(AP) -- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is denouncing the anti-immigration sentiment that has permeated the nation's political discourse.
Cuomo, a Democrat, spoke Monday at the annual National Immigrant Integration Conference in Brooklyn.
He mocked the sentiment shared by some that immigrants should stay out of "our land."
The governor thundered "Your land? Are you a Navajo?" before stressing that New York's tradition is to welcome arrivals from all backgrounds.
He touted his own family's struggles after emigrating from Italy to the United States and said the state views immigrants "as an asset" and "not a liability."
He did not mention any Republican presidential candidates by name but criticized any plans to limit or stop immigration based on religious backgrounds.