Cynthia Nixon has promised to turn New York into 'a real sanctuary state' for undocumented migrants in a swipe at Andrew Cuomo, her rival for the Democratic nomination.

The ex-Sex and the City actress areas including New York City for already adopting so-called 'sanctuary' legislation but blamed Cuomo, the current governor, for failing to take it up on a statewide level.

This and similar pro-immigrant measures would help turn the state into a 'progressive bastion', Nixon said during a speech in Rochester on Thursday.

Cynthia Nixon (left, in Brooklyn on March 20) praised areas like New York City for adopting so-called 'sanctuary' legislation but blamed Andrew Cuomo, the current governor, (right, at March For Our Lives in Central Park on March 24) for failing to take it up on a statewide level

'All of these things that we should have done and that New Yorkers want us do, that's why I am running.

'Times up on progressive change and waiting for progressive change in New York,' Nixon said, according to a report in the New York Daily News.

In the same speech Nixon also demanded more money for schools and renewable energy, and new laws to create a single-tier health system.

The New York Assembly passed sanctuary state legislation last year, but this was thrown out in the Republican-controlled senate.

Cuomo has been accused of preventing sanctuary legislation from going through the Senate by allowing a controversial power-sharing deal between Republicans and a breakaway group of Democrats.

The Independent Democratic Conference joined Republicans in a 'majority coalition' in return for leadership positions and lucrative stipends. It lasted for seven years before ending earlier this month.

Nixon speaks in Rochester at the site where women's rights activist Susan B. Anthony made history by casting an illegal vote nearly 150 years ago

New York City passed a bill in October 2017 ruling that no state money would be used to help enforce federal immigration legislation.

Other areas that have adopted similar legislation in the state include Albany, Ithaca, Wayne County, Omondaga County, Franklin County and St Lawrence County.

Cuomo hit back against Nixon's criticism, saying: 'I think we have the most progressive record in the country in this state.'

Sanctuary legislation has been heavily criticised by Republican legislators.

At a roundtable on the issue in March, President Trump accused cities that fail to cooperate with immigration authorities of putting the nation at risk by releasing 'thousands of criminal aliens' who should be deported.

'In many cases they are very bad actors. We have gang members, we have predators, rapists, killers - a lot of bad people,' he said.

Earlier this week, Iowa became the latest Republican-led state to propose legislation which would withhold money from local governments that don't comply with federal immigration laws.

A bill outlining an expansive immigration enforcement plan is expected to receive final legislative approval this week.

Nixon walks along the sidewalk in an amber gown during a scene still from Sex and the City 2 in 2010

California became a sanctuary state in the new year, immediately leading to a legal challenge from its second largest county.

Orange County voted to condemn the state's sanctuary law and to join a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit that contends it's unconstitutional.

California and its Democratic-controlled Legislature have courted a reputation for leading resistance against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.