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Rep. Paul Tonko has invited an Albany immigration law expert to sit with him at tonight's State of the Union address, shining a spotlight on the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement.
Lauren DesRosiers, Assistant Professor and Director of Albany Law School's Immigration Law Clinic, will accompany the congressman to Washington, D.C., for the address, which begins at 9 p.m. tonight. According to NY State of Politics, DesRosiers recently spoke out about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) expansion under President Trump and how the agency has operated outside its traditional boundaries.
Before joining Albany Law School, DesRosiers spent years with the New York City Anti-Violence Project, where she helped queer and transgender survivors of violence navigate immigration matters. Her work put her at the center of some of the most vulnerable and complex immigration cases in the country.
Tonko, a Democrat who represents New York's 20th Congressional District, has been one of ICE's most vocal critics in recent months. He called for the agency to be abolished following the fatal shootings of two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by ICE agents in Minneapolis. The congressman also attempted to visit the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia to conduct oversight but was turned away at the gate, as documented by blogger Roger Green, who noted Tonko said facility guards acknowledged they were violating federal law by denying him entry.
The choice of DesRosiers as his guest reflects the congressman's focus on immigration policy at a time when enforcement actions are intensifying across New York state. Data from the Deportation Project shows ICE arrests in Albany County jumped from 20 in 2024 to 190 through late 2025. Erie County saw an even sharper rise, from 59 to 620 arrests over the same period.
DesRosiers has been an outspoken voice in the community. She was featured in a recent panel discussion alongside Tonko, where she quoted poet and activist Audre Lorde: "Every day of your lives is practice in becoming the person you want to be. No instantaneous miracle is suddenly going to occur and make you brave and courageous and true. And every day that you sit back silent, refusing to use your power, terrible things are being done in our name."
New York state lawmakers are currently weighing several proposals in response to federal immigration enforcement, including legislation that would ban ICE agents from wearing face coverings during civil immigration enforcement, prohibit local agencies from cooperating with ICE, and protect children's access to public schools regardless of immigration status. Governor Kathy Hochul has also introduced a bill to end so-called 287(g) agreements, which allow local law enforcement to assist ICE in non-criminal immigration enforcement actions.
The State of the Union address is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. tonight.