On Sunday Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a confidential toll-free hotline for New Yorkers to report missing or detained refugee relatives, friends or colleagues.
The hotline is also used to report airline passengers arriving to New York State and believed to be missing or detained.
The new initiative comes after Cuomo directed the Department of State, Port Authority and his counsels's office to look into legal options to help detained individuals at New York State airports on Saturday. Cuomo also set out to ensure that the refugee's rights were legally protected.
“As New Yorkers who live in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, we welcome new immigrants as a source of energy and celebrate them as a source of revitalization for our state,” Governor Cuomo said. “We will ensure New York remains a beacon of hope and opportunity and will work to protect the rights of those seeking refuge in our state."
The new toll free-confidential hotline offers language translation and is open 24 hours a day, everyday. To report a person believed to be missing or detained call 1-888-769-7243.
