Enacts the "New York state Palestinian refugee relocation prevention act"; provides that no state or local agency, authority, or official shall cooperate with, or provide any assistance to, the federal government in the relocation or resettlement of Palestinian refugees within the state of New York; requires that federal funds allocated for the resettlement of Palestinian refugees in New York shall be rejected and returned to the federal government; imposes a temporary moratorium on the admission to any institution of higher education in this state of Palestinian students and scholars; makes related provisions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4814
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. E. BROWN, BLUMENCRANZ, NOVAKHOV, ANGELINO -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT enacting the "New York state Palestinian refugee relocation
prevention act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "New York state Palestinian refugee relocation prevention act."
3 § 2. Legislative intent. The legislature finds the inherent dangers
4 posed by the potential relocation of Palestinian "refugees" to our
5 state, and hereby assert the right and duty to protect the citizens of
6 New York from any adverse impacts of such a decision. The legislature
7 seeks to insulate New York from the federal government's short-sighted
8 and perilous proposal to admit Palestinian refugees, particularly those
9 escaping the Gaza Strip, onto American soil. The legislature offers its
10 unwavering commitment to our ally, Israel, and reaffirm our unwavering
11 support for the state of Israel and its right to exist and thrive as a
12 Jewish democracy. The legislature further recognizes the shared values
13 and unbreakable bond between New York and Israel, and we stand united
14 against the forces of terrorism and extremism that threaten both our
15 great nations. The legislature calls for any relocation of Palestinian
16 refugees to the United States be rescinded.
17 § 3. 1. No state or local agency, authority, or official shall cooper-
18 ate with, or provide any assistance to, the federal government in the
19 relocation or resettlement of Palestinian refugees within the state of
20 New York. This includes, but is not limited to, denying any requests for
21 the allocation of resources, housing, or social services for this
22 purpose.
23 2. Any federal funds allocated for the resettlement of Palestinian
24 refugees in New York shall be rejected and returned to the federal
25 government.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07313-01-5
A. 4814 2
1 3. A temporary moratorium on the admission to any institution of high-
2 er education in this state of Palestinian students and scholars is
3 imposed until such time as the threat of extremist infiltration has been
4 thoroughly assessed and addressed. The commissioner of education, in
5 consultation with the board of regents, shall make the determination of
6 the duration of such temporary moratorium and shall re-evaluate such
7 determination six months after the effective date of this act and every
8 six months thereafter.
9 4. The state of New York shall utilize all legal means necessary to
10 challenge and thwart any attempts by the federal government to coerce or
11 compel compliance with their refugee relocation agenda, including seek-
12 ing injunctive relief and asserting Tenth Amendment rights.
13 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
