, New Jersey, earned valedictorian honors with a 3.87 GPA. Midshipman Connor Conrad Crymes, a marine engineering systems major from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, earned salutatorian honors with a 3.83 GPA. Each will sail on their license and serve a as an ensign in the U.S. Navy Reserve.
The USMMA requires more credit hours for a Baccalaureate degree than any other federal service academy – the equivalent of a Masters completed in three-years’ time. The challenging coursework is augmented by the Academy’s Sea Year, which affords midshipmen hands-on, real world experience aboard working commercial or military vessels sailing around the world.
At graduation, the Kings Pointers are awarded the Bachelor of Science degree, a U.S. Coast Guard license, a merchant mariner’s license and an officer’s commission in the U.S. armed forces of their choosing.
USMMA graduates are required to fulfill a service obligation following graduation. Graduates can choose to work five years in the U.S. maritime industry with eight years of service as an officer in any reserve unit of the Armed Forces, or five years on active duty.
Grace Marie Thomas of Brooklyn NY, with Rose, the service dog she trained, is congratulated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at the USMMA 90th commencement, Kings Point, Long Island, NY
U.S. Merchant Marine was founded in 1942 by President Franklin Roosevelt to staff the merchant marine vessels supplying the troops. The USMMA is the only one of the five federal service academies that flies the battle standard as part of its color Guard. USMMA’s battle standard has 142 emblazoned into it, commemorating and perpetuating the memory of 142 Cadet Midshipmen who lost their lives during World War II. Indeed, as part of their arduous training – the hardest of any service academy – every Kings Pointer spends a year at sea, often in the service of the military engaged in conflict, as during the Iraq War.
The United States Merchant Marine Academy, in Kings Point, Long Island, NY, is recognized as vital to national security and the economic prosperity: 95 percent of the world’s products are transported over water. The Academy educates and trains those who are vital to the effective operation of the nation’s merchant fleet for both commercial and military transport, in peace as well as in war. Merchant ships can be ordered into national service, delivering military troops, supplies and equipment overseas, and operating as an auxiliary unit of the Navy. Academy graduates abide by the motto: “Acta Non Verba,” or “Deeds Not Words,” and are trained to be leaders who exemplify the ideals of service-above-self.
They began coming at 2 a.m, 3 a.m., the numbers continue to swell until by 10 a.m., there were well over 2 million people lining Broadway and cramming the streets leading to it, dozens thick, to see their heroes, the 2026 NBA Champions, the New York Knicks. It was a historic outpouring for a historic team and an historic occasion – the team’s first NBA Championship in 53 years, but also, how they did it. Yes, in a comfortable 5, losing only game 3, but each game, coming from behind, as much as an unheard of 29 points – to win four of five in the last minutes, last minute, last seconds, last second.
The throngs who came, swelled with joy and pride, did what New Yorkers do best – come together. You might consider the strain on getting to the parade on crammed subways, blocked sidewalks so crowded you couldn’t walk in any direction. But New Yorkers are kind, considerate, good humored and resilient – they somehow opened up space to get through, found a space or something to climb up and stand on.
More than two million lined the Canyon of Heroes, from Battery Park to City Hall, with thousands more cramming sidestreets to the point of b =eing impassable. They waited for hours before the parade even started, cheering, “Knicks in Five,” and finding ways to amuse themselves – playing with a balloon and when a squirrel somehow made its way through the crowd and dashed across Broadway, sent up giddy cheers.
It was as Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at the “keys to the city” ceremony that followed the parade: “Over these past weeks, our city has come together as one… So often when this city comes together it is because we are forced to by tragedy or adversity. What a gift to be brought together by pure, unfiltered. of joy.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani rode the first float (shooting his own video with a broad smile) and other dignitaries like Governor Kathy Hochul and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. Celebrities rode along like the Knicks #1 Fan, Spike Lee who rode on Jalen Brunson’s float. Fans also got to see Knicks Legends Knicks including Patrick Ewing, Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Carmelo Anthony, Bernard King, and John Starks.
The Knicks, themselves, were divided among several floats – or in Mitchell Robinson’s case, drove his own truck. Perhaps the biggest moment came when the undeniable MVP Jalen Brunson (he scored 45 of the Knicks’ 94 points in the series-clinching Game 5 in San Antonio), rode down next to his father, Rick Brunson, cradling his son’s MVP trophy. Rick Brunson was also a Knicks standout the last time New York reached the NBA Finals in 1999 before 2026 and became an assistant coach with the Knicks in 2022 the same year his son joined the team.
