Amidst Uncertainty at the CDC, Governor Takes Action To Protect Access to Life-Saving Vaccines
Department of Financial Services Guidance Strongly Encourages Commercial Insurers To Continue Covering 100 Percent of the Costs of Recommended Vaccines
In light of continued attacks on science and health care from the federal government, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced new action to protect vaccine access across New York State. The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) is issuing guidance to insurers encouraging them to continue covering all vaccines recommended by The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as of today’s date. ACIP has long been responsible for issuing recommendations on vaccine use to control disease in the United States, and insurers typically provide coverage of vaccines based on ACIP recommendations. Today’s publication also reminds insurers of previously issued guidance requiring insurers to cover COVID vaccines for children. In addition, the guidance urges insurers to encourage employers and other entities who provide self-funded health care coverage to continue covering the cost of vaccines. Today’s action builds upon Governor Hochul’s Executive Order allowing pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines to ensure New Yorkers can receive the updated 2025-26 COVID shot.
“New Yorkers deserve to have the resources available to get vaccinated if they choose to, and Republicans in Washington should not be able to take that from them,” Governor Hochul said.“Vaccines not only prevent people from getting sick — they can save lives and prevent the spread of infectious diseases, especially as we approach our colder seasons and our children are back in schools.”
New York State Superintendent of Financial Services Adrienne A. Harris said,“Public health experts have been clear that vaccines are an essential tool in combating the spread of infectious diseases and lowering the cost of health care. The cost of a vaccine should not be a barrier to this critical care. DFS strongly encourages insurers to continue to provide comprehensive vaccine coverage for all New Yorkers.”
“In 2024, we lost 2,775 New Yorkers related to COVID, that is enough to fill 7 jumbo jets,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald. “Vaccines are the best protection from serious illness and hospitalization. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership in taking swift action to ensure that vaccines remain accessible and affordable for families across our state. By safeguarding coverage and availability, we can prevent illness, save lives and keep our communities healthy as we head into the colder months.”
New York is also working in coordination with — and helping to lead — a regional multi-state public health collaboration among Northeast states, which brings together public health leaders across the region to develop evidence-based recommendations and approaches on vaccination, disease surveillance, and emergency preparedness. The collaborative also supports state public health laboratories in sharing resources and expertise to strengthen regional readiness.
450,000 New Yorkers At Risk of Losing Healthcare Due to GOP Cuts
Meanwhile, Governor Hochul is raising alarms that 450,000 New Yorkers are in jeopardy of losing health care. Cuts imposed by Washington Republicans are expected to have a significant impact, with an anticipated nearly $13 billion affecting New Yorkers healthcare system. Additionally, approximately 1.5 million New Yorkers are projected to lose their health insurance coverage, while over 300,000 households are expected to lose some or all of their SNAP benefits.
“For months, I’ve warned that Washington Republicans’ devastating cuts would rip health care away from New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul stated. “Today, we have no choice but to confront that reality.
“Nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers rely on the [state’s] Essential Plan for health care – working moms and dads, families living paycheck to paycheck, people doing everything right and still struggling to get by. The Big Ugly Bill forced through by Donald Trump and Republicans puts every single one of them at risk of losing their care. I refuse to stand by while Washington punishes vulnerable New Yorkers. That’s why today, I’m taking action to preserve health care for 1.3 million people by shifting their coverage to our state’s Basic Health Program, allowing us to access emergency funds that would otherwise not be available.”
But, she added, even with these steps, 450,000 New Yorkers are at risk of losing their care.
“That includes 127,000 people represented by New York’s seven Republican Members of Congress, who are abandoning their own constituents to hand out tax breaks for the wealthy,” Hochul declared. “It doesn’t have to be this way. If Republicans give a damn about protecting health care for their constituents, they can act right now to pass a three-year delay of HR1’s cuts to health care eligibility and keep every New Yorker on the Essential Plan covered. And in the meantime, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services needs to work with us to identify more low-cost health insurance options for New Yorkers.
“There is still work to do here in New York. Many of the 1.7 million people on the Essential Plan are working part time, including at big retailers and other companies that deliberately limit hours to avoid covering health care. It’s time for these employers to stop passing the cost on to taxpayers and start providing coverage for their workers.
“The message from across our state is clear: we can act together and stop these devastating impacts before it’s too late.”
Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie stated, ‘”Losing the Essential Plan is a devastating blow to hard working New Yorkers brought on due to the draconian measures implemented by the federal government in their Big Terrible Bill. Representatives Elise Stefanik, Mike Lawler, Nick LaLota, Nicole Malliotakis, Andrew Garbarino, Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy voted to give their billionaire donors the gift of tax breaks and tax cuts, and now hardworking New Yorkers will have to bear the fallout because of their actions.
“This will have ripples across our healthcare system, putting more stress on already overburdened emergency rooms and causing almost half a million people to lose access to healthcare. Make no mistake, this will affect every single New Yorker, and no amount of obfuscating and gaslighting by our Republican members of Congress can change that. I will continue to work with my partners at all levels of government to try and find solutions to protect New Yorkers from the cruelty that the administration in Washington continues to push.”
New York State Paid Off Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Loan, Bringing the Fund to Solvency, Increasing Benefits for Unemployed New Yorkers, and Cutting Costs to Businesses
Other Major Accomplishments Include Increasing Minimum Wage Benefits, Three New Worker Safety Laws, Free Community College for Adult Learners, and Expanded Wage Theft Enforcement
Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted New York’s labor and workforce accomplishments in celebration of Labor Day. Governor Hochul has worked diligently to ensure that New York State is a safe, affordable place to work, live and raise a family. Accomplishments this year to enact a nation-leading worker agenda include paying off the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund debt, increasing minimum wage benefits, offering free community college for adult learners in high-demand sectors and making a significant investment in education workforce training programs. The Governor has also continued an aggressive crackdown on wage theft, increased penalties for violating child labor laws and advanced new legislation to keep workers safe while on the job.
“Labor Day is about recognizing our hardworking laborers for their contributions and achievements,” Governor Hochul said. “Our workers across the state deserve the resources and support necessary to be protected and work effectively and my administration will continue to deliver for them.”
Governor Hochul has been a longtime supporter of New York’s labor unions and remains committed to supporting New York workers. The Governor has taken the following actions to support, protect, and train workers in the past year, building on major labor and workforce accomplishments from last year:
Improving Wages and Benefits
Increased Minimum Wage: In January, New York’s minimum wage rose by $0.50 per hour to $16.50 in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island and $15.50 across the rest of the state. This adjustment is part of an historic, multiyear agreement between Governor Hochul and the New York State Legislature to index the minimum wage to inflation starting in 2027.
Paying off the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Debt: A key achievement of Governor Hochul’s Enacted Fiscal Year 2026 (FY 2026) Budget is the full repayment of New York’s federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund loan. This nearly $7 billion action restores the fund’s solvency, increases benefits for unemployed New Yorkers, and reduces costsfor businesses. Beginning in October, the maximum weekly UI benefit, previously frozen at $504, will increase to $869. The repayment also paves the way for an increased taxable wage base in 2026 to strengthen the fund long term.
Strengthening Benefits for Striking Workers: In May, Governor Hochul signed legislation allowing striking workers to collect Unemployment Insurance benefits after a two-week waiting period, down from the previous three-week waiting period.
Expanding the Healthy Terminals Act: In May, Governor Hochul signed legislation to expand the Healthy Terminals Act to enhance wages, health care and leave benefits for airport workers at JFK and LaGuardia airports, including part-time workers. This also ensures parity across New York City-area airports and includes an exemption for small employers with 10 or fewer employees.
Expanding Opportunities for Employment and Training
“You’re Hired” Campaign for Former Federal Workers: Launched in February by Governor Hochul, the initiative encouraged Federal workers who had lost their jobs to apply for the many New York State public service roles. State agencies hired more than 120 former federal workers.
Providing Free Community College for Adult Learners in High-Demand Fields: Governor Hochul’s FY 2026 Budget established free community college for adults in high demand fields through SUNY and CUNY Reconnect. Through this landmark program, community colleges at SUNY and CUNY will cover tuition, fees, books, and supplies for adult students ages 25 to 55 with no degree who are pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields like advanced manufacturing, technology, engineering, cyber security, AI, teaching, and healthcare. As of last month, more than 16,500 applications have been received.
Digitizing Youth Working Papers: Governor Hochul signed legislation in May to modernize the youth employment certification process by creating a one-stop online portal, eliminating outdated requirements like in-person pick up and mandatory physical exams.
$14.4 Million to Support Education Workforce Training Programs: In August, Governor Hochul announced $14.4 million in Workforce Development Awards had been allocated to State University of New York, City University of New York, and private colleges and universities as part of the Education Workforce Investment to expand opportunities for New Yorkers interested in becoming educators in critical shortage areas.
Resources to Support Older Workers: In partnership with the NYS Office for the Aging, the NYS Department of Labor (NYSDOL) launched an online resource hub to help older New Yorkers re-enter the workforce. Developed in alignment with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Employ Older Workers Week and Governor Hochul’s State Master Plan for Aging, this online tool offers critical guidance and resources to support older workers so they can overcome barriers to employment.
Strengthening Worker Protections
Keeping Workers Safe While on the Job: Governor Hochul declared June Worker Safety Month, as three new laws went into effect to enhance protections for workers in certain sectors.
Retail Worker Safety Act requires retail employers with 10 or more workers statewide to implement interactive training programs about workplace violence, which includes threats of physical violence, abuse, harassment, and intimidation. Employers with 500 or more employees statewide must provide silent response buttons by January 2027.
The Fashion Workers Act aims to ensure transparency and fair treatment for models and other fashion workers and requires model management companies to register in New York State and adhere to specific duties like providing safe work environments and acting in the best interest of the models they represent.
