What's happening
This bill makes it a crime to report the immigration status of crime victims or their family members to authorities in order to harass or intimidate them.
Why it matters
Protects crime victims and their families from immigration-related intimidation. By criminalizing the act of reporting a victim’s or their family member’s immigration status to authorities with the intent to harass, threaten, or intimidate, the bill aims to ensure that victims feel safer coming forward to report crimes or seek legal protection without fear of immigration-related retaliation.
Addresses a specific form of witness tampering. The bill targets a common way that abusers, traffickers, or others may try to silence or control victims—by threatening to expose their immigration status. Making this a crime could deter such tactics and improve participation in the justice system.
Encourages community trust in law enforcement. By shielding victims and their families from this specific threat, the law may increase trust in police and courts among immigrant communities, who might otherwise avoid reporting crimes or cooperating with investigations for fear of deportation or legal consequences.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Immigration Status Intimidation
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
11 Co-sponsors
3 Multi-sponsors
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6447
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 7, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. SIMOTAS, MOYA, OTIS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRAUNSTEIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to intimidating a victim or witness
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 215.15 of the penal law is amended by adding a new subdivision 3 to read as follows:
3. With the intent to harass, annoy, threaten, alarm or intimidate such person, or cause legal harm or consequences to such person, and outside of his or her official duties, he or she reports to any federal, state or municipal agency or department:
(a) the citizenship or immigration status of a person who:
(i) has been the victim of a criminal act described in this part; or
(ii) who is seeking an order of protection; or
(b) the citizenship or immigration status of a person who is a family member of a person who has been the victim of a criminal act described in this part, or is seeking an order of protection.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10204-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.