Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday told a press conference that New York State is setting up a hotline – 1-888-769-7243 – for the families of travelers entering the US to call and find out the status of their relatives, should they suspect they were detained in keeping with President Donald Trump’s ban on refugees and on travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries.
Cuomo told the press New York has to obey the executive order, and its ability to fight it are limited. However, according to the governor, the Port Authority and his own office plan to provide assistance to people from the seven countries who had been detained upon arrival in NY.
He told the press conference that he had to jump in on Saturday night because 5,000 people were protesting the Trump travel ban, creating a safety situation.
“We are probably the most diverse state on the globe and it is the essence of who we are,” Cuomo said. “And we have no tolerance for intolerance, period. And that’s what we’re going to stand up to say.”
TheBlaze responded by reminding its readers that back in January 2014 Cuomo also said, “Extreme conservatives have no place in New York,” reacting to Republicans who voted against a gun control legislation. So, apparently, NY can spare some tolerance for the right kind of intolerance.
According to Cuomo, the state does not yet know for certain how many people have been detained at JFK Airport since the decree had been publicized, other than the six who were being held at the airport.
Governor Cuomo said he plans to introduce legislation to protect airport workers, following a report that a JFK Airport passenger attacked a Muslim Delta employee last Wednesday night.
According to the Democrat & Chronicle, NY State officials are trying to deal with the unexpected effects of Trump’s order, such as what should the State University of New York system’s 64 campuses do with their 320 students from the seven forbidden countries.
SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher and board chairman Carl McCall said on Sunday the public university system is “surveying its campuses to determine the impact” and pledged the system’s support to students who have been affected.