Will Barclay, a member of the New York State Assembly and Minority Leader representing the 120th Assembly District, recently addressed several policy issues on his social media account. In a series of posts published between December 2 and December 3, 2025, Barclay discussed concerns about criminal justice reforms, sanctuary policies, and the expansion of nuclear energy in New York.
On December 2, Barclay criticized recent changes to state law regarding crime and punishment. He stated, “New York’s soft-on-crime reforms have enabled violent repeat offenders to fear no consequences for their escalating and dangerous behavior that puts families, children and other law-abiding citizens in unnecessary danger”.
The following day, Barclay commented on immigration enforcement policies in New York. He wrote on December 3: “Earlier this year, I joined my Republican colleagues to push back against NY’s sanctuary policies endangering our communities including calls to repeal portions of the state’s Green Light Law & restore cooperation between federal & local law enforcement”.
Later that same day, Barclay turned his attention to energy policy. He advocated for an increased role for nuclear power in New York’s energy mix. According to his post: “Expanding New York’s nuclear energy footprint is a no-brainer as we seek to modernize the state’s energy infrastructure. It is a proven, reliable and affordable option that can help meet the state’s growing needs.”
Barclay has been vocal about public safety concerns related to bail reform laws enacted in New York since 2020. These laws limited judges’ discretion in setting bail for many nonviolent offenses—a move supporters argue reduces unnecessary pretrial detention but critics say has led to increased recidivism ([source](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/10/nyregion/bail-reform-nyc.html)). Sanctuary policies like those referenced by Barclay generally restrict local cooperation with federal immigration authorities; the Green Light Law specifically allows undocumented immigrants access to driver’s licenses while limiting data sharing with federal agencies ([source](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-green-light-law-explained-n1103981)).
Nuclear power currently provides roughly one-quarter of New York’s electricity generation. The state has debated its future role amid efforts to reduce carbon emissions and transition away from fossil fuels ([source](https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nuclear-new-york-indian-point-closing-energy-policy/599138/)).