Just as the crowds waved signs, the people on the floats waved signs thanking fans for their support.
A mutual love fest. It was a celebration of community, with high school basketball champions, local school bands, the workers who make MSG run, and representatives of city departments participating.
People didn’t just hang out from windows in tall buildings, they stood out on ledges, threw what works as confetti and rolled out banners.
MTA Will Run Additional Subway Service on Match Days and to Free Fan Fest in Queens; Ample Service on LIRR and Metro-North for Fans to Connect to Matchday Shuttle Bus and Trains
Unprecedented Safety and Security Preparedness Effort Has Coordinated City and State Forces To Ensure Safety Throughout the Region During the Tournament
Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today updated New Yorkers on regionwide transportation and safety preparations in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With the first match at the NYNJ Stadium set just over a week away, New York is fully prepared to welcome over one million visitors to the city and to ensure they can travel safely to matches and throughout the region. Working across government, transportation and public safety, planning efforts have been underway for over a year. The MTA is fully prepared to handle additional transit needs throughout the tournament for matchgoing fans and New Yorkers alike, with extra subway service planned on strategic lines and a full deployment of customer ambassadors to assist fans making connections to the matches via shuttle bus or train.
“New York’s transit system safely and reliably moves millions every day, and we are ready to shine on the world stage,” Governor Hochul said. “The World Cup will be a once-in-a-generation event for our state, and whether you’re traveling from Brazil or Bed-Stuy, we have spent months developing a plan to get you to where you need to go safely.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, “We have spent months coordinating, drilling and preparing so that when the world arrives at our doorstep, we are ready. From the first kickoff to the final whistle and long after, our job is clear: keep residents and visiting fans safe, informed and supported during every moment of this busy summer.”
New York’s Transit System is Ready:
The MTA plans to run full service throughout the region on all matchdays and throughout the tournament, to support visitors to the region and the millions of New Yorkers who rely on mass transit to get around every single day. The MTA will run extra subway service on match days and fully scheduled commuter rail service at both Penn Station and Grand Central on both its railroads to ensure that the region continues to move, even on match days.
The New York City Subway has prepared additional service to meet demand on match days and for major events during the tournament. To get fans to and from shuttle buses and trains to the games, extra local service will be added on the 1, C and F lines. 1 and C frequencies will be increased all day on weekend match days between 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. In addition, 1, C and F train service will be increased for post-match travel to help move fans returning from matches. Lastly, to improve access to the free Fan Zone at the USTA Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, the MTA will run additional 7 train service on Mets game days where crowding is greatest. This added service will reduce crowding and improve customer wait times.
To ensure smooth travel, the MTA has also suspended all planned subway work in and around Midtown Manhattan on match days.
For fans traveling to matches via Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road, both railroads will provide connections to nearby shuttle bus service near Grand Central and trains to the game at Penn Station. Both LIRR and Metro-North have ample weekend capacity to meet the expected demand on matchdays.
To aid travelers, the MTA will deploy customer ambassadors at major shuttle bus hubs (Grand Central, Times Sq-42 St and 59 St Columbus Circle) to help guide travelers to the street level where they can connect to the stadium-bound bus service. For commuter rail travelers there will be extra LIRR, MTAPD and NYCT staff and MTA volunteers on site to support with wayfinding and customer assistance to navigate the station and provide directions to connecting rail service for the matches.
Keeping New Yorkers Safe:
As part of the FY27 Enacted Budget, Governor Hochul secured an additional $77 million to support the deployment of NYPD officers across the subway system to target areas of greatest need and to enhance rider safety, bringing the total to $154 million. This year’s budget also includes an expansion of the Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams (SCOUT) initiative by 50 percent to reach more locations and operate with greater flexibility across the system.
These investments build on the Governor’s past investments in subway safety, which brought subway crime down to the lowest levels in 16 years in 2025. Last year, Governor Hochul expanded safety initiatives throughout the transit system by partnering with New York City officials to increase NYPD patrols on subway platforms and trains; installing new protective barriers on subway platforms to protect riders; upgrading fare gates and delaying egress on exit gates to help crack down on fare evasion; adding LED lighting throughout stations to increase visibility; and updating and strengthening key mental health laws to ensure that New Yorkers with severe mental illness are connected with care instead of being left to languish on subway trains and platforms.
