New York State Senator Michael Gianaris says the bi-state bill would completely prevent the Port Authority from supporting Trump’s travel ban.
“Prohibit the Port Authority personnel from participating in the enforcement of this order. Prohibit the facilities of the Port Authority from being used. Prohibit any resources from the Port, so if the federal government somehow has control of a room that they’re using but the electricity or the climate control comes from the Port Authority, that too should be shut off,” Gianaris said.
New Jersey State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg says New Jersey is introducing identical legislation.
“We will be asking the Port Authority to refrain any assistance, any help, any resources to keep this kind of inappropriate and illegal issue moving forward,” said Weinberg.
Senator Gianaris says the Port Authority has been enforcing the Executive Order.
“Port Authority police are preventing lawyers and press from having access to the detainees. Port Authority facilities are being used for what is happening right now and they shouldn’t be. So don’t let them wash their hands of this thing.”
The bill would have to pass through both states legislatures before being signed each state’s governor. Senator Gianaris believes New York Governor Andrew Cuomo would support their efforts.
“The governor on our side has taken a very active approach to provide assistance at JFK for the detainees and the refugees. He’s set up a state wide hotline, so we certainly believe we have some sympathetic ears on that side,” Gianaris said.
Senator Weinberg hopes for the same from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
“Hopefully he will see that there is more wrong with this than the roll out. The content is what is wrong. Perhaps he will listen to what I think is an overwhelming majority of his constituents.”