The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Program expands upon last year’s Warehouse Worker Protection Act and requires employers to identify and minimize the risks of injuries by conducting worksite evaluations; providing training for employees and supervisors and establishing medical staffing and treatment protocols.
Wage Theft Enforcement Expansion: In May, Governor Hochul advanced legislation to give NYS Department of Labor new tools including liens, asset seizures, and stop-work orders, to collect unpaid wages following a wage theft judgement.
Tougher Penalties for Child Labor Violations: In response to a nationwide surge in violations of Child Labor Laws, in May, the Governor advanced legislation to significantly increase civil penalties for employers violating child labor laws.
On-Site Consultation Program Keeps Workers Safe and Saves Businesses Money: Celebrating 50 years, the free On-Site Consultation Program has saved New York’s Employers $89 million over the past decade by preventing workplace injuries. The program, funded in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), helps businesses prevent workplace injuries and illnesses and assists them with regulatory compliance.
Other Major Accomplishments
Nation’s First Paid Prenatal Leave: As of January 1, 2025, New York became the first state in the nation to require all private businesses to provide expecting workers up to 20 hours of paid sick leave for pregnancy-related healthcare.
Supporting Health Care Workers with Over $2 Billion in Bonuses: In addition to investing in the next generation of New York’s health care workers, Governor Hochul has continued to support current health care workers who provide the services that so many New Yorkers rely on. Last year, the Governor announced that New York State has paid over $2 billion in bonuses to more than 800,000 health care workers statewide through the Health Care Worker Bonus Program. The program was launched by Governor Hochul in 2022 and provided bonuses of up to $3,000 for eligible health care workers across New York.
Apprenticeship Month and Program Investment: For the third consecutive year, Governor Hochul proclaimed November New York State Apprenticeship Month as part of her continued support of this highly effective workforce development model. In 2026, The New York State Department of Labor will celebrate Apprenticeship Week from April 26-May 2.
Launch of Newly Updated New York State Police Officer Apprenticeship Program: In September 2024, the NYS Department of Labor, State University of New York, and SUNY Schenectady announced the launch of a newly updated New York State Police Officer Apprenticeship Program. This program gives recruits the ability to earn money while learning essential skills and receiving financial assistance and support to guide them through their police officer training.
State Senator Jessica Ramos said, “This Labor Day comes at a critical time, as workers face attacks across the country. In New York, we’re showing what pro-worker leadership looks like — paying off $7 billion in unemployment debt to raise benefits and cut costs, reducing the wait for striking workers to access unemployment, and investing in workforce development statewide. With new laws like the Retail Worker Safety Act and the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act now in place, we’re making sure every New Yorker can go to work and come home safe, every shift, every day.”
State Senator James Sanders Jr. said, “I am proud to strongly support the many achievements for the working people this year by New York State. New York continues to be a leader in the nation to advance the rights and benefits for workers including a higher minimum wage, stronger benefits for striking workers, expanded opportunities for training and education, increased worker protection, and other new policies. Labor Day is about celebrating workers who are the backbone of the American economy and democracy.”
Assemblymember Harry Bronson said, “As Chair of the Assembly Labor Committee, fighting to make sure New York State is a safe, affordable place to work and live is job number one. With the leadership and partnership of Governor Hochul we have accomplished much for our working families. Enhancing wage enforcement, expanding workplace safety in several industries and providing workforce development have been key to achieve meaningful progress for all New Yorkers. Paying off the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Debt while significantly increasing employee benefits and reducing costs for businesses was a priority in this budget; this achievement demonstrates our unwavering commitment to making New York more affordable for our hardworking families and businesses. As we celebrate Labor Day, we must honor our workers by committing to always fight for them for living wages, safe workplaces and good health care and retirement benefits so they can provide for themselves and their families.”
Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn said, “New York has always been a leader in protecting and uplifting working people, and I applaud Governor Hochul’s commitment to strengthening worker protections and expanding opportunities for New Yorkers. These accomplishments – from paid prenatal leave to stronger workplace safety laws– demonstrate that our state is putting working families first. Strengthening wage theft enforcement, increasing penalties for child labor violations, and investing in workforce training are not just policies on paper — they are real protections that improve lives, keep workplaces safe, and give working families the support they deserve. On this Labor Day, we celebrate the progress made and reaffirm our dedication to building a fairer, safer workplace for all.”
Today, the Houston Chronicle published an op-ed by Governor Kathy Hochul outlining her commitment to protecting New Yorkers amidst the redistricting battle happening out in the state of Texas. The Governor discussed how Democrats across the nation must stand up to these brazen attacks to undermine democracy and the sacred practice of voting in the United States. Here is the text:
Up until now, Democrats have treated our political system like it’s still governed by norms, guarded by limits and rooted in fairness. Rules were meant to be followed. It hurts to say it, but that era has come to an end. Since Donald Trump’s rise, Republicans have declared war on the American people. They slashed health care, gutted nutrition programs and stacked the Supreme Court to rip away freedoms we once took for granted. And now, they’re trying to rig the rules of democracy itself.
At President Trump’s direction, Texas state House Republicans are attempting to redraw their congressional maps mid-decade, an aggressive power grab designed to flip as many as five current Democratic seats. They’ve carved up diverse communities in Houston, Dallas and along the border to silence the voters who live there.
What Texas is doing isn’t a clever strategy, it’s political arson — torching our democracy to cling to power. The only viable recourse is to fight fire with fire. This isn’t just a Texas issue. When Republicans rig congressional maps in one state, it weakens representation in every state. Every unfair seat they create tilts Congress further out of balance. If they get away with it now, 2026 will be the first of many stolen elections.
I may be governor of New York, but I will not sit on the sidelines with timid souls and merely watch while Republicans dismantle democracy. That’s not who we are. And that is certainly not the leadership that this moment calls for.
That’s why I was proud to host Texas House Democrats this week. These public servants left the state to follow a legitimate and legal tactic to deny Republicans a quorum and stop this scheme in its tracks. As John Lewis said, sometimes you have to get into good trouble. That’s what they’re doing — and they’re not alone.
Before our meeting in the New York State Capitol, I invited the delegation members to the governor’s residence, a home once occupied by former Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I wanted them to draw strength from his example. He led this nation through some of its darkest days. Like FDR, we know who we’re fighting for and who we’re fighting against.
Because this fight isn’t about maps. It’s about values. Fairness. Freedom. Representation. The very essence of our republic.
In New York, we’ve shown what’s possible when you expand access to the ballot instead of suppressing it. I signed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act in 2022, the strongest law of its kind in the nation. I expanded voter registration and implemented early voting by mail. When Democrats lead, democracy gets stronger.
But we can’t do it alone. That’s why I’m in close touch with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and others working on how states can coordinate legal, legislative and constitutional strategies to fight back. We are also reviewing every legal and legislative option to redraw our own maps in New York. If Republicans are changing the rules, we’ll meet them on the same field, with strategy, with resolve and without apology.
Some will say this is too aggressive. I say it’s necessary.
What Texas Republicans are doing under Trump’s direction is nothing short of a legal insurrection on our Capitol. But using a legal system doesn’t make it legitimate. It’s a hijacking of democracy. And it must be stopped. A newsflash for Texas Republicans: this is not the Wild West. We will not be bystanders as our democracy is stolen in a modern-day stagecoach heist.
I fundamentally believe that while Texans and New Yorkers have our share of differences, we agree on basic fairness. You shouldn’t cheat to get ahead. And you must be willing to stand up for the democratic institutions that make this nation so exceptional. Americans are done with the cruelty, chaos and cowardice they have witnessed since 2025 began. They’re ready to vote Republicans out — and Republicans know it. That’s why they’re rigging the game before the next whistle blows.
But we can’t let them get away with it without a fight. Not on my watch.
If you refuse to fight for democracy, you’re doomed to lose it. I didn’t get into public service to lose. I got in to fight and to win on behalf of the people I serve. To every Texan standing up to Trump and Abbott’s scheme, you’re on the right side of history. We’re proud to stand with you.
To the rest of America, don’t be afraid to join this fight. If they rewrite the rules, then so will we.
All’s fair in love and war. Bring it on.
Kathy Hochul is the 57th and first female governor of New York State.
It is notable that the dictator wannabe Trump cites the images he saw on TV to decry starvation in Gaza – he has a whole intelligence apparatus and presumably a daily briefing (with pictures!) to give him a true assessment, unvarnished by his conspiracy-propagating media and social media allies (Fox, X). It is also notable that instead of going after the true perpetrators and source of terror and violence – the mass murderers, political extremists with easy, ready access to weapons of war – the MAGAs decry those who advocate for justice and fairness in law enforcement. And instead of improving public safety by increasing funding for intelligence and law enforcement, Trump and his Department of Homeland Security are withholding funding to urban centers (read, “Democrat-leaning”) centers.It is yet another instance of Trump and his vile administration using money – that is, OUR tax dollars – as a weapon to further his personal and political objectives, without a care for the fallout for public safety, health, security – Karen Rubin, editor@news-photos-features.com
Governor Kathy Hochul issued a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the release of funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) through the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) following Monday evening’s mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan.
UASI funding is critical to building intelligence analysis capacity within the NYPD, enabling surge capacity when new threats are identified, and allowing the NYPD to provide federal law enforcement partners with intelligence collection and analysis capacity during large National Special Security events. UASI also supports a wide array of security initiatives conducted by law enforcement and public safety agencies throughout Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk Counties
Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $156.1 million for New York in 2024 — would make New Yorkers less safe at a time when New York City remains a high-level target for acts of targeted violence. New York City, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, City of Yonkers, and Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester Counties all received awards through this funding.
The full text of the letter:
Dear Secretary Noem:
As Governor, my top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe. For decades, New York has partnered with the federal government, your agency specifically, to resource homeland security and counter terrorism efforts in New York City and across New York State.
