We’re expanding our coverage of education, immigration, and politics.
We’re expanding our coverage of education, immigration, and politics. ·  View in browser
NEWSLETTER

What will it take to turn Mayor Mamdani’s campaign promises into policy? Join us for a transportation policy discussion on Jan. 28.

From left to right: Melissa Manno, Liv Veazey, Cassi Feldman, Nick Garber.
We’re expanding our coverage of education, immigration, and politics.
By New York Focus

Recent Stories

Cheektowaga police called US Border Patrol when they encountered people they suspected of being in the country illegally. Cheektowaga badge: Cheektowaga Police Department; CBP Badge: DHS; Walden Galleria Mall photo: Cathy Smith/Wikimedia Commons | Illustration: New York Focus
Some officials and residents in Cheektowaga want a broader overhaul of their cops’ interactions with immigration agents.
By Isabelle Taft

The Cheektowaga Police Department implemented a new training clarifying that officers can only detain people for immigration violations in limited circumstances, following a New York Focus investigation that found some detentions last year may have been illegal.

New York Focus found that police in Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, called US Border Patrol when they encountered people they suspected of being in the country illegally or whose identification documents they didn’t trust, resulting in at least 15 people being taken into federal custody for immigration proceedings. A state appellate court ruled in 2018 that local police can’t detain people for civil immigration offenses, like overstaying a visa, without a warrant.

Most of the people arrested by Border Patrol had been charged with minor crimes like shoplifting, or no crime at all, according to police incident reports. One of them, a Cuban citizen identified in court filings as JMA, argued that Cheektowaga police violated state law by detaining him after processing his shoplifting charge — which was later dismissed — so that Border Patrol could take him into custody.

Eleven members of the Broadway League’s board of governors donated a total of $121,000 in October. Owen Barker/Pexels
The governor’s campaign got an influx of donations from theater producers as its trade group lobbied her office to “enhance” the credit.
By Nick Garber and Chris Bragg

Months before Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to expand a key tax credit for the theater industry, Broadway producers showered cash on her re-election campaign.

In her executive budget on Tuesday, Hochul proposed adding $150 million to the New York City Musical and Theatrical Production Tax Credit, which covers production costs up to $3 million apiece for Broadway shows and lesser amounts for smaller shows. First created by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021 as a one-year lifeline during the pandemic, the tax credit has since been extended three times and expanded by $300 million. That’s despite complaints from watchdogs that the program often funds big, well-resourced hit shows like “The Lion King,” “The Book of Mormon,” and “Wicked” that they say do not need taxpayer money to survive.

“The governor seems to have lost or forgotten the fact that she is the governor of the state and not just the city,” Delgado said. Office of Governor Kathy Hochul
New York Focus interviewed Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado as he challenges his boss for the Democratic nomination for governor.
By Sam Mellins

Governor Kathy Hochul gave her annual State of the State speech, in which she touted her accomplishments and laid out her priorities as she seeks reelection to a second full term this November.

The first hurdle to clear is winning the Democratic primary on June 23. She’s facing a challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado, who is mounting an underdog campaign, attacking his boss from her political left.

On Thursday, senior reporter Sam Mellins spoke with Lieutenant Governor Delgado about how Hochul’s agenda this year compares to the platform he’s running on. This transcript of their conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Copyright © New York Focus 2024, All rights reserved.
Staying Focused is compiled and written by Alex Arriaga
Contact Alex at alex@nysfocus.com

Feedback? Tips? Pitches? Contact us at: editor@nysfocus.com

Support our work!

Interested in sponsoring these emails? Get in touch! Email editor@nysfocus.com.

This email was sent to *|EMAIL|*

unsubscribe from this list  ·  update subscription preferences

New York Focus · *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* · USA