Advocates call on NY lawmakers to pass immigrant protections

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Hundreds of advocates were at the New York State Capitol on Wednesday to demand state lawmakers take action against president-elect Donald Trump's mass deportation plan.

Trump said he plans to declare a national emergency and use the military to evict hundreds of thousands unauthorized migrants from the U.S. Advocates are calling on New York lawmakers to pass a package of bills that would prohibit state agencies from working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), create a right to counsel for New York immigration courts, and create an accessible clemency application process.

"New York is a state of immigrants. Immigrants make this state better, and any attack against our immigrant community is an attack against all New Yorkers."

Lawmakers are expected to take up the bills this legislative session.