On Monday, it was once again apparent that New York City remains a high-level target for acts of targeted violence. Four New Yorkers lost their lives, including an NYPD officer, in Midtown Manhattan. The assailant responsible traveled from Nevada all the way to our nation’s largest metropolis to commit this heinous act.
Your Department has long recognized that densely populated urban areas constitute a specific and unique target for acts of terrorism and targeted violence, and that there are unique needs and challenges to securing them safely. However, under your watch the Department of Homeland Security has failed to release the funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).
We know from public reporting that Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson sent a memo to the White House that you approved recommending the elimination of UASI. In that memo, the Acting Administrator admitted that eliminating this funding would result in “a less secure nation, especially at the border and in some of the nation’s most targeted cities, including Miami, Washington DC, and Dallas…”. New York City is this nation’s most targeted city when it comes to terrorism threats.
Eliminating this funding — which totaled more than $553 million in 2024, $156.1 million of which went to New York — would make New Yorkers less safe, hamstring the NYPD’s efforts to confront terrorist threats, and reduce intelligence information sharing across local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. This funding has been critical to building intelligence analysis capacity within the NYPD, enabling surge capacity when new threats are identified, and allowing the NYPD to provide federal law enforcement partners with intelligence collection and analysis capacity during large National Special Security events — all goals that until recently we were confident our federal partners shared with us.
On Monday, the same day as the latest targeted attack, your agency released several homeland security preparedness grants that we had expected to receive in May. However, you failed to also release UASI — the grant specifically designed to protect the nation’s highest urban terrorist targets.
Further delays in the release of UASI will degrade our nation’s ability to protect our urban centers including our ability to keep New Yorkers safe. I urge you to fulfill your duty to protect all Americans and to release UASI funding immediately.
Extreme Weather Continues To Grow in Frequency and Intensity — Dozens of Temperature and Snowfall Records Broken in Recent Years, Along With Numerous Significant Rainfalls and Wildfires
Governor Launched Innovative State Weather Risk Communication Center at UAlbany; Invested More Than $25 Million to Expand Regional Presence of State Emergency Management Staff and Response Assets
In contrast to the malicious negligence of climate-denying Trump, HHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Republican governors including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has worked for years stepping up the state’s mitigation and protection against the worsening severity and likelihood of climate disasters. After the tragic results of the Republican administration in Texas failure to spend money from its $30 billion “rainy day fund” on emergency warning system that could have prevented the loss of life of Camp Mystic and throughout the flash-flood prone region, and the extraordinary negligence of Kristi Noem who failed to send out rescue teams for 72 hours, Governor Hochul sought to alleviate New Yorkers’ concerns by focusing on how the state prepares for extreme weather and taking actions to mitigate for climate change as the state transitions to a clean-energy economy.- Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
Governor Kathy Hochul updated New Yorkers on the state’s preparedness and response capabilities as extreme weather continues to grow in frequency and intensity each year. In the face of this growing threat, as well as looming cuts in critical federal funding, Governor Hochul has made it a top priority to invest in the State’s capabilities to prepare for, and respond to, all types of extreme weather.
“New York State is no stranger to extreme weather, and New Yorkers must be prepared for the myriad of severe weather events that come our way,” Governor Hochul said. “Keeping our state safe and protected is my top priority, and my administration is committed to ensuring accessible emergency weather preparedness and an all-hands-on-deck approach to response and recovery operations as severe weather threats increase.”
New York has one of the nation’s most diverse threat landscapes, especially when it comes to the threat of extreme weather. Since taking office in 2021, weather-related natural disasters have resulted in eight Major Disaster Declarations, five Emergency Declarations and one Fire Management Assistance Grant Declaration from the federal government, as well as the declaration of at least 19 State Disaster Emergencies by Governor Hochul herself.
The diversity of natural threats has been wide ranging too. In 2024 and 2025 alone, New York has:
Broken 49 High Temperature Records
Broken 10 Low Temperature Records
Broken 19 Snowfall Records
Experienced 38 Tornadoes
Experienced 20 significant brush and wildfires, including the largest wildfire in NYS in 30+ years
Experienced at least 20 significant rainfall events; and
Experienced impacts from two tropical systems (Beryl and Debby)
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Extreme weather events are now the norm, so being prepared is our best defense. We are fortunate to have a Governor that not only understands this, but actively does something about it. The significant investments Governor Hochul has made in training, equipment, planning and staffing have prepared us to support our local partners and all New Yorkers when a severe weather emergency strikes.”
“New York is leading the nation in building a strong connection between weather experts, emergency managers and the public— which is critical as our state faces increasingly frequent and extreme weather,: New York State Weather Risk Communication Center Director Nick Bassill said. “From hurricanes to lake effect snow and everything in between, the State Weather Risk Communication Center at UAlbany is working daily to help state and local emergency managers better prepare for and respond to severe weather events. I’d like to thank Governor Hochul and Commissioner Bray for their continued support and remain committed to making our communities safer and more resilient.”
Strengthening Preparedness and Response, While Building Resiliency
Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, New York has invested heavily in not only preparedness and response capabilities, but in building a more resilient state. Some of those efforts have included:
In December 2023, Governor Hochul announced the creation of New York’s State Weather Risk Communication Center (SWRCC) at the State University of New York at Albany. The Center is a first-of-its kind operational collaboration between university researchers and state emergency managers and serves as a clearinghouse for critical weather information. It also works to develop tools to help emergency managers make informed decisions to help protect communities and examines how communicating extreme weather risks to the public can be improved.
Governor Hochul secured $15 million in the FY25 Enacted Budget to enable the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to supply county partners with critical emergency response assets such as generators, high-flow pumps and flood barrier technology.
Governor Hochul secured an additional $10.4 million in the FY25 Enacted Budget to further strengthen the regional presence of State Emergency Management Staff, which will add to the volume and availability of on-the-ground support, planning, trainings, exercises, as well as build out our analytic and geospatial capabilities.
Governor Hochul secured a total of $90 million in the past two years to launch the Resilient & Ready, an initiative administered by New York Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) consisting of two programs that support resiliency and home repair efforts for low-and-moderate income homeowners. The Resilient Retrofits program provides assistance to eligible homeowners for making proactive flood mitigation and resiliency improvements. The Rapid Response program helps assist eligible households that experience home damage to make necessary repairs in the aftermath of certain major storms.
In January 2024, the Governor announced a comprehensive resiliency plan to protect people, communities, infrastructure and homes.
Following the devastating tornado in Rome, Governor Hochul provided $11 million in Emergency Assistance, including up to $5 million for homeowners and $4 million for demolition in Oneida County after the event did not qualify for federal assistance. Another in May 2025 provided $3.5 million to rehab two buildings destroyed by the tornadoes as well.
State Preparedness, Response and Recovery Operations
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is New York’s primary conduit for emergency preparedness and response operations for all emergencies, both natural and human made. During emergencies, OEM not only coordinates with local emergency responders to support local operations but helps coordinate the deployment of thousands of State personnel and pieces of equipment from numerous State agencies.
OEM is also home to the State Watch Center which is staffed 24/7/365 to monitor hazardous activity throughout the State and ensure situational awareness for state leaders. Additionally, OEM maintain nine stockpiles located throughout the State which are able to provide emergency response assets and supplies as needed.
Along with Emergency Management, training first responders from all disciplines is a core mission for the Division. Whether online, or in-person, over 54,000 firefighters, emergency managers, officers and other first responders received some form of training from the Division, including the 4,778 students who received training at the state’s Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls. Separately, nearly 10,000 state and local first responders received training at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany — one of the nation’s premier first responder training facilities.
The Division is also home to the Office of Disaster Recovery Programs which is responsible for the legwork necessary for obtaining federal disaster declarations and administering the federal recovery dollars that flow to communities as a result. Since 2021, the Division has issued payments totaling $12.36 billion in federal Public Assistance recovery funding and $410.6 million in Hazard Mitigation Assistance funding.
Individual Preparedness
In any emergency situation, individual preparedness is one of the most critical components of an effective response and the state offers New Yorkers a number of different ways to not only stay prepared, but stay informed as well.
The New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps (CPC), administered by the Division and the New York National Guard, was established in 2014 to train New Yorkers how to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond immediately and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions. Nearly 433,000 New Yorkers have taken CPC training in community settings throughout the State.
CPC trainings are free and held in-person throughout the State. New Yorkers can find a local training and enroll online at the DHSES website. For those unable to attend in person, courses are also available online in English and with subtitles in 12 additional languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu and Yiddish.
Additionally, Governor Hochul announced a new real-time emergency and weather alert system earlier this year as part of the State’s Hurricane Preparedness Week recognition efforts. Managed by the Division, this text option allows New Yorkers to text the name of their county or borough to 333111 to receive real time emergency and weather alerts and updates directly to their phones. New Yorkers should also remember to follow their local forecasts and visit the DHSES Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on X, or visit dhses.ny.gov for important safety information.
Heat waves and other extreme heat events are likely to happen again this summer and New York State agencies are working to implement initiatives recommended by the State’s Extreme Heat Action Plan to help New Yorkers prepare for heat’s negative health and environmental impacts. In June, New York State marked significant progress on the first year of implementation of the Extreme Heat Action Plan (EHAP) with the first readiness update now available. The EHAP, led by DEC and NYSERDA along with DHSES and DOH under the direction of Governor Hochul, includes nearly 50 actions by State agencies to address extreme heat impacts across four tracks (local planning and capacity building, community preparedness and workers’ safety, resilient buildings and access to cooling, and advancing ecosystem-based adaptations). The full update on implementation progress is available here.
The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) closely monitors air quality conditions statewide and works with the State Department of Health to issue timely public health advisories that millions of New Yorkers depend on each year. Visit DEC’s website for updated forecasts and information about air quality index levels, and the Department of Health website for information on health risks and precautions related to air quality.
