State Immigrant Action Fund announces second round of primary endorsements

Rep. Adriano Espaillat is earning the endorsement of a major immigrant advocacy organization, the day after he joined Democratic congressional colleagues from New York and New Jersey to visit immigrants held by the federal government at a New Jersey detention center. The New York State Immigrant Action Fund, the political arm of the New York Immigration Coalition, is announcing its endorsement of Espaillat on Monday, plus fellow incumbent Reps. Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke.

The fund is also endorsing Max Rose, a Democrat who is hoping to unseat Rep. Dan Donovan in the 11th Congressional District. Espaillat is himself an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, and was one of the first formerly undocumented members of Congress. He is uncontested in the primary. Meeks is heavily favored primary, as is Clarke, though her challenger Adem Bunkeddeko has put up impressive fundraising numbers and earned an endorsement from The New York Times. 

The fund’s Executive Director Steven Choi praised the candidates in a press release promoting the endorsements. “At a time when our immigrant communities are under constant attack, it is more important than ever to elect local leaders who will take a firm stance by our side to support all New Yorkers,” he said. This is the fund’s second round of congressional endorsements, after backing Democratic Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Joseph Crowley, Grace Meng and Hakeem Jeffries last month.