The Bronx Defenders Responds to Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address
Bronx, NY – Today, The Bronx Defenders – which represents nearly 20,000 people each year in criminal, civil, family, and immigration courts in the Bronx – issued the following statement in response to Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State Address:
“We cannot arrest, incarcerate, or deport our way to safety and prosperity. Yet much of Governor Hochul’s address proposed just that—starting with dangerous rollbacks to discovery reform and an unacceptable silence on protecting immigrant New Yorkers.
“Discovery reform is fundamental to fairness in our criminal legal system. It ensures that every New Yorker accused of a crime has timely access to the evidence in their case—an essential right enshrined in the Constitution, not a ‘technicality.’ In the Bronx, this reform has decreased wrongful convictions, exposed abuses of power, ensured people have the information needed to make life-altering decisions about their cases, and significantly reduced case delay. What the Governor has proposed is not ’closing a loophole,’ but dismantling the law entirely. Rolling back these reforms would dishonor the memory of Kalief Browder, whose life was cut short by a system that hid critical evidence. We urge the State Legislature to stand with Akeem Browder, Kalief’s brother, and every New Yorker seeking transparency and justice.
“Meanwhile, as President Trump prepares to re-enter office with threats of mass deportations, and after hundreds of New Yorkers rallied in Albany on the first day of session calling for action, the Governor’s failure to address how she will protect immigrant New Yorkers is alarming. Her past suggestions that we can sort immigrants into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ categories ignores the reality of a legal system that criminalizes poverty and immigration status, making a mockery of such distinctions. Under the incoming federal administration, every non-citizen is at risk. The State Legislature must pass, and the Governor must sign, bold legislation to safeguard all New York families and stop New York from becoming an extension of federal deportation efforts.
“Public safety does not come from fear-driven policies or backtracking on reforms that save lives. It comes from investing in communities, protecting rights, and ensuring that every New Yorker, regardless of background, is treated with dignity. As public defenders, we will keep fighting to defend our neighbors from a system that all too often fails them. The State Legislature must reject Governor Hochul’s harmful proposals and deliver a vision for justice that reflects the values of all New Yorkers.”
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The Bronx Defenders is a public defender nonprofit that has developed a holistic model, providing systems-impacted individuals with teams of lawyers, social workers, and advocates dedicated to addressing their unique circumstances, radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system.