Emergency Preparedness:
Over the last year, the MTA has been working with local partners to enhance security measures in preparation for the World Cup. The MTA has conducted in-person training, tabletops, and other readiness exercises — including one of the largest in State history at Moynihan Train Hall — across MTA and transit facilities with a wide range of law enforcement, safety, and other regional stakeholders. The MTA has also partnered with local and federal agencies to coordinate intelligence sharing and structure chains of communications plans for managing operations and any potential incidents on match days and special events.
Additionally, law enforcement agencies will maintain an enhanced security presence on match days and for special events, with boots on the ground across major hubs and advanced surveillance and proactive crowd management.
These efforts also include strengthened cyber and critical infrastructure protections to ensure digital and physical infrastructure is safe from bad actors and the increased external pressures associated with these events. Counter-UAS [i.e., drone] detection equipment will be deployed at critical locations throughout the MTA system, including across tunnel and bridge infrastructure.
Moving Fans Affordably:
To ensure that fans have affordable, accessible transportation options to and from matches, Governor Hochul teamed up with the NYNJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee to significantly reduce the cost of shuttle bus service and add additional bus capacity on matchdays. Bus tickets now cost $20 round trip, with 20 percent of all tickets reserved for New York residents. The total number of bus seats has increased from the initial 10,000 to 12,000 on school days and 18,000 on the five non-school days when matches will occur.
To date, the Host Committee has sold nearly 34,000 shuttle bus tickets. The first two matches on June 13 and June 16 are approximately 50 percent sold and are expected to sell out. Fans with valid match tickets are encouraged to take advantage of this low cost option to travel to the NYNJ Stadium while tickets are available by purchasing shuttle tickets here.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “After months of planning, we are adding trains wherever fans are going to watch matches while helping to keep them safe. Moving millions is what we do, and not just when the World Cup is in town.”
NYNJ FIFA World Cup Host Committee CEO Alex Lasry said, “With kickoff just days away, our region is ready to welcome the world. This level of preparation doesn’t happen overnight — it is the result of years of collaboration among transportation agencies, public safety officials, and government partners across New York and New Jersey. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul, Mayor Mamdani, the MTA and countless partners, fans will have safe and reliable ways to travel throughout the tournament while residents continue to move around the region. We are grateful for their partnership and shared commitment to delivering an unforgettable World Cup this summer.”
Trump Administration Set to Illegally Pay TotalEnergies $795 Million to Abandon Wind Lease off the Coast of New York and Invest in Fossil Fuels in Texas
Canceled Project Would Have Saved New Yorkers $10 Billion in Energy Bills and Brought More Than 1,700 Jobs to the State
Governor Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that New York is leading a coalition of six other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its unlawful cancellation of a major offshore wind lease off the coast of New York.
In March 2026, after a string of court losses in its crusade against wind energy, the administration struck a deal with TotalEnergies, a French energy company, to cancel two offshore wind leases and pay the company nearly $1 billion in taxpayer dollars. In exchange, TotalEnergies agreed to walk away from offshore wind, invest hundreds of millions of dollars in oil and gas projects, and pledge not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States. TotalEnergies subsidiary Attentive Energy would have developed the New York lease, and the project was expected to deliver clean energy directly to New York City, power more than 700,000 New York homes, and generate billions of dollars in benefits for New Yorkers. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the deal is blatantly unlawful and are asking the court to strike it down.
“This pay-not-to-play scheme pressuring a foreign company to forego planned offshore wind projects in America in favor of gas and oil drilling is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars that hurts our ability to meet our energy needs, create good jobs, and help secure American energy independence while reducing emissions,” Governor Hochul said. “Attorney General James and I will continue to aggressively fight back against Donald Trump’s overt and never-ending hostility toward offshore wind, including his unlawful use of the most powerful office in the world to get private companies like TotalEnergies to bow to his will.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “The Trump administration is once again trying to kill clean energy projects and destroy good-paying jobs for New Yorkers. After repeatedly losing in court, this administration cooked up a sham deal to pay a foreign energy company hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to abandon offshore wind and invest in oil and gas instead. We are fighting back to stop this illegal agreement that threatens to erase over a thousand union jobs and cheat millions of New Yorkers out of clean, affordable energy.”
