By Phil Ramos, New York State Assemblyman
This past weekend, the United States—and the world—witnessed what we had long feared: the unchecked abuse of presidential power unleashed against communities of color. Immigrant families are being separated. People are being detained without explanation, without court orders, and far too often, without due process. What remains is a trail of fear, heartbreak and outrage.
Loved ones have vanished into legal limbo. Courts have ordered federal authorities to halt several deportations, but they have been ignored. Individuals who were once protected are now being sent back to places where their lives are in danger. The painful reality is this: We can no longer trust this government to respect the law, obey the courts, or value human dignity.
Distrust in Democracy
This crisis has eroded public trust—not just in the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency or the executive branch—but in the very foundation of our democracy. The legislative branch remains silent. The judiciary is being challenged. But the people are rising—not in chaos, but in legitimate resistance.
In Los Angeles, and here on Long Island, people are marching in defense of their families, their dignity and their right to live without fear. They are standing up against an authoritarian tide that grows stronger every day. And when masked agents descend on our neighborhoods, detaining our loved ones and escalating tensions with military force, we must ask ourselves: What choice do the people have other than to resist?
Presidential Cynicism
The tools of authoritarianism are fully operational. While the top 1% of the population hoards 99% of the country’s wealth, they pollute our drinking water, erode our democracy and raise the cost of living to unbearable levels. Elected leaders wreck our healthcare system and dismantle the foundations of daily life.
Yet, President Trump wants us to believe the blame does not lie with the powerful, but with the people who build our cities, harvest our food, mow our lawns, wash our dishes and support this country with honest, back-breaking labor.
The Answer Is Accountability
These workers are not strangers. They are our neighbors. They are our families. They are human beings. We must not be fooled by these cruel and calculated lies. We must reject this propaganda and speak the truth clearly: Immigrants are not the problem — they are part of the solution.
The answer to this moment is not more violence. It is not more raids. It is not more troops. It is not more fear.
The answer is accountability.
The answer is de-escalation.
The answer is freedom.
A Time of Historic Reckoning
The people are demanding an end to the ICE raids. They are demanding justice. Many are willing to risk their safety to protect their families, because for them, this is a matter of life and death. Any American who believes in democracy must understand this. We must support peaceful protest and demand an end to this campaign of fear.
We are at a turning point in the history of our nation.
We must condemn the use of ICE and the National Guard as political tools, deployed by a president who thrives on hate, division and fear, and who undermines constitutional rights and human dignity for political gain. This is not leadership. This is cruelty masquerading as policy.
A Call to Solidarity
I call on all people who love freedom — Democrats and Republicans, Black, White, Latino, Asian — to stand in solidarity with our immigrant communities. History has taught us a painful lesson: First they came for one group, and we remained silent. Then they came for others, and there was no one left to speak. We cannot — we must not — turn our backs on those who are now suffering these attacks.
As I did when I confronted injustice within the police department, and as I have done for over 20 years as an Assemblyman, I will not back down. I will not remain silent while my community is under attack. And I urge every elected official who believes in democracy to do the same.
This is not the time for neutrality. This is the time to act. Let history record who stood with the people —and who remained silent.
Spirit of Nonviolent Resistance
As the first Latino vice president of the New York State Assembly, and as the proud son of Puerto Rican parents, I say this with absolute clarity: This moment demands courage. It demands that we listen to the cries of those who suffer and rise together in the spirit of nonviolent resistance.
New York is a state of immigrants. The torch held high by the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of hope and freedom, and we must never allow it to be extinguished. This nation was built on the backs of immigrants. We must never forget that truth or abandon those who today seek refuge.
May God guide us in these times of struggle. But we must not retreat. We must not stop marching.
As César Chávez did.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did.
As those at Stonewall did.
Assemblyman Ramos is scheduled to speak at a No Kings Day rally outside the Nassau County Courthouse on Old Country Road in Mineola on Saturday, June 14. The protest is to begin at 11:30 a.m.
Ramos is vice president of the New York State Assembly. He represents District 6.
