Adriano de Jesús Espaillat Rodríguez (born September 27, 1954) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for since 2017. He is the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as well as the first Dominican-American and first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress. Previously, he served in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2016 and in the New York State Assembly from 1997 to 2010; he is the first Dominican-born American elected to a state house in the United States. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
While a member of the New York State Senate, Espaillat was a ranking member of the Housing, Construction, and Community Development Committee, and chaired the Senate Latino Caucus. He represented the neighborhoods of Washington Heights, Morris Heights, Marble Hill, Inwood, Kingsbridge, and Fort George. He continues to broadly represent these neighborhoods in Congress, as well as Harlem, East Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Morningside Heights, Fordham, and part of the Upper West Side.
Espaillat was first elected to Congress in 2016, after incumbent representative Charles Rangel announced his retirement from Congress. He had previously run for the seat in 2012 and 2014, challenging Rangel in the Democratic primaries. In 2026, Espaillat lost re-nomination in the Democratic primary to democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier.
Early life and education Espaillat was born on September 27, 1954, in Santiago, Dominican Republic, to Melba (née Rodríguez) and Ulises Espaillat. His father was named after 19th-century liberal Dominican president Ulises Espaillat.
He and his family moved to the United States in 1964, when he was nine years old. After overstaying a tourist visa and thus becoming undocumented immigrants, the Espaillats petitioned for green cards, which they received the following year, becoming lawful permanent residents of the U.S. in 1965."Mamdani Vowed to Back Espaillat. Now He’s Endorsing a D.S.A. Challenger." The New York Times, "The Chaos at Kennedy Airport, and the Chaos to Come," The New York Times, January 30, 2017. His father ultimately purchased a gas station, where Espaillat assisted.
Espaillat grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan, in New York City. He graduated from Bishop Dubois High School in 1974. He earned a B.S. degree in political science from Queens College, City University of New York in 1978. He is a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.
Early career From 1980 to 1988, Espaillat served as the Manhattan Court Services Coordinator for the New York City Criminal Justice Agency, a nonprofit organization that provides indigent legal services and works to reduce unnecessary pretrial detention and post-sentence incarceration costs."ESPAILLAT, Adriano J., " history.house.gov. As a state-certified conflict resolution mediator and volunteer with the Washington Heights Inwood Conflict Resolutions and Mediation Center, Espaillat helped resolve hundreds of conflicts. He also served on New York Governor Mario Cuomo's Dominican-American Advisory Board from 1991 to 1993.
From 1992 to 1994, he worked as director of the Washington Heights Victims Services Community Office, an organization offering counseling and other services to families of victims of homicides and other crimes. For the next two years, he served as the director of Project Right Start, a national initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to combat substance abuse by educating the parents of preschool children. Before his election to the New York State Assembly, Espaillat served on Manhattan Community Board 12 and was president of the 34th Police Precinct Community Council in Washington Heights."Espaillat Emerges From Rangel’s Shadow, but Finds Another Familiar Foe," The New York Times, June 24, 2016.
New York State Assembly (1997–2010)
Elections Espaillat served in the New York State Assembly from 1997 to 2010. He was elected in 1996 in New York State Assembly District 72, defeating 16-year incumbent John Brian Murtaugh in the Democratic primary by 81% to 12%, after The New York Times endorsed him, writing: "Espaillat is an energetic and ambitious district leader who has a background in victim services and drug prevention, as well as an impressive grasp of neighborhood and state issues", and opined that he "holds more promise for the future"."The Assembly Primaries", The New York Times, September 5, 1996."Results of Voting in New York Races for the State Legislature and the Courts," The New York Times, November 7, 1996. Espaillat became the first Dominican-born member of the New York State Legislature, as well as the first Dominican elected to a state house in the United States."If You're Thinking of Living In/Inwood; Away from Manhattan Without Leaving", The New York Times, December 15, 2002."Rivals Renew Contest for Dominican Vote", The New York Times, April 6, 1998. He chaired the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, and committees on small business and children & families."Jets Campaign for a Manhattan Stadium," The New York Times, 2004.
He won again in 1998, after The New York Times endorsed him writing "Espaillat ... has made a good start in Albany and deserves more time to pursue issues of concern to his district". He won with 65% of the vote in the Democratic primary, and 92% of the vote in the general election."Choices for the State Legislature," The New York Times, September 4, 1998. In 2004 he won again, this time with 92% of the vote in the general election."The 2004 Elections New York Region; The Races for the New York State Assembly and Senate", The New York Times, November 4, 2004.
