Skip to Content

Immigration

Immigrant communities make the Hudson Valley and so much of our country what they are today. We need a functional legal immigration system that prioritizes merit-based immigration, keeps families united, and ensures good people can achieve the American Dream through doable steps instead of an outdated, cumbersome process. As the husband of a naturalized citizen, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult and inefficient the current system can be for those who play by the rules. I know that we can do better.

At the same time, to combat illegal immigration, we need strong borders. Under the previous administration, more than 10 million migrants entered the country illegally. Catch-and-release policies, a broken asylum system, and sanctuary policies in places like New York create chaos, endanger public safety, and place enormous burdens on local police precincts. Not only that, but open border policies have allowed fentanyl to make its way into our communities.

SIGN UP FOR MY E-NEWSLETTER FOR UPDATES

Reforming Our Badly Broken Immigration System

As President Reagan said, America is a shining city on a hill for those seeking a better life. I believe that we must do everything we can to keep that vision alive.

Unfortunately, the current process for legally immigrating to the United States is broken and has not been meaningfully reformed in nearly 40 years. We face real workforce shortages in critical fields like healthcare, agriculture, construction, and engineering, yet the legal immigration process remains slow, complicated, and disconnected from America’s economic needs.

I support reforms that modernize the legal immigration system, reduce unnecessary delays, and prioritize the skills and workers our economy needs, while maintaining the system's integrity for those who follow the law.

That's why I have led meaningful legislation to streamline immigration processes for critical workers. I introduced the Doctors in our Borders Act to allow more American-educated foreign doctors on J-1 visas to stay and practice in the United States, provided that they work in underserved communities.

I also led a letter with my Democratic colleague, Rep. Yvette Clarke from Brooklyn, to urge the Administration to exempt all healthcare workers from the new $100,000 fee on employers petitioning for new H-1B visas. I also introduced the H–1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act to codify this proposed exemption.

Additionally, I helped introduce the Dignity Act, which enacts several policies to modernize our legal immigration system. Specifically, this legislation would raise the per-country cap originally set in 1990, increase employment visa opportunities for highly skilled workers, and reduce existing backlogs for individuals who have been waiting 10 years or more for a visa. 

Having gone through the legal immigration process with my wife, Doina, I know that we can do better. And I know the immigrant experience is central to so many American communities like ours. I am committed to working in a bipartisan way to advance commonsense policies to fix the legal immigration system.

Fighting for Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

Securing an extension of Haiti's Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been one of my top legislative and constituent priorities. During my time in Congress, I have consistently worked across the aisle and directly with the Administration to ensure an orderly path forward for Haitian families, healthcare workers, employers, and communities. 

Immediately after President Trump announced his intent to end TPS for Haiti, I introduced legislation with my Democratic colleague, Laura Gillen from Long Island, to mandate a congressional extension. Since the announcement, I have repeatedly urged President Trump as well as DHS Secretaries Noem and Mullin to extend the designation through letters and direct conversations. This includes leading a bipartisan coalition of Rockland County elected officials and community leaders in support of an extension.

Facing pushback from the Administration and inaction from Republican leadership in Congress, I signed a Democratic discharge petition to force consideration of my bill. The petition reached enough signatures, and the bill ultimately passed the House. Since then, I have joined Haitian community leaders in urging Senate Majority Leader John Thune to immediately bring the bill to the Senate floor following the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Administration to terminate this designation.

From day one, I’ve stood with New York’s Haitian community. Haitian TPS holders are essential to our healthcare system, our transit workforce, and our small businesses across the Hudson Valley. Even with the court decision, my advocacy will continue until there is a durable, humane solution that reflects the realities on the ground in Haiti and the indispensable role this community plays here in New York. This will ultimately support Haiti’s move toward stability and free, fair democratic elections.

Cracking Down on Illegal Immigration and Sanctuary Policies

Border security is national security. And the crisis at our border didn’t happen overnight; it took years and years of failed policies like catch-and-release that made our borders porous and allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the United States.

And now, the consequences couldn’t be worse. On March 19, 2026, Yorktown’s own Sheridan Gorman was killed by an illegal immigrant in Chicago, a sanctuary city. The American government had the chance to save Sheridan, but we failed her.  The man charged with her murder, an illegal immigrant, had been apprehended by Biden’s DHS after illegally crossing into the country and then set free. He was then arrested again by Chicago police for theft charges, and again, he was set free.

The lesson is clear - sanctuary policies do not work, and they leave communities unsafe. Some of the work I’ve done to combat sanctuary policies, stop illegal immigration, and protect citizen security can be found below: 

Below you can see the work I’m doing to secure our border and fix our immigration system:

  • Joined a House Committee on Oversight hearing on sanctuary policies to question and slam Governor Hochul’s Green Light Law that gives illegal immigrants driver’s licenses in New York.

  • Led local leaders to oppose a bill before the Rockland County Legislature that would have sharply prohibited cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.

  • Introduced Jessica Gorman at a House Judiciary Committee hearing and slammed Democrats for dismissing Jessica and defending the sanctuary policies that failed her daughter.

  • Visited the southern border to meet with Customs and Border Protection agents and assess the crisis firsthand.

  • Voted for the Laken Riley Act to require DHS to take illegal immigrants into custody should they be arrested, charged, or convicted for acts constituting burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting, as well as an assault of a law enforcement officer or crimes resulting in death or serious bodily injury. It also requires DHS to issue a detainer for these criminals and effectively and expeditiously take custody.

By enforcing our laws, strengthening border security, and creating a legal immigration system that is fair, orderly, and serves America's interests, we can make our communities safer and our country stronger.