New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.
$14.4 Billion in Lost Hospital-Generated Economic Activity, Resulting From $8 Billion in Cuts Targeting New York Hospitals and Health Systems
65,000 Jobs Lost Due to Cuts to Hospitals and Community Health Centers Serving Low Income New Yorkers
1.5 Million New Yorkers Will Lose Health Care Coverage
As the Senate voted to pass the Trump Administration and Washington Republicans’ “Big Ugly Bill,” Governor Kathy Hochul today sounded the alarm about the potential devastating consequences of the Bill on New York hospitals, health systems and patients statewide. These reckless cuts to Medicaid and the Essential Plan will significantly impact health care providers across the State, endangering the health and finances of many New Yorkers who rely on these providers.
“I’ve said it several times and I’ll say it again today — all New Yorkers deserve access to high-quality health care, it’s that simple,”Governor Hochul said. “Republicans in Washington, including seven representing New York, are trying to rip away this basic human right from New Yorkers and I will not stand by and watch it happen, I’m standing up for our hardworking hospitals and families who rely on this care to survive.”
Hospitals and other health care providers across New York rely on Medicaid and Essential Plan funding to provide needed care to patients and maintain their operations.
Hospitals and health systems play a vital role in driving local economies. They often serve as the largest employers in their communities, creating numerous other jobs and ranking among the top 10 private employers in every region of New York. When hospitals are stronger, their communities thrive. GNYHA and HANYS estimate that the hospital cuts will lead to 34,000 lost hospital jobs and an additional 29,000 lost related jobs, and create a cumulative $14.4 billion in lost hospital-generated economic activity, devastating communities across New York.
Unfortunately, many New York hospitals are already financially distressed. The collective impact of the GOP reconciliation bill in Washington, D.C., could force hospitals to curtail critically needed services such as maternity care and psychiatric treatment, not to mention to downsize operations, and even close entirely. These impacts will be devastating across the State, and especially in rural communities. These consequences will not only affect Medicaid enrollees, but also harm everyone who requires hospital care, leading to longer wait times and less access to critical services.
In addition to hospitals, every kind of health care provider in New York State will be impacted. The Community Health Care Association of New York State estimates a direct loss of $300M for the State’s Community Health Centers, resulting in almost 2,000 layoffs. Community Health Centers are a vital lifeline that provide care to one in eight New Yorkers, regardless of their ability to pay.
In June, a letter signed by Yale and University of Pennsylvania scientists warned that more than 51,000 preventable deaths could occur annually if the provisions in the House-passed budget reconciliation bill are enacted. The letter, addressed to Senator Ron Wyden and Senator Bernie Sanders, estimates the potential nationwide death toll that would result from the bill’s provisions including restricting Medicaid and Affordable Care Act coverage, repealing nursing home staffing regulations, and allowing Enhanced Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credits to expire. These estimates would make the GOP bill a top ten cause of death in the United States, on par with kidney disease and liver disease.
Estimated Impact of Hospital Cuts by New York Economic Region
Member
Hospital employment losses
Total employment losses
Lost economic activity ($)
New York City
17,551
32,571
(7,405,661,000)
Long Island
3,514
6,521
(1,482,704,000)
Mid-Hudson
3,623
6,723
(1,528,578,000)
Capital District
1,042
1,933
(439,512,000)
North Country
759
1,409
(320,385,000)
Mohawk Valley
774
1,437
(326,619,000)
Southern Tier
856
1,588
(360,983,000)
Central New York
1,355
2,515
(571,928,000)
Finger Lakes
2,442
4,532
(1,030,506,000)
Western New York
2,130
3,954
(898,943,000)
Statewide total
34,047
63,183
(14,365,818,000)
Estimated Impact of Hospital Cuts by Congressional District
District
Member
Hospital employment losses
Total employment losses
Lost economic activity ($)
1
Nick LaLota (R)
976
1,811
(411,868,000)
2
Andrew R. Garbarino (R)
605
1,122
(255,206,000)
3
Thomas R. Suozzi (D)
1,927
3,576
(812,998,000)
4
Laura Gillen (D)
933
1,731
(393,628,000)
5
Gregory W. Meeks (D)
563
1,045
(237,515,000)
6
Grace Meng (D)
1,876
3,481
(791,359,000)
7
Nydia M. Velázquez (D)
862
1,599
(363,593,000)
8
Hakeem S. Jeffries (D)
790
1,466
(333,226,000)
9
Yvette D. Clarke (D)
1,178
2,187
(497,231,000)
10
Daniel S. Goldman (D)
1,457
2,705
(614,953,000)
11
Nicole Malliotakis (R)
654
1,213
(275,762,000)
12
Jerrold Nadler (D)
2,803
5,201
(1,182,612,000)
13
Adriano Espaillat (D)
2,520
4,677
(1,063,292,000)
14
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)
980
1,819
(413,640,000)
15
Ritchie Torres (D)
2,942
5,460
(1,241,482,000)
16
George Latimer (D)
1,278
2,372
(539,332,000)
17
Michael Lawler (R)
1,462
2,713
(616,822,000)
18
Patrick Ryan (D)
810
1,503
(341,631,000)
19
Josh Riley (D)
797
1,479
(336,292,000)
20
Paul Tonko (D)
1,002
1,860
(422,977,000)
21
Elise M. Stefanik (R)
871
1,616
(367,481,000)
22
John W. Mannion (D)
1,536
2,850
(648,033,000)
23
Nicholas A. Langworthy (R)
759
1,409
(320,347,000)
24
Claudia Tenney (R)
1,009
1,873
(425,748,000)
25
Joseph D. Morelle (D)
1,899
3,524
(801,274,000)
26
Timothy M. Kennedy (D)
1,558
2,892
(657,525,000)
–
Statewide total
34,047
63,183
(14,365,818,000)
Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth E. Raske said, “This bill’s massive Medicaid cuts and health insurance eligibility restrictions will do enormous damage to New York State and its hospitals. The numbers are hard to comprehend—an estimated $8 billion cut to our hospitals, 34,000 lost hospital jobs and 1.5 million individuals losing their health insurance. Some financially fragile institutions will cease to exist. All patients will be impacted. There is no rationale for this. The bill is a clear example of ‘if you break it, you own it.’ I am grateful to Governor Hochul for defending New York’s hospitals and the patients we serve, and the entire hospital community is proud to stand with her in opposing this terrible bill.”
Healthcare Association of New York State President Bea Grause, RN, JD. said, “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a reckless assault on our healthcare system and our local economies, as evidenced by these projections. Lost coverage, care, jobs – it is astonishing to me that there is such determination to put so many people’s health and financial security at risk. This bill will not only harm individual New Yorkers. Its impact will ripple out to their families and communities, leaving almost no one untouched in its wake.”
Community Health Care Association of New York State President & CEO Rose Duhan said, “New York’s Community Health Centers provide access to primary and preventive care that keep people healthy and save money. Cutting Medicaid will put that care at risk for 2.4 million people across the State. Losing Medicaid will mean communities will lose CHCs that provide primary care, behavioral health, dental services, and more. Cuts of this magnitude will force impossible choices: reduce services, scale back hours, or turn patients away. Congress must protect Medicaid and the patients and health centers that depend on it.”
Speaker Carl E. Heastie stated: The administration in Washington can call this a “Big Beautiful Bill” all they want, but Americans know the truth. It is ugly and cruel and will be devastating for families across New York and across the country. They are taking an axe to Medicaid and cutting off access to healthcare for low income families, children and people with disabilities. They’re restricting access to the ACA for low- and middle-income Americans. It would make almost 12 million Americans lose their health insurance. All to make sure their billionaire donors get to keep their tax cuts. I’m disgusted and disappointed that they are willing to sell out their constituents like this. I am calling, once again, on New York’s seven Republican members of Congress to stand up for New Yorkers and for all Americans and vote against this travesty when it goes back to the House.
“Rise Up” was the theme of this year’s Pride Parade in New York City – a sad throwback connoting the fact that once again, in Trump’s America, millions of people have to fight for their equal rights and right to live their true lives
Governor Kathy Hochul was assertive in her remarks to press as the parade got under way, declaring, “the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ movement is in our city, our state, and this is a huge point of pride for us.
“Especially now more than ever, when a community that we cherish is under siege from Washington, Republicans in Washington who are trying to strip away their rights and their dignity and their ability to serve – in harm’s way in our military. My God, just like they fought during the Stonewall riots in 1969, they fought back and they won. We will always fight back and defend this community. We’re in this together, let’s continue fighting together and we’ll be victorious.”
Governor Hochul announced the state is contributing $15 million–the largest fund of its kind in the nation–to the Lorena Borjas Transgender and Non-Binary Wellness and Equity Fund, “because we’re putting our money where our mouth is to make sure people have access to the care they need and deserve, number one.”
In addition, the state is providing a new million dollar source of funding for the LGBTQ Center here in New York City and almost a million dollars in workforce development grants to help trans members get jobs.
Indeed, what a change in only six months from when Joe Biden, the man who got marriage equality ball rolling as Obama’s Vice President (the SCOTUS decision, ironically, exactly 10years ago), and from all that Biden-Harris did in his all-too-short four years of whole-of-government focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, summed up as a “Justice Agenda.”
In just 150 days, Trump has all but dismantled 150 years of civil and human rights progress, the animous to gender equity being a special focus of the anti-democracy attack, waging a culture war intended to reverse a generational sea change in empathy, understanding and acceptance.
Trump is doing nothing to recognize Pride month and instead working overtime to eradicate rights and legalize discrimination under the guise of “religious” rights and/or “EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS,” as his executive order barring transgender females in sports was titled. (See: Overview of President Trump’s Executive Actions Impacting LGBTQ+ Health)
In dramatic and disgusting contrast to Biden’s policies, Trump has:
Defining sex as a biological binary: A central theme of the Trump administration’s approach has been defining “sex” as limited to biological male or female, as determined at conception.
