Immigrant Advocates Applaud Gov. Hochul’s School Masking Mandate, Urge The Governor To Do More

During her first day as New York’s Governor, Kathy Hochul directed the Department of Health to make masks mandatory for anyone entering New York’s public schools.

The announcement follows Mayor Bill De Blasio’s order that New York City teachers and other Department of Education staff receive their first shot no later than September 27, 2021.

Immigrant advocates, led by the New York Immigration Coalition, applauded Governor Hochul’s new order and pushed for mandatory vaccination of school personnel and students 12 years of age and older.

Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, New York Immigration Coalition:

“Thank you, Governor Hochul, for recognizing the importance of masking for protecting the health and safety of students and school personnel. But to truly protect the health of the entire school community, the Governor must include a universal vaccine mandate for all school staff and students 12 years and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine. It’s the right thing to do to ensure that our schools stay open, our students and school staff remain healthy, and our communities can combat the Delta variant.”

The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization for more than 200 groups in New York State. We envision a New York state that is stronger because all people are welcome, treated fairly, and given the chance to pursue their dreams.

Our mission is to unite immigrants, members, and allies so all New Yorkers can thrive. We represent the collective interests of New York’s diverse immigrant communities and organizations and devise solutions to advance them; advocate for laws, policies, and programs that lead to justice and opportunity for all immigrant groups; and build the power of immigrants and the organizations that serve them to ensure their sustainability, to improve people’s lives, and to strengthen our state.

Photo credit: Kathy Hochul.