In 2008, Espaillat was endorsed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who said: "Adriano has been a clear voice for our environments and against entrenched special interests and shortsighted parochial concerns. It is exactly this kind of independent leadership that we need to send back to Albany." The New York Times endorsed him as well, writing: "Mr. Espaillat has united blacks and Hispanics in Albany, and he has spoken out for thousands who were being evicted as developers sought higher rents.""Endorsements for a Better Albany", The New York Times, August 22, 2008. He was also endorsed by District Council 37, New York City's largest public sector employee union."Public Workers’ Union Names Favored Candidates,", The New York Times, August 15, 2008. Espaillat defeated Miguel Martinez in the Democratic primary, and then Republican Bill Buran in the general election, 94% to 6%."Mayor Endorses 3 Democrats in Primaries", The New York Times, August 12, 2008.
Tenure In the Assembly, Espaillat advocated for tenants, consumers, veterans, immigrants, and local businesses."CHC Roundup: Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) – From Undocumented Immigrant to Congress," Daily Kos, April 12, 2025. He voted for laws encouraging the construction and preservation of affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents and giving low-income day care workers the right to organize and obtain health care, and he sponsored measures to improve hospital translation services."The Nine Candidates for Manhattan Borough President and What They Have to Say", The New York Times, September 7, 2005. He also established a higher education scholarship fund for relatives of the victims of American Airlines Flight 587, which crashed on November 12, 2001; many of those killed had lived in Washington Heights."THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 587: WASHINGTON HEIGHTS; A Plane Crash Deeply Wounds a City's Dominican Heart," The New York Times, November 14, 2001. Espaillat supported efforts in 2007 to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses.
After a wave of assaults and murders of livery cab drivers in 2000 that left more than 10 dead, Espaillat supported legislation strengthening penalties for violent crimes against livery drivers and to enable their families to receive New York State Crime Victims Board funding. Livery cabs work in less affluent neighborhoods of New York City that typically lack access to yellow cabs. Espaillat also took legal action against power utility Con Edison after equipment failures led to a two-day blackout in Upper Manhattan in July 1999, which he alleged caused financial damage to restaurants, bodegas, and other small businesses. Con Edison subsequently agreed to invest an additional $100 million in Upper Manhattan electrical infrastructure, at no cost to ratepayers, and was required to refund customers billed for expenses related to the blackout.
New York State Senate (2011–2016)
Elections 2010
Espaillat ran for the New York State Senate District 31, located in Northern Manhattan and the Bronx, in 2010, after incumbent Eric Schneiderman announced that he was stepping down to seek election as New York Attorney General. The New York Times endorsed Espaillat, noting that he was "a 14-year Albany veteran, who has been an outspoken voice for the most crucial reform of all – an independent redistricting commission to create fairer elections in the state. If Mr. Espaillat works hard to represent this diverse district, he could become an important leader in Albany as well as a proud model for Hispanics.""Endorsements for New York", The New York Times, September 3, 2010. He was also endorsed by Mayor Bloomberg and U.S. Representative Charles Rangel."Keeping Score on Bloomberg’s Endorsements", The New York Times, November 3, 2010."Manhattan State Senator Says He’ll Challenge Rangel", The New York Times, April 2, 2012.
Espaillat received more than 50% of the vote in a four-way Democratic party primary, defeating Mark Levine among others. He won the general election with more than 84% of the vote.
In 2012, Espaillat won again, defeating then-Assemblyman Guillermo Linares 62%-38% in the Democratic primary.
2014 After losing to 21-term incumbent Charles Rangel in the Democratic primary for U.S. Congress, Espaillat announced his candidacy for reelection to his New York State Senate seat, facing former city councilman Robert Jackson. He was reelected with 50.3% of the vote to Jackson's 42.7%.
Tenure
In 2011, according to the Daily News, Espaillat led the fight to safeguard and strengthen rent regulation for over 1 million affordable housing apartments that was set to expire that year.
Espaillat also helped pass legislation increasing enforcement against businesses that sell alcohol to minors. Further, he authored the Notary Public Advertising Act, to crack down on public notaries who prey on vulnerable immigrants by offering fraudulent legal services.
He voted in favor of marriage equality legislation in 2011. That same year, Espaillat sponsored a bill requiring employment agencies to prominently post information about the rights of applicants for employment, saying that many immigrants did not know to whom to turn for assistance."Despite City Crackdown, Immigrants Still Are Often Cheated by Job Agencies", The New York Times, May 15, 2011.
In 2014, The New York Times noted about his political career: Espaillat has spent his 18 years in the State legislature mostly fighting for tenants, day-care staff and farmworkers. He has pushed for in-state tuition at public universities for undocumented children, called for a repeal of exorbitant tax breaks for expensive apartment buildings, and has strongly supported immigrants' rights.
State Senate committee assignments
Espaillat served on the following New York State Senate committees: Housing, Construction & Community Development (ranking Member)"Cuomo Gives Lawmakers Ultimatum on Rent Laws," The New York Times, June 15, 2011. Environmental Conservation Higher Education Codes Rules Judiciary Finance Insurance
U.S. House of Representatives (2017–present) Elections 2012