Targeting “gender ideology” and DEI initiatives – not just rescinding prior executive orders promoting LGBTQ+ equity and diversity and inclusion, but rendering such programs illegal and subject to prosecution. In addition, Trump has cut, frozen, or clawed back federal funding for DEI programs.
Restricting gender-affirming care: especially for young people (one of the executive orders that the Imperial Supremes have blessed). This includes directing agencies to assess grant conditions and ensure federal funds do not promote “gender ideology”, potentially affecting funding for institutions that provide or support gender-affirming care. There have also been legal challenges to these policies, with some courts issuing preliminary injunctions blocking parts of their enforcement.
Allowing schools to dismiss Title IX complaints based on stricter standards regarding “severity” and “pervasiveness” of an alleged assault or harassment and imposes the burden of potentially traumatic investigation and hearing processes on survivors.
Limiting access to reproductive healthcare.
Weakening workplace protections: Trump rescinded Executive Order 11246 which for 60 years has prohibited discrimination based on sex, race, and religion by federal contractors for sixty years.
Impact on LGBTQ+ individuals in the military and federal prison: The administration reinstated the ban on transgender people serving openly in the military. In federal prisons, policies were implemented to house transgender women according to their sex assigned at birth and to prohibit the use of federal funds for gender-affirming care. This contradicts the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which mandates housing transgender people based on safety concerns.
And there have been other insults, like stripping Harvey Milk’s name from a destroyer.
With these issues in a background, the 2 million who came to New York City to Celebrate Pride did it with a combination of joy and in-your-face vengeance.
While many companies have yielded to the change in the political winds, other companies participated in the event. Among them: The Walt Disney Company; I Heart Radio; SAG-AFTRA; Directors Guild of Americ;,The Metropolitan Opera; Macy’s Inc; JP Morgan Chase; SUNY; AARP; Girl Scouts of Greater New York; The New York; Foundling; Emblem Health; Kiehl’s; Audible; NYC Health & Hospitals; Starbucks;
Despite the dismal situation outside, there was joy and celebration at this year’s Pride Parade.
The overarching theme: “My sexuality is none of your business.”
And it is important to see and acknowledge who shows up, shows support and who has your back. Here are highlights:
Governors Tim Walz of Minnesota, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Kathy Hochul of New York appear at a House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing in which they were forced to defend their handling of migrants.
I sure hope that Governor Kathy Hochul and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzer, appearing at a grilling by Republican House members intended to link sanctuary city policies to crime, noted the tens of thousands of migrants dumped into their cities and villages by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who illegally trafficked these people using lies to get them on buses, then dumping them without giving any notice in order to maximize the distress and cause chaos for Democratic mayors and governors.
And Democrats should note that the reason there are so many individuals do not have legal status is because Republicans have blocked every attempt at immigration reform, including funding to increase border security in 2024, following Trump’s orders. Now Trump’s thugs are going after anyone who looks Latino, including tourists, American citizens, and ending legal status for students, visa holders and those here to escape some calamity.
NY Congresswoman Elise Stefanik used the opportunity to audition for her run for governor, attacking Governor Hochul. But Hochul defended her handling of migrants.
Here is her opening statement to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and a memo laying out the facts and background of the state’s position on immigration and handling of the migrant crisis and crime: – Karen Rubin, editor, News & Photo Features.
Chairman Comer, Ranking Member Lynch, and Members of the Committee, as we speak the streets of an American City have been militarized over the objections of the Governor. This is nothing short of a flagrant abuse of power, an assault on our American values.
My views on immigration are simple and direct — our nation needs secure borders. Our nation needs comprehensive immigration reform from this Congress. Our state laws dictate that we cooperate with ICE in criminal cases. And our values dictate that we treat all law-abiding families with dignity and respect.
The America I believe in is a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants — abandoning either threatens the very foundation on which our great country was built. For 400 years New York has prospered from hard-working newcomers — people like my grandparents who fled poverty in Ireland — they had the same American Dream that immigrant families have today. They’re not here for handouts. They want to work, earn their place and raise their families.
Yet every day we see another story of children ripped from the arms of their mothers. Wives separated from their husbands. Families arrested while attending legal immigration appointments. Not long ago, in the small town of Sackets Harbor, New York masked and armed ICE agents stormed into a home before dawn, abducted a mother and three children — including a third grader. They were cast into a living hell in a detention facility in Texas. I immediately contacted Border Czar Tom Homan and demanded their release.
In Jefferson County, where more than 60 percent of voters supported Donald Trump, people protested in the streets. Local Republican lawmakers, business owners, and school leaders all spoke out. Finally, after nearly two weeks the family was returned home.
In New York, we understand the difference between going after criminals and traumatizing law-abiding families.
Now some will use this hearing to stoke fear but I’m here to give you the facts. New York has managed an unprecedented influx of migrants because of a broken border.
And yet at the same time our state has become stronger and safer.
Today, New York State has the lowest homicide rate among the nation’s ten largest states. We’ve achieved this not with indiscriminate roundups, not by tearing apart innocent families, but by investing over $2.6 billion in public safety. By engaging in smart, targeted policing and by partnering with federal agencies to apprehend and deport serious criminals.
Since I became Governor we’ve cooperated in handing over more than 1,300 convicted criminals to ICE. What we don’t do is enforce civil immigration violations — that’s the federal government’s job.
New Yorkers need their State Troopers seizing guns and drugs and patrolling highways. States like mine are doing our part but we can’t be expected to fix this nation’s broken immigration system.
The very people who go on cable news to rail about ‘chaos at the border’ are the ones who torpedo bipartisan immigration reform each and every time it’s within reach.
So here’s my message: If you truly care about public safety — if you truly care about the economy — if you truly care about human dignity then sit down, negotiate and deliver real reform. Secure the border. Revive legal pathways. Let people work.
At the end of today, I’ll go home and do my job of keeping New Yorkers safe. I hope you’ll do yours too.
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
DATE: June 12, 2025
RE: Governor Kathy Hochul’s Appearance Before the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
Today, Governor Hochul is voluntarily appearing before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to participate in a hearing on immigration policy.
During this hearing, you can expect to hear Governor Hochul explain how she’s keeping New Yorkers safe. Her position is clear: she supports strong, secure borders and comprehensive immigration reform. And throughout her time as governor, she has proven we can welcome individuals who wish to work and contribute to New York, while holding anyone who threatens public safety accountable.
Unfortunately, based on certain Members’ previous statements to the media, it seems very likely that this hearing will be derailed by wild accusations, twisted characterizations and flat-out falsehoods. This memo lays out the key facts on Governor Hochul’s record on public safety and on immigration policy. Let’s take a look:
FALSE CLAIM: New York is a sanctuary state that hinders the ability of federal law enforcement to arrest and remove violent criminals from its streets.
FACT: There is no sanctuary in New York for people who commit crimes. New York is committed to cracking down on gang members and violent criminals, and State officials cooperate with ICE and CBP in many circumstances.
-New York State can and will work and coordinate with federal immigration officials when:
-There is an active criminal investigation.
-An individual has been convicted of a New York State crime.
-An individual is suspected of an immigration crime.
-Coordination with federal immigration is relevant to the investigation of a crime committed in New York State.
-An individual is suspected of a crime with potential multinational dimensions, such as participation in international drug cartels and gangs.
-The Department of Correction and Community Supervision has handed over 1,300 non-citizen incarcerated individuals to ICE at the completion of their sentences since Governor Hochul took office in 2021:
Start Date
End Date
Released to ICE
ICE Did Not Pick Up
8/24/2021
12/31/2021
119
15
1/1/2022
12/31/2022
353
50
1/1/2023
12/31/2023
318
18
1/1/2024
12/31/2024
395
22
1/1/2025
5/30/2025
158
15
TOTAL
1,343
120
Source: NYS DOCCS records
–Justice.gov: Pakistani National Extradited to Face Charges in Connection with Plot to Carry Out ISIS-Inspired Mass Shooting at Jewish Center in New York City
-“A Pakistani citizen residing in Canada, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was extradited to the United States on June 10, in connection with an indictment filed in the Southern District of New York.”
-“State Police assigned to the Task Force played a critical role in the investigation of the subject and his movement toward the U.S. from Canada. Through partnership with colleagues at the FBI, CBP and Canadian law enforcement, he was ultimately arrested by Canadian authorities before he could get into the United States.” [Governor.ny.gov]
–Ice.gov: ICE New York City, partners arrest illegal alien wanted in home country for homicide
-“On Feb. 2, 2018, authorities in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, issued a warrant for Cruz’s arrest for the offense of homicide, which went international six weeks later. ICE New York City received notification March 16 this year.”
-“The New Rochelle Police Department arrested Cruz for having improper plates and impounded his vehicle May 17. The New Rochelle Police Department released Cruz on his own recognizance prior to realizing that he was an international fugitive wanted for homicide. Upon receiving this information, the police department immediately notified ICE New York City, which — along with federal partners — arrested Cruz.”
–Ice.gov: ICE Buffalo investigation nets 30-year sentence for New York man on child exploitation charges
-“A New York man was sentenced for child exploitation charges following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from New York State Police.”
–Ice.gov: Pennsylvania man sentenced for role in burglary of 55 UPS warehouses following ICE investigation
-“Agencies nationwide supported ICE HSI Newark in the investigation leading to the sentencings… New York agencies include the New York State Police […].”
FALSE CLAIM: Crime is at record-high levels in New York and the City and State are in chaos.
FACT: Among the most populous states, New York State and New York City are some of the safest jurisdictions in the country with crime rates that have fallen since Governor Hochul took office in 2021.
