A Syracuse Perspective on Immigration, Community, and Federal Policy
March 30th 2026
Immigration Is Not the Problem
This past weekend, we held our third No Kings rally here in Syracuse. There were many signs on display and proud Americans who showed up to send a message: no one man is above the law, and we do not do kings here in America.
Several themes were on display. The most prominent was opposition to the current American president. Right alongside it was a clear and growing frustration with ICE and the role it is playing in our communities. That energy did not come out of nowhere. It reflects something deeper that people are feeling right now.
That is exactly why I want to be clear at this moment in history. I strongly oppose what is happening at the federal level on immigration. Not just because of the methods, which are cruel and in many cases inhumane, but because the entire premise is wrong. Immigration is not a crisis that is destroying our communities. Immigration is, and has always been, one of the reasons this country works at all.
Immigration Is a Strength
At a fundamental level, I believe no one is illegal on stolen land, and that immigration is a good thing.
Do I think it should be organized and structured? Yes. A functional system should exist. People should be able to come here through a clear and fair process. But if the choice is between:
a system that works imperfectly
a system that shuts people out entirely,
I will choose option 1, I will choose people every time. If we cannot get the system right, I would still rather see people come here and build lives than be locked out completely. Because when people come here, they build. They start businesses. They fill critical jobs. They raise families. They strengthen neighborhoods and our community. They add culture, language, food, music, and perspective that make communities more vibrant and more resilient.
What Immigration Looks Like in Central New York
Central New York has always been welcoming to people from different backgrounds. One of the most powerful moments in our city’s history occurred on October 1, 1851, in Syracuse, New York, when abolitionists stormed a police station to free William “Jerry” Henry, an escaped slave arrested under the Federal Fugitive Slave Act. Around 2,500 people surrounded the jail, broke into the building, and freed him. He was then hidden locally and safely transported to Canada.
Jerry had moved here from Tennessee and lived in Central New York for about a year before he was arrested. Even in the 1800s, Syracuse was a place where people could come to start a new life. When the federal government implements laws that go against our values, historically, as a region we’ve stepped in and stood up for our neighbors.
More than 150 years later, that character remains. We still see it right here in Central New York. Our community welcomes people from different backgrounds, and our region is strengthened by immigrants in very real ways. You can see it in our neighborhoods, in our schools, and in our local economy.
You can see it in elected leadership, with leaders like Chol Majok, who immigrated here and now serves on the Syracuse Common Council and represents the best of what community leadership can look like. You see it in community leaders like Dr. Emad Rahim, who’s story did not start in Syracuse, but has become a pillar in our community. We see it in leaders like fellow OCC Alum and the Clerk for the Onondaga County Legislature, Hassina Adams. I’ll acknowledge my bias towards my former classmate, but her story is just one of the countless stories of people who chose CNY.
You can see it in people like Alex and Yan, CSEA members who work in our hospitals and help community members through some of their hardest moments. These are not abstract examples. These are neighbors. These are contributors. These are people who chose to build their lives here and, in doing so, made Central New York stronger.
We Are Solving the Wrong Problem
Now let’s talk about what is happening at the federal level. The federal government is pouring resources into immigration enforcement at a historic rate. That means real dollars, well over 100 billion dollars. This is money that could be going toward housing, veterans, healthcare, and rebuilding communities. Instead, it is being redirected toward enforcement efforts aimed at stopping something that is not actually harming us.
Let’s set aside, for a moment, the cruelty of how this is being done. Let’s also set aside the reality that we do not have unlimited money and should be focused on essential needs. Even if you ignore all of that, the core issue remains. We are spending money to fix a problem that does not exist.
That is both bad policy and it is also bad priorities.
The Conversation Has Been Hijacked
Unfortunately, much of the national conversation around immigration is not about sustainable policy at all. It is about fear, and too often, it is about racism. One of the oldest problems in this country is our eagerness to divide people based on how they look and where they come from. In 2026, that problem is still with us.
Immigration has become a convenient way for that ugliness to resurface. It is being used to justify exclusion, to fuel division, and to normalize rhetoric that should have no place in public life. We have to be honest about that. Because if we are not, we will continue to build policy on top of misinformation and prejudice instead of reality.
What I Believe
I believe immigration strengthens our communities. I believe we should have a system that is fair, organized, and humane. I believe that even when that system falls short, people seeking opportunity should not be treated as the enemy. They should be welcomed, they should be supported, and they should be treated like family.
I also believe we should be investing our resources in the real challenges facing our communities, not chasing political narratives that do more harm than good. If we want stronger neighborhoods, stronger economies, and stronger communities, we should be embracing the people who are choosing to be part of them, not pushing them away.
What I saw this weekend in Syracuse was not chaos. It was clarity. People understand that our neighbors are not the problem, and they are not willing to stay silent while fear is used to divide us.
We have real challenges in our community. Housing. Healthcare. Wages. Public safety. Those are the things we should be investing in and fighting to improve. Not scapegoating people who are trying to build a better life.
If we want to be the kind of community we say we are, then we have to act like it. That means choosing people over politics, facts over fear, and community over division. Let’s get to work!
- —Me, at No Kings 3 in Syracuse
Frequently Asked Questions:
What impact does immigration have on Central New York?
Immigration has strengthened Central New York by supporting the workforce, stabilizing neighborhoods, and contributing to the region’s cultural and economic growth.
Do immigrants help the local economy in places like Syracuse?
Yes. Immigrants contribute through essential work in healthcare, service industries, and small businesses, while also creating new economic opportunities and supporting local growth.
Does Maurice Brown believe that immigration be controlled or open?
He believes immigration should ideally be organized through a fair and functional system. However, when that system fails, people seeking opportunity should not be treated as the enemy.
Why is federal immigration policy being criticized by Maurice Brown?
Current federal policy is being criticized for prioritizing enforcement spending over investments in housing, healthcare, and community needs, while addressing a problem that is often overstated.