NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Joseph Hernandez, independent candidate for Mayor of New York City, today announced “Work for the Dream,” a two-year pilot program that provides undocumented immigrants a structured path toward legal residency by requiring work, accountability, and civic contribution.
New York City is home to more than 500,000 undocumented immigrants, more than the population of Miami. The vast majority are decent, hardworking people who keep the city running, working in construction, food service, childcare, and home health care. But Hernandez stressed that immigration without rules is not sustainable.
“Most undocumented immigrants are honest, hardworking people who want nothing more than a chance to build a better life,” Hernandez said. “But we need order in our city. ‘Work for the Dream’ ensures that promise while protecting public safety and upholding the law.”
The “Work for the Dream” program will:
- Remove anyone convicted of a felony.
- Require registration with fingerprints, proof of residence, and personal information.
- Mandate legal employment or education, annual tax filings, community service, and English-language progress.
- Require participants to report any change of address promptly.
- Bar participants from receiving government benefits.
- Deny eligibility to anyone convicted of a crime during the program.
- Allow compliant participants to apply for legal residency after two years, behind those already in line.
“This program will remove dangerous criminals, strengthen our economy with billions in tax revenue, and reward responsibility,” Hernandez said. “It respects the law while giving hardworking families a fair chance.”
If elected, Hernandez pledged to personally advocate for “Work for the Dream” in Washington, working with Congress and the White House to make it a national model.
“Whether from Havana or Haiti, Queens or Queens Village, we all share the same dream: safety, opportunity, and the dignity of work,” Hernandez said. “‘Work for the Dream’ makes that possible.”
About Joseph Hernandez:
Joseph Hernandez is a Cuban-American biotech entrepreneur and independent candidate for Mayor of New York City. A refugee and the son of a political prisoner, he immigrated to the U.S. at age seven and built a nationally recognized career founding healthcare companies and advancing public health innovation. He is running to restore safety, affordability, and accountability to New York City leadership.
For more information, visit hernandezfornyc.com.
SOURCE Hernandez For NYC