-New York State has the LOWEST homicide rate of the top 10 most populous states in the U.S. and HALF the national average; its homicide rate is lower than Florida, Texas, Georgia and Arizona among other states.
-New York City has the SECOND LOWEST crime rate of the top 10 most populous cities in the U.S., lower than Houston, Dallas and San Antonio among other cities.
-Comparing the first five months of the year, murders are down 41% since 2021:
-Comparing the first five months of the year, shootings are down 54% since 2021:
–NYC.gov: NYPD ANNOUNCES RECORD LOW SHOOTINGS AND MURDERS FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 2025
-“Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced that from January 2025 through May 2025, New York City experienced the lowest number of shootings and murders in recorded history and set the record for the lowest number of shootings and murders in May. New York City also experienced the safest Memorial Day on record, with the lowest number of shootings ever across the entire weekend and the first Memorial Day Sunday with zero shootings. These historic numbers helped drive the eighth straight month of declines in major crime categories with a 4.9% drop in May 2025 compared to the same time last year.”
–NYC.gov: NYPD ANNOUNCES HISTORIC CRIME REDUCTIONS IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2025 WITH FEWEST SHOOTING INCIDENTS IN RECORDED HISTORY
-“These historic declines in violence were accompanied by major crime reductions in every patrol borough with index crime down 10.9%. In this quarter, robbery dropped 22.8% (3,074 vs. 3,981), grand larceny declined 13.7% (10,226 vs. 11,855), auto theft was down 11.9% (2,773 vs. 3,148), burglary was down 4.4% (3,043 vs. 3,184), and felony assault fell 2.7% (6,361 vs. 6,535).”
–cdc.gov: According to the latest available CDC data, New York State has the lowest homicide rate of the 10 most populous states in the country.
FALSE CLAIM: New York’s leaders are soft-on-crime and have not taken action to protect the people of the state.
FACT: Governor Hochul’s top priority is public safety and she has invested over $2.6 billion in gun violence prevention and other public safety initiatives.
–Times Union: Hochul unveils $252B budget with focus on cost of living, crime
-“Her budget would include $77 million to increase police on subway platforms and on trains during overnight hours. She is also calling to expedite the expenditure of $400 million toward continuing the installation of fixed cameras in prisons across the state’s correctional system, with nearly $20 million allocated for expanding body-worn cameras for correction officers.”
–WKBW: Gov. Hochul announces millions in public safety funding for local law enforcement agencies
-“Gov. Hochul announced Wednesday $50 million of funding for public safety efforts across the state.”
-“$30 million of the funding will go towards new technologies and equipment for local law enforcement agencies, such as body cameras, storage, and software.”
–Everytown: VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Governor Kathy Hochul, New York Lawmakers Include More than $350 Million in FY25 Budget Agreement for Gun Violence Prevention Programs; Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond
-“The New York chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement applauding Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, and lawmakers for agreeing to a budget that sustains New York’s historic commitment of more than $350 million to fund gun violence prevention efforts across the state and invests in new efforts to combat violence this past weekend.”
–NY1: Subway safety plans in state budget include mental health services, more platform barriers
-“The governor touted securing $77 million in the budget to pay for the NYPD overnight patrols on every train, which the city also has to pay for. That ends on June 30 and it’s unclear whether they will continue. ‘I’ll continue that funding, and making sure we have the resources whether it’s through the city or the state or combined,’ Hochul said.”
–Statescoop: New York governor announces $127M in new funds for public safety tech
-“New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office this week announced that police departments and sheriffs’ offices outside New York City will receive $127 million for crime prevention tools and other new technology. Nearly 400 law enforcement agencies across New York will receive funding through the state’s Public Safety Grant after filing last year for additional funds to purchase new equipment. According to the grant funding announcement, police departments and sheriffs’ offices will use the funding to purchase license plate readers, mobile and fixed camera systems, computer-aided dispatch systems, software, drones, gunshot-detection devices and “smart” equipment for patrol vehicles and police officers.”
–NY Times: Building upon Governor Hochul’s record investments in proven crime prevention initiatives, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes essential, commonsense changes to New York’s Discovery Laws to support survivors, hold perpetrators accountable and safeguard the right to a fair and speedy trial. The changes will prevent cases from being thrown out over technical errors and eliminate dismissals and disruptions that have re-traumatized survivors of domestic violence and other serious crimes. There is $135 million allocated for prosecutors and defenders to ensure compliance with discovery, a year-to-year increase of $15 million.
FALSE CLAIM: New York takes a lenient approach to immigration while forcing border states like Texas to manage the influx of new arrivals.
FACT: New York State shares a border with Canada and has invested additional resources to secure its northern territory as well as stop transnational gangs and the flow of fentanyl.
–Newsday: New York allocates $8 million for Canada border security.
-“Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers agreed to earmark $8 million in the state budget for security along the U.S.-Canadian border, Hochul said in announcing a “general agreement” on a budget deal Monday night.”
-“The funds will “increase safety,” the Democrat said at a news conference, adding it will allow the state to provide “the dedicated law enforcement and technology to stop transnational criminal organizations and the trafficking of guns, drugs and people.””
-“The funding, part of a $254 billion budget, is focused on the “land border” with Canada near Plattsburgh, Jackie Bray, commissioner of the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, told Newsday. The funds will go toward additional state police, license plate readers and drones and will be “rolled out over the next year,” she said.”
–NYP: Hochul blasts move to cut border crossing hours
-““While the Biden-Harris Administration has achieved measurable success in enhancing southern border security, New York is experiencing a dramatic increase in irregular crossings along our northern border,” she said in a statement. “We need to expand enforcement at the northern border today and I call on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reverse this decision.””
-“New York has redirected $5 million in federal State Homeland Security Program funding to enhance security efforts along the state’s border with Canada, Hochul said, including by purchasing additional tools to support investigations into transnational criminal organizations.”
-““While these important resources will help keep New Yorkers safe and manage the spike in illegal border crossings, greater federal support is crucial to meet the magnitude of migration we are seeing,” she said.”
–North County Now: Hochul called on the Department of Homeland Security to expand immigration enforcement at New York’s border with Canada
-““I have previously raised my concerns in meetings with the Biden-Harris Administration, and write to once again request the Department of Homeland Security immediately direct staffing and resources to expand enforcement activities along the U.S.-Canada border, and in light of this weeks actions I ask you to immediately reverse the decision to suspend 24/7 staffing along our northern border at critical locations,” she wrote.”
-“Hochul pointed to the rising number of illegal border crossings this year as a primary concern, saying it should warrant “a firmer response.” She said the historically lax policies regarding the northern border are also to blame in this case. Hochul pointed to “long-standing immigration policies of the U.S. and Canada” as a primary reason the northern border has become an “increasingly popular route for non-citizens seeking entry into the U.S.””
FALSE CLAIM: Crime on the New York City subways is spiking and commuters are abandoning the system.
FACT: Subway crime is down, and Governor Hochul is continuing to invest in law enforcement and physical infrastructure to keep commuters safe – all while ridership continues to grow.
–NYP: NYC subway crime drops to pre-pandemic levels after cops flood system: ‘Fear has really gone down’
-“Tisch, during a news conference with Mayor Eric Adams unveiling the city’s first-quarter crime statistics, said major offenses overall in the subways have dropped 18% — the second-lowest level in 27 years.”
-“There have been zero murders in our subways this quarter, the first time that that has happened since 2018,” she said, referring to the period covering the first three months of the year.”
-“Tisch responded by deploying 200 cops to trains and platforms, as well as flooding hundreds more to transit hubs in order to support a Gov. Kathy Hochul-hatched plan to put two officers on every overnight subway.”
–amNY: Subway crime continues to fall, even as high-profile cases make NYC headlines
-“Subway crime in NYC is still on a downward trend in 2025 even after a slight rise in April compared to the same month last year, according to the latest police data. “
-“Over a 28-day period that ran through April 20, transit crime increased 9% compared to the same period in 2024 — 146 crimes this year vs. 134 last year. Focusing on the middle of the month, transit crime jumped nearly 30% during the week of April 14-20 compared to the period in 2024. There were 27 crimes in the city’s public transit system during those seven days last year, compared to 35 throughout the same week in 2025.”
–PIX11: Governor Hochul has invested in cameras and other safety equipment
-“Hochul directed the MTA in 2022 to install surveillance cameras on every subway car. The governor described it as a major undertaking that was finally completed on Wednesday. “We have 100% of subway cars now equipped with cameras,” Hochul said. “We have thousands of cars, thousands of cameras … If you’re thinking of committing a crime on the subway, we’re watching and you will be caught.””
–NYT: “Ridership is up across all modes of public transit.”
-“While the number of cars on the road is down, transit ridership is up, suggesting many commuters have switched. From early January through mid-April, compared with the same time last year, ridership has increased on the bus and the subway for the M.T.A. It’s also up on the Long Island Rail Road, the Staten Island Railway and the Metro-North commuter lines that serve the northern suburbs and parts of Connecticut.”
–amNY: Congestion pricing: LIRR and Metro-North see increased ridership since Jan. 5
-“Suburban railways Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) saw a dramatic increase in ridership every day since the launch of congestion pricing on Jan. 5, according to state data.”
-“Metrics on the New York State open data portal show that ridership on both commuter lines is way up from the same period last year — before the tolls were in effect.”
FALSE CLAIM: New York Democrats aren’t serious about addressing immigration and are using this issue to blame their political opponents.
FACT: Governor Hochul has advocated for comprehensive immigration reform during the Biden Administration and the Trump Administration, and advocated for the bipartisan border bill that would have funded the largest investment in border security in American history.
–News 10: Gov. Hochul calls for passage of bipartisan Congressional bill
-“Governor Kathy Hochul is calling on New York Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass bipartisan legislation on immigration reform, if it passes in the Senate.”
-“It is absolutely essential that we get these changes,” Hochul said at a press conference on Monday.”
