VICE: This Woman Plans to Be One of the First ‘Dreamers’ in Office

Catalina is originally from Colombia. She earned a bachelor's degree in forensic psychology from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a law degree from the City University of New York. Catalina is a DREAMer recipient and lives in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Catalina previously worked for a city councilor and in the governor's office as the director of the exploited workers task force. She also previously worked as counsel for the New York City Council's immigration committee,

Catalina Cruz is an assemblymember in State Assembly District 39. She was elected in 2018 and is serving her 3rd term.

Candidate website

Supports criminalizing wage theft as a felony.

Believes the U.S. economy is suffering due to a "disastrous labor shortage" and supports easing pathways for migrant workers to address this issue.

Believes the economy faces a significant labor shortage and supports making it easier for immigrants to work to address this shortage.

Supports protecting the right of workers to organize.

Supports protecting the right to unionize.

Supports establishing stricter workplace requirements and protections to ensure the health and safety of all workers.

Supports establishing stricter workplace requirements to protect worker health and safety.

- Supports making wage theft a felony.
- Believes the economy faces a significant labor shortage and supports making it easier for immigrants to work to address this shortage.
- Supports protecting the right to unionize.
- Supports establishing stricter workplace requirements to protect worker health and safety.

Economy

Believes in ensuring New York State becomes a global leader in transitioning to renewable energy.

Supports passing the New York Heat Act, which would require the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2025 and 85% by 2030.

Supports legislation that would make it easier for utility companies to transition away from gas.

- Wants to transition to renewable energy.
- Supports legislation that would make it easier for utility companies to transition away from gas.

Energy & the Environment

Supports access to birth control and abortion.

Wants to ensure that seniors and disabled residents have access to healthcare and adequate housing.

- Supports access to birth control and abortion.
- Wants to ensure that seniors and disabled residents have access to healthcare and adequate housing.

Healthcare

As of September 19, 2024, Catalina Cruz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

Wants to end qualified immunity for police officers, which protects them from personal liability for misconduct.

Wants to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for immigrants and LGBTQ+ residents.

Wants to ensure that constitutional rights are protected in the justice and immigration systems.

- Wants to end qualified immunity for police officers, which protects them from personal liability for misconduct.
- Wants to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for immigrants and LGBTQ+ residents.
- Wants to ensure that constitutional rights are protected in the justice and immigration systems.

Public Safety

Supports "ensuring full foundation aid funding every year" for education.

Wants to ensure that foundation aid is fully funded.

Supports increasing access to 3K and after-school programming for working-class families, regardless of immigration status.

Wants to increase access to 3K and after-school programming.

Secured state funding for community resources like Elmhurst Hospital equipment, local K-12 school updates, and tenant and small homeowner programs.

Secured state funding for community local K-12 school updates.

- Wants to ensure that foundation aid is fully funded.
- Wants to increase access to 3K and after-school programming.
- Secured state funding for community local K-12 school updates.

Education

Supports increasing tenant protections to prevent unjust evictions.

Supports "small landlords to maintain the fiber of our communities."

Wants to support small landlords to maintain the community.

Wants to increase public transit service and promote alternative methods of transportation.

- Supports increasing tenant protections to prevent unjust evictions.
- Wants to support small landlords to maintain the community.
- Opposes increasing public transit fares.
- Wants to increase public transit service and promote alternative methods of transportation.

Housing & Urban Development

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Catalina Cruz

Catalina is originally from Colombia. She holds a bachelor's degree in forensic psychology from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a law degree from the City University of New York. Catalina is a DREAMer recipient and lives in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Catalina Cruz currently serves as the state assembly member for the 39th Assembly District. She was elected in 2018 and is serving her 3rd term.

Supports allocating funds for LGBTQ+ health, human services, and organizations serving transgender individuals.

Supports "combating wage theft and holding employers accountable."

Believes in supporting workers to strengthen the economy.

Believes the future of families depends on the planet's future and supports fighting for environmental protections.

Supports environmental conservation and sustainable energy policies.

Plans to ensure seniors and New Yorkers with disabilities receive proper healthcare support.

Supports increased funding for "culturally competent services."

Supports accessible healthcare for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Believes in making the city "healthier, stronger, and fairer for all" in the post-pandemic recovery.

Supports increasing penalties for workplace discrimination and hate crimes.

Wants to secure funding to better educate neighbors on disaster prevention and response.

Believes in reforming the criminal justice system to improve public safety and ensure justice. Supports policies that address systemic issues, reduce incarceration rates, and promote rehabilitation.

Supports ending "qualified immunity" for police officers.

Plans to establish legislation to ensure women are free from gender-based violence.

Supports "stronger protections for immigrants against discrimination, wage theft, and ensure they can live a dignified life."

Wants to strengthen anti-discrimination protections for immigrants and LGBTQ+ residents

Supports the United Federation of Teachers.

Supports policies that aim to improve public schools.

Supports increasing access to STEM, arts, and other programs that allow children to dream and learn.

Plans to purchase weights for older adults at the community center.

Supports initiatives that promote affordable housing, urban development, and community engagement for diverse populations, including seniors.

Supports good cause eviction protections for tenants.

Supports increasing housing stock through new programs and additional construction that does not displace existing families and includes union labor.

As of September 26, 2024, Catalina Cruz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Catalina Cruz is a licensed attorney who has worked in both nonprofit and government sectors, advocating for tenant protections, immigration reform, and workers' rights. She was first elected in 2018 to represent New York's 39th Assembly District.

Catalina Cruz currently serves as the state assembly member for the 39th Assembly District. She was first elected in 2018 and is serving her 3rd term.

As of September 23, 2024, Catalina Cruz’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  