Council Members and activists blast Bloomberg's Executive Order regarding immigration

For 13 years now New York City has maintained a policy prohibiting city agencies from revealing immigration-related information to federal authorities, including to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, unless a person is suspected of a crime. While seeming to shield immigrant residents from wrongful questioning, Bloomberg's Executive Order reverses several crucial provisions, including the current prohibition of the Police Department on sharing with the federal government non-criminal confidential information about New Yorkers.

Council Member John Liu, a prime sponsor of Monserrate's bill, stated, "Unfortunately, Executive Order 34 is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It appears to take a positive step forward by restricting the unnecessary questioning of immigration status by city workers. However, it is, in fact, a dramatic step backward because it now allows the Police Department to share such information with federal authorities."

Council Member Hiram Monserrate, a former Police Officer, declared, "I can attest to the fact that there is already fear by many of the immigrants to access city services and especially to cooperate with law enforcement. Such reluctance results in crimes going unreported and unsolved. In a city that is 40% foreign-born, we need a comprehensive 'don't ask, don't tell' policy that protects immigrants' right to access services and ensures our city's safety."

Monserrate's bill enjoys wide support within the City Council: 33 members have already signed on, including the 2 members representing largely Caribbean constituencies. Commented Council Member Yvette Clarke, "It's important that within immigrant communities, such as my district, New Yorkers be assured that they can access essential city services - such as fire and police protection, health care, services for victims of domestic violence - without fear that personal information will be disclosed."

Council Member Dr. Kendall Stewart remarked that one of the reasons the Executive Order is so detrimental is that it would drive and even larger wedge between immigrants and the police - particularly at a time when, in his community, they are trying to build bridges. "Instead of helping to lessen feelings of mistrust and misgiving had by so many immigrants toward the police, it would heightens them," he said.

There is also great support among civil and immigrants' rights advocates. For instance, Anthony Miranda, President of the National Latino Officers' Association, announced at the press conference, "We support Monserrate's bill. Over the years we have worked closely with the immigrant community. What this Executive Order does is make them afraid to continue to cooperate with us. It chases away the very people who have assisted us in our law enforcement activities. It is counter productive. It will end up shutting out an entire community and allowing illegal activities to grow."

Moises Perez, Executive Director of Alianza Dominicana, pointed out that permitting the police to report to the INS is a door that once it is opened, gets wider and wider, and we all end up relinquishing more and more of our civil liberties.

Monica Tarazi, Director of the New York Chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, commented that in her community there is a very real fear of being targeted for unfair treatment and selective