-“According to Hochul, the bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate will make asylum laws tougher and provide states and localities $1.4 billion dollars.”
–AP: What’s in the bipartisan Senate package to aid Ukraine, secure U.S. border
-“The package would also send $20 billion to immigration enforcement, providing money to hire thousands more officers to evaluate asylum claims, add hundreds of more Border Patrol agents and help stop the flow of fentanyl.”
-Congressional Republicans, many of whom serve on the House Oversight Committee, did not support the bill at the behest of then-candidate Trump to score political points.
–Chairman Comer: “Americans expect Congress to push policies that secure the border, and I will not support legislation that fails to achieve this priority.This disastrous border bill by @POTUS & @SenSchumer doubles down on failed border policies & further incentivizes illegal immigration.”
–Rep. Jordan: “Joe Biden is not going to fix a problem that he purposefully created… One sentence. No money can be used to process or release into the country any new migrants… Let’s say ‘time out’ and let the American people decide how we want to deal with this in November, when we have President Trump — who actually had control of our border — against President Biden… Let the country decide.”
–Rep. Mace: “Is this a joke? The Senate ‘border security’ The New York chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement applauding Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Carl Heastie, and lawmakers for agreeing to a budget that sustains New York’s historic commitment of more than $350 million to fund gun violence prevention efforts across the state and invests in new efforts to combat violence this past weekend.bill if we’re calling it that, is worse than previously thought.”
–Rep. Greene: “Pres Trump has the best border policies and the best statement on the WORST America last border surrender bill! It’s DEAD ON ARRIVAL!!”
–Rep. Boebert: “This so-called border “compromise” bill reads like a compromise between the cartels, the human traffickers and Alejandro Mayorkas. They are all salivating reading this thing. No Republican should support this absolute amnesty monstrosity that fails to actually secure the border.”
–Rep. Luna: “Any Republican who votes for this will betray the American people.”
CLAIM: New York is standing idly by while antisemitism and hate crimes are committed with impunity.
FACT: Governor Hochul has made record investments to strengthen safety and security measures for organizations facing increased risk of hate crimes.
–SILive: N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul announces funding to organizations at risk of hate crimes or terrorism
-“Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a new state investment of nearly $63.9 million to strengthen safety and security measures at nonprofit, community-based organizations that are considered at risk for hate crimes or attacks due to their ideologies, beliefs or missions.”
-“Available through the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program, the funding will support projects and cybersecurity improvements at 336 organizations throughout New York, according to an announcement issued Tuesday.”
–NYT: Gov. Hochul Announces $75 Million to Combat Hate Crimes in New York
-“Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced on Tuesday up to $75 million in grants for local police departments and houses of worship in response to an uptick in reported antisemitic attacks and hate crimes against Palestinians in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.”
-“The state will also begin a review of the antisemitism and anti-discrimination policies in New York City’s public university system, while the State Police will expand its monitoring of social media to identify online threats on college campuses.”
-““You can vigorously oppose Israel’s response following the attack on their people, but still be vigorously opposed to terrorism, Hamas, antisemitism and hate in all of its forms,” Ms. Hochul, a Democrat, said in remarks that were streamed online. “We cannot allow any New Yorker to live in fear.””
Governor Kathy Hochul is enacting an Affordability Agenda focused on making New York State affordable, especially in housing and higher minimum wages, and reducing out-of-pocket expenses. But New York Congressional Republicans are aiding and abetting the Trump/MAGA agenda that will undue all that effort, blowing a hole in the state’s budget by cutting billions in federal aid and support for programs, despite the fact New York State sends way more to the Treasury than DC sends back to the state.
The threat to health care is particularly acute from Trump’s “Big Ugly Bill”:
More than 240,000 New Yorkers would experience higher health insurance premiums as a result of eliminating American Rescue Plan enhanced tax credits and Additional Changes
Average monthly costs could rise by more than $228 — an increase of 38% for a couple — due to elimination of Enhanced Tax Credits
Estimated 65,000 to 80,000 New Yorkers – approximately one-third of enrollees, could lose individual marketplace coverage
Governor Kathy Hochul today released new data showing the massive impact the GOP’s ‘Big Ugly’ Reconciliation Bill would have on New York families. The latest bill threatens to severely disrupt health coverage for millions of New Yorkers. In addition to increasing the number of uninsured by 1.5 million and stripping $13.5 billion in annual funding from New York’s healthcare system, the bill would trigger steep increases in private health insurance premiums for vulnerable New Yorkers and impose excessive burdens on consumers enrolling through NY State of Health, the State’s official health plan marketplace.
“The GOP’s Big Ugly bill would slash health care coverage for millions of New Yorkers and raise monthly costs by hundreds of dollars,” Governor Hochul said. “If New York’s Republican delegation won’t stand up for their own constituents, I will.”
Health care providers, insurers and state leaders across the country are sounding the alarm over the proposed legislation, which would slash billions in federal health care support. In addition to jeopardizing and in some cases entirely eliminating coverage for New York’s 1.6 million Essential Plan enrollees, the bill would trigger steep increases in costs for many New Yorkers who purchase private health insurance. The elimination of American Rescue Plan enhanced premium tax credits, alone, will increase net cost of coverage across the State by an average of 38 percent for 140,000 low-income individuals and families purchasing plans through the state’s marketplace. This equates to an increase in cost of $114 per month for an individual and $228 per month for a couple.
See below for a summary of expected premium increases due to the elimination of American Rescue Plan enhanced premium tax credits across the State:
Region
Average Monthly Cost Increase For a Couple ($)
Average Monthly Cost Increase For a Couple (%)
New York City
$211
38%
Mid-Hudson
$206
31%
Long Island
$219
32%
Capital Region
$231
33%
Western New York
$267
38%
Central New York
$256
43%
Finger Lakes
$248
42%
Mohawk Valley
$270
49%
Southern Tier
$265
48%
North Country
$253
44%
Statewide
$228
38%
The combined impact of the elimination of enhanced premium tax credits and additional provisions of the proposed U.S. House Republican reconciliation bill will push more healthy consumers out of the insurance market, leaving behind a less healthy population and driving further rate increases. This cycle will result in spiraling insurance costs and lack of access to coverage for individuals and families.
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “The proposed cuts to federal health care support hurt everyone. These cuts take health insurance away from working New Yorkers. They undermine the progress we’ve made in providing affordable and accessible health insurance to New Yorkers. When people lose health insurance, they risk going without needed health care or suffering financial hardship.”
In addition to increasing premiums for low-income individuals and families who qualify for tax credits, it is estimated that the elimination of those tax credits will increase insurance rates for the more than 100,000 New Yorkers who purchase coverage in the individual commercial market but do not qualify for tax credits. Insurers have estimated that those consumers and families will face a 4.3 percent increase in their insurance rates next year solely due to the elimination of these credits.
Early estimates also indicate the proposed bill could result in 65,000 to 80,000 people — approximately one-third of enrollees in the individual market — losing their coverage. Many more consumers will experience significant new red tape that will make it harder to enroll in and renew coverage.
The proposed bill would also strip New York of its flexibility and autonomy in running its own marketplace and serving the needs of its residents, imposing onerous and costly new administrative burdens on the State. The State anticipates more than $10 million in new administrative costs to implement the changes required by the bill.
NY State of Health Executive Director Danielle Holahan said,“We have tremendous concerns about the compounding effects of this bill especially when combined with the expiration of the premium tax credits. Reducing eligibility for the financial assistance that helps New Yorkers afford care means people end up paying more for doctor visits, medications, and mental health care. Already struggling providers, especially in rural parts of the state, might not be able to sustain operations under this proposal, further restricting New Yorkers’ access to care.”
New York has had tremendous success over the past 12 years in operating its marketplace — with 6.7 million individuals currently enrolled in coverage — and has achieved a statewide uninsured rate of less than 5 percent, the lowest rate amongst large states across the country. This bill would reverse decades of progress in expanding coverage and making health care more affordable and accessible in New York and jeopardize the health of consumers across the State.
Governor Kathy Hochul today outlined the turmoil created under President Trump’s first 100 days in office, warning that his administration’s retaliatory policies, deep federal cuts and unilateral tariffs are poised to negatively impact New York’s economy, the environment and hard working families. Last week, New York State joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of President Trump’s global tariffs. According to independent estimates, Trump’s tariffs will cost the State’s economy more than $7 billion, result in more than 280,000 jobs lost and hit New York families with an average cost increase of $6,400. New York has also led the fight to protect federal funding from cuts and disruptions that are impacting more than $1.3 billion in federal funding for New York and has successfully challenged in court the Trump Administration’s global funding freeze, as well as cuts to the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other critical federal agencies.
“The first 100 days of the Trump Administration have been rife with chaos and uncertainty, from on-again, off-again tariffs to cuts to vital programs, New Yorkers are paying the price,” Governor Hochul said. “President Trump promised relief from inflation and his policies are making life harder, chaotic and more expensive for working class New Yorkers while slashing the very services they rely on.”
Implications for New Yorkers during President Trump’s First 100 Days Include:
More than $1.3 billion in cuts to funding for State programs so far with more expected, in addition to the funding cuts to local governments, universities and other organizations delivering critical services to New Yorkers
Massive fluctuation in the stock market from ever changing tariff policies has shrunk 401(k)s and 529 college savings plans, and is expected to increase cost of living for New Yorkers by thousands of dollars
Manufacturers and small businesses are reeling from severe cost hikes on some products due to tariffs, leading them to leave shipments in customs or cancel orders
Canadian and European travel to New York has dropped and hotel stays and trips in regions such as the North Country and Western New York have been cancelled
The pause of construction of Empire Wind, which will have a profound impact on jobs and energy production
Cutting millions in funding that allows school districts and food banks to buy produce from local farmers who rely on their purchases
Three Social Security Administration offices closed in New York
Eliminated every person in the office that manages a program helping over 1 million New Yorkers pay their heating and cooling bills
Cuts to the NIH paused the critical research of a New York Scientist on Alzheimer’s treatments
Cut over $300 million in infrastructure funding for New York communities, threatening our public safety
Cutting the majority of federal AmeriCorps funding in New York, which supports approximately 1,500 AmeriCorps members working for non-profits and in low-income communities across the State
PUBLIC SAFETY AND IMMIGRATION
The Trump administration has revoked more than $325 million in vital resiliency funding from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and put $56 million more at risk, which will impact several critical infrastructure and community resilience projects in New York State.
