NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean-American New York State Democratic Assemblyman Brian Cunningham has called for Caribbean immigrant protections as he laid out a 2026 agenda centered on affordability, education, healthcare, and immigrant rights.
Cunningham, the son of Jamaican immigrants, also used his inaugural State of the District address before a packed auditorium at State University of New York (SUNY) to condemn the Donald administration’s immigration enforcement practices that have fueled widespread fear and anxiety in Caribbean and other immigrant communities.
Cunningham, who represents the 43rd Assembly District in Central Brooklyn, said that his priorities are designed to “meet the moment,” addressing both local cost-of-living pressures and broader national crises.
“This district is strong, but affordability pressures, housing insecurity, and fear driven by federal enforcement require urgent action,” said the Assemblymember, who was joined by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, and Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Kim Council – all of whom represent heavily populated Caribbean communities.
Together, they addressed the recent fatal shootings tied to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minneapolis incidents that have sparked national protests and renewed calls for immigration policies grounded in due process and accountability.
“We cannot allow fear to be the price families pay for living in our communities,” said Cunningham, noting the need for transparency and restraint in federal enforcement.
With the 2026 legislative session underway, Cunningham outlined a comprehensive Affordability Agenda focused on housing stability and economic justice.
Among his priorities are reforms to Area Median Income (AMI) calculations to better reflect neighborhood realities, and advancing the Deed Theft Act to protect homeowners, particularly seniors and immigrant families, from predatory practices.
“These policies are about keeping families in their homes and preserving generational wealth,” said Cunningham, noting the disproportionate impact housing instability has on immigrant and Caribbean households.
On education, he underscored high-impact tutoring as a proven strategy to improve student outcomes, pointing to recent literacy gains in Mississippi as evidence. He called for tutoring to be treated as a core service for working families through his proposed High-Impact Tutoring legislation.
Cunningham’s agenda also includes expanding access to affordable childcare and increasing funding for the 988 mental health crisis hotline, investments he described as essential to family stability and public safety.
The address carried special significance at SUNY Downstate, the safety-net hospital Cunningham helped keep open by securing US$1.3 billion in state funding.
“Government works best when it reflects the people it serves,” said Cunningham, noting that, since his election in 2022, he has introduced nearly180 bills and assisted thousands of constituents.
Looking ahead, the legislator said his focus remains firmly on results.
“In 2026, I’m laser-focused on delivering not rhetoric, but real progresson housing, education, healthcare, economic stability, and immigrant rights,” he said.
Over the last weekend, the Campaign for Access, Representation and Equity for Immigrant Families (CARE4IF) Coalition in New York joined allies, elected officials and immigrant advocacy groups in demanding US$175 million in funding for Caribbean and other immigrant legal services, and the passage of the Access to Representation Act (ARA) and the Building Up Immigrant Legal Defense (BUILD) Act for the 2026 New York State Legislative Session.
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