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “I thank Attorney General James for continuing to fight to protect our offshore wind industry in New York State. Governor Hochul has made it clear that offshore wind is a vital part of our state’s diverse energy portfolio and we remain committed to delivering reliable, affordable energy to all New Yorkers.”
In 2022, Attentive Energy paid $795 million to purchase an offshore wind lease approximately 47 miles off the coast of New York, as part of the highest-grossing competitive offshore energy lease sale in United States history. The lease area was expected to support two projects: Attentive Energy One, which would have delivered energy directly to New York City, and Attentive Energy Two, which would have served New Jersey. The Attentive Energy One project was estimated to deliver $25.6 billion in economic benefits to New York state over its 25-year life, including $10 billion in savings on New Yorkers’ energy bills. The project was also expected to create an estimated 1,716 new jobs in New York.
In March 2026, more than four years after the lease was awarded and with construction plans already under review, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) suddenly announced that it had reached an agreement with TotalEnergies to cancel the Attentive Energy lease and a separate lease off the coast of North Carolina. DOI claimed that new national security concerns justified the cancellation, even though the federal government had already reviewed and approved the lease area after years of analysis and consultation. Under the agreement, TotalEnergies would invest approximately $795 million in fossil fuel projects, while the federal government would unlawfully “reimburse” the company with $795 million from the Judgment Fund, which may be used only to settle claims related to ongoing or imminent litigation. The administration also announced that TotalEnergies had pledged not to develop any new offshore wind projects in the United States.
The Trump administration’s deal with TotalEnergies followed a series of failed attempts to eliminate wind energy development. On his first day in office, the president halted federal approvals for all wind energy projects nationwide. Attorney General James led a coalition in a lawsuit and, in December 2025, secured a final judgment ending the illegal blockade. The administration later attempted to suspend construction on several offshore wind projects, including Empire Wind and Sunrise Wind in New York, on vague national security grounds. Again, Attorney General James sued, and federal courts blocked those suspensions as well.
Attorney General James and the coalition assert that the cancellation of the Attentive Energy projects will harm their states’ economies, energy grids, and climate goals. Offshore wind is a critical part of New York’s plan to meet growing electricity demand, especially in New York City, where Attentive Energy One was expected to deliver power directly. New York’s State Energy Plan projects that electricity demand will continue to rise significantly in coming years, and offshore wind is expected to play a major role in ensuring that the state has enough energy to meet that demand. Canceling the projects also threatens to deprive New York of more than a thousand new, good-paying jobs, infrastructure investment, and long-term economic development.
The attorneys general argue that the Trump administration’s deal violated the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which limits DOI’s ability to cancel offshore wind leases. DOI must hold a hearing, specifically find that continuing the lease would likely cause serious harm to life, property, national security, or the environment, and determine that the benefits of cancellation outweigh the benefits of allowing the lease to continue. DOI did none of that before canceling the Attentive Energy lease. The coalition also argues that the deal violates the Judgment Fund Act because the $795 million payment was not a legitimate compromise settlement in an imminent lawsuit, but rather a contrived arrangement to satisfy the president’s personal opposition to wind energy.
Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to strike down the plainly unlawful agreement, vacate the lease cancellation, and stop the administration from taking further action to implement this illegal deal.
Joining Attorney General James in today’s lawsuit are the attorneys general of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The 2026 Israel Day Parade drew over 50,000 marchers from around the region and even the world but what it lacked in bipartisan, almost universal support from New Yorkers it more than made up for in a defiant, joyful energy and spirit.
For the first time in anyone’s memory, a New York City mayor declined to march in the parade. As a Palestinian rights supporter, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has criticized Israel’s response to the Hamas terror attacks on Oct. 27, 2023.
Instead, the march was led by New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch along with former mayor Mike Bloomberg. Other political luminaries and parade regulars included Senator Chuck Schumer; Governor Kathy Hochul; New York Attorney General Letitia James; NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli; city Comptroller Mark Levine; and city Council Speaker Julie Menin. Congressman Dan Goldman was also expected to march.
Governor Hochul did more than march, she signed the “Buffer Bill” – legislation that creates a 50-foot security perimeter between protests and houses of worship.
“Today we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Governor Hochul declared at the start of the march. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live, and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘Buffer Bill’ — the first ever in the State of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred from anyone.
“We’re going to stand up and make sure that you’re protected on our streets and in our subways and in our schools and our community centers, because this is who we are, my friends, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise. We stand up for each other. We are allies with one another, and hate against one is hate against all,” Governor Hochul declared.
Hochul’s Republican opponent, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, also took the opportunity to make himself – and his opposition to Mamdani- very visible, holding a rally and passing out campaign signs which a cluster of onlookers along the Fifth Avenue route held up. Blakeman, who after Mamdani’s election said he would erect a security “surveillance wall” between New York City and Nassau County, has attacked Mamdani as an antisemite because Mamdani loosened the definition of “antisemitism” to distinguish between hate speech and political criticism of the Israeli government.
(Blakeman’s surveillance wall consisted of AI video cameras with facial recognition, license plate readers, and increased police patrols and cooperation with ICE over immigration enforcement. The move prompted pushback from civil liberties advocates, still smarting from his formation of a secretive private militia but his “tough guy” persona and policies are central to Blakeman’s administration and his campaign for governor.)
Former Mayor Eric Adams also marched, and was greeted by a group of onlookers cheering, “We want you back.” Several on the sidelines and in the parade carried signs attacking Mamdani.
Israeli elected officials also joined, among them Amir Ohana, the speaker of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament; former UN Ambassador Magen David Adom Global President Gilad Erdan; Mayor Matah Katzman of Even-Yehuda; and Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon, with a large contingent from Israel’s consulate.
The overarching theme for the 2026 march was “Proud Americans, Proud Zionists,” focusing on Jewish visibility, identity, pride and community solidarity, and highlighting the strong bonds between the United States and Israel, Israel’s history and its permanence. Signs read “Standing Together. Standing Proud.” “Israel Our History. Our Future.” “Stronger than Before. Thank you for standing with us.” “Unapologentically Zionist.”
The defiant vibe predominated, amidst a worrisome decline in support from Americans (especially a Democratic faction and young progressives) that could hurt Israel severely as that country will likely have to deal with generational war as a result of its short-sighted militancy in Iran and Lebanon as well as Gaza and the West Bank.
A growing number of Americans are demanding an end to the billions in military aid for Israel and much of the world has lost sympathy for the decades of terror Israelis have had to endure in face of Netanyahu and the Israeli right-wing’s abuses in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. Even liberal American Jews have expressed opposition to Netanyahu and the direction his right wing extremists have taken Israel. Increasingly, support for Israel, once bipartisan, is being associated with Trump and the MAGA rightwing extremists, a partisan wedge that can only hurt Israel.
But that was not on the minds of the 50,000 who marched in the Israel Day Parade, nor the thousands of like-minded supporters who lined Fifth Avenue – albeit a shortened parade route – to cheer them on.
There was a joyous, triumphant, in-your-face pride, energy and clear demonstration of the unity of values and purpose they see between the United States and Israel.
Among the marchers, Holocaust survivors, American Veterans of Israel 1948, Jewish American Veterans, a huge contingent from Israel’s Consulate, the Judeo-Christian Zionist Congress and from Chinatown’s chamber of commerce.
More fanciful marchers included Philadelphia Mummers, two camels, bottle dancers from “Fiddler on the Roof,” and a contingent of Chai Riders motorcyclists.
Amidst heightened levels of antisemitism, anti-Israel and anti-Zionist acts and concern for terror attacks, the march this year came with an unprecedented level of security – streets were barricaded from Madison Avenue to Sixth Avenue, all onlookers had to go through security and were separated from the marchers by a buffer and barricades, the parade route was shortened, and there was an extra heavy police presence.
“As the mayor of our city, I take seriously my responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of every New Yorker and every event, regardless of my attendance,” Mayor Mamdani said at a press conference a week before.
As a result, there were few onlookers who were not somehow connected to the march, and no anti-Israel protesters along the route, though there was the regular, small group of ultra-orthodox outside the security perimeter who oppose Israel’s creation before the messiah.
A group of onlookers who were otherwise supportive of Israel but opposed to Netanyahu and his right wing government, waved signs saying reflecting their nuanced position: “The only hope: a shared Israel-Palestinian future” and “This Israeli Government belongs in the Hague, not in NYC”. Another tried to separate politics from supporting Israel’s security.