Additionally, DOGE is planning to cut up to 84 percent of staff from their Office of Community Planning and Development, which helps pay to rebuild homes and other recovery efforts after the country’s worst disasters such as Superstorm Sandy and Tropical Storms Lee and Irene.
The Albany National Weather Service (NWS) Office was forced to suspend weather balloon launches due to staff shortages and budget constraints. This has impacted the ability of the NWS to provide twice-daily balloon launches, impacting the accuracy of weather forecasts.
After Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained a Sackets Harbor mom and her children, Governor Hochul took action, engaging with the White House, Border Czar Tom Homan and local officials in an effort to bring the family back home. After 11 days in detention, the family was returned to Sackets Harbor.
ECONOMY AND TOURISM
The stock market has been unstable due to President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff policy. This has caused retirees’ 401(k)s and students’ 529 savings plans to shrink. Additionally, consumer confidence plunged, to 50.8 percent in April from 71.7 percent in January. The dollar has weakened, falling to a three month low in April.
The Governor has heard from small and mid-sized businesses across the State who are worried about rising costs and their future. A recent survey from the National Small Business Association found that the majority of small businesses are concerned about tariffs and one in three are very concerned. Examples include North Country manufacturer Alcoa, which took an estimated $20 million hit on imports from Canada, and North Country Golf Club which is facing declines in businesses due to the decline in tourism from Canada. In the Southern Tier, the Cortland Standard, which was in business for more than a century, has closed its doors, citing the expected 25 percent tariffs on paper as part of the decision.
The Trump administration is cancelling the successful Manufacturers Extension Partnership (MEP) in several states. In New York, NY MEP centers generated $1.25 billion in economic impact, supported the creation or retention of nearly 6,300 jobs and served over 700 companies during the 2023 calendar year. This decision has raised widespread concern across the entire national network of MEP Centers, prompting fears about whether these initial cancellations are the first step in a broader effort to dismantle the program and eliminate federal funding for all 51 centers.
Due to the tariff trade war with Canada, New York’s number one trade partner, and the rhetoric that Canada could be the “51st state,” impacts are widespread. Visitors from Canada are avoiding the U.S. and New York State. Overall, total bridge crossings between Eastern Ontario and New York State for March are down 23,000 compared to 2024, and at the lowest level since 2022. Additionally, Niagara River bridges traffic for February is down 14 percent and Thousand Islands Bridge crossings are down 19 percent.
A survey of local businesses in the North Country found that 66 percent have already experienced a slight to significant decrease in Canadian bookings for 2025, and that 26 percent have already adjusted staffing levels in response to the decline.
TRANSPORTATION
President Trump’s Department of Transportation vowed to kill congestion pricing from day one of his administration, despite clear evidence that the program is working. The MTA reported that in March, traffic is down 13 percent, travel times have improved in key corridors within the Central Business District and it has increased revenue for the MTA that will result in improvements in the system.
IMPACTS ON HARD WORKING FAMILIES
President Trump has reduced the federal workforce by more than 120,000 people nationwide according to data compiled from CNN. In New York more than 1,200 federal workers have been forced to file for unemployment.
The Trump administration has pledged to cancel the successful and free Direct File tax filing program. This program has already begun to make an impact in its first full year, with many New Yorkers saving nearly $300 per household in tax prep fees that could instead go toward groceries, gas, child care or rent.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture slashed hundreds of millions of dollars in funding that helped schools buy food from local farms. The program sought to bring local produce to schools and child care facilities, giving schools the opportunities to purchase fresh foods and use smaller producers rather than rely on large corporations.
The Trump Administration announced that half of all food shipments through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) would be canceled, resulting in a $500 million reduction in funding for food banks across the country. New York State could see a loss of around 16 million pounds of USDA foods in 2025 due to the TEFAP funding cuts, according to Feeding New York State.
SSA field offices are closing, wait times for deserving seniors are increasing and sensitive and private personal data is in danger of being insecure.
ENERGY
The Trump Administration stopped construction on Empire Wind, putting thousands of construction jobs at risk and threatening to dismantle a project that when complete, will generate enough electricity to power about 500,000 homes in New York State.
Funding has been suspended for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Funds. The NEVI program — passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — provides funding directly to states for installing public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which, if implemented, will lower fuel costs for families, reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels and create construction jobs nationwide.
President Trump has also threatened to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and repeal its tax credits. NYSERDA estimates a full repeal of the clean energy incentives could result in more than $20 billion in increased project costs and could cause significant project attrition.
HOUSING
At the direction of President Trump and DOGE, HUD staff has been decimated, imperiling the core functions of the agency that serve our communities, manage federally funded housing programs and assist housing development at a time of national crisis for housing. Funding has also been cut for organizations that fight housing discrimination across the country, while rolling back federal protections to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing.
HUD has further announced it was ending four years early the Emergency Housing Voucher Program, a successful federal program to combat homelessness for more than 9,500 households across the State. The federal administration imperiling this funding will force these families, at last stably housed, back onto the street.
The $1 billion Green and Resilient Retrofit Program that helps preserve affordable housing is being paused, threatening projects that keep tens of thousands of units livable for low-income Americans.
HEALTH CARE
The actions of the current administration threaten the health and safety of New Yorkers. New York State remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of all New Yorkers and promoting health equity.
President Trump has endorsed the House’s budget resolution which includes over $1 trillion in cuts to critical safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Nearly 7 million qualifying New Yorkers are covered under Medicaid, including 2.5 million children, and 636,000 New Yorkers with disabilities. 2.9 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP for healthy food, including over 800,000 children.
The Trump administration’s National Institute of Health (NIH) has cut grant funding to SUNY used to conduct research to cure diseases, keep our nation safe and grow our economy. The NIH’s sudden budget cuts will cost SUNY research an estimated $79 million on current grants, including more than $21 million over just the next five months that will immediately imperil the work of SUNY’s dedicated researchers by decimating the equipment, staff and services they rely on.
The Trump Administration picked a top health official who has questioned the safety of vaccines and the use of fluoride in drinking water and claimed that autism was preventable. These views go against proven science and could lead to more diseases by making people doubt public health advice.
The Administration has taken back important public health funding. This includes money for tracking disease, supporting vaccinations and helping vulnerable communities hit hardest by the pandemic. Without this funding, local health services must cut staff and scale back programs, especially in areas that need the most help.
Hundreds of federal health workers have lost jobs, making it harder for both the federal government and states like New York to respond to health threats and deliver services like maternal care and disease control.
New executive orders have removed federal support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, harming efforts to ensure fair health care for women, LGBTQ+ people and communities of color. These actions affirm that the needs of these communities no longer matter to the federal government.
In addition, with massive arbitrary cuts to federal agencies, the future of federal programs to help combat substance use disorder, heating and cooling assistance for low-income New Yorkers, and early childhood investment programs like Head Start remain in jeopardy.
New York State remains committed to ensuring all New Yorkers have access to affordable, quality health care. Accordingly, the State rejects thinly veiled attacks on anyone who may not comport with the Trump Administration’s limited views of who is a person.
EDUCATION
President Trump vowed to eliminate the Department of Education, a crucial part of the federal government that supports kids, teachers and administrators right here in New York State. New York receives $5.5 billion annually from the Department of Education. Approximately $3.2 billion is routed through the State Budget and $2.3 billion is sent directly to local entities, primarily colleges and universities. This crucial funding supports Pell Grants for college students, money for kids with disabilities, programs that are supporting kids’ mental health, crucial research at our public higher education institutions and much more
ENVIRONMENT & AGRICULTURE
The Trump administration has taken aim through Executive Order at dismantling New York State’s strong environmental protections.
Additionally, funding for the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program has been slashed. While the Biden administration had indicated that $24 million would be available under the LFPA program (New York Food for New York Families), the Trump administration (USDA) has reversed and this next round of funding will no longer be available.
More recently, New York State’s $60 million award for the New York Connects: Climate Smart Farms and Forests Program, which funds climate smart agriculture and forestry practices, was cancelled by USDA.
USDA staff that assist farmers with implementing conservation programs, loans and other resources for their farms, have been laid off.
Over 80 percent of agrochemical imports and 70 percent of farm machinery imports come from countries facing tariffs of 10 percent or more. Tariffs may slow down or halt on-farm expansion and modernization due to projected increases in equipment costs, with much of the stainless steel coming from abroad.
Trade issues are having a compounding effect for dairy farmers — input costs are going up and the milk price relies on export markets. Tariffs and threats of trade disputes result in lost markets and lower milk prices. For example, the budget for a building project went from $85,000 to $106,000, due to tariffs on steel and aluminum, one farm had a $2,200 fee added to their bill for grain because it came from a Canadian feed mill and another farm is anticipating their bottom line to be 7-10 percent lower this year due to lower milk prices and tariffs on inputs, including feed, energy and building supplies.
The ability of West Coast apple producers to export their product will play a key role in the price and demand for New York apples. If West Coast producers are not able to expand overseas markets, they will continue to flood East Coast markets and displace New York State fresh apples where they can undercut prices.
Tariffs placed on equipment, largely coming from Canada, would increase producers’ costs of maple syrup production significantly and negatively impact profitability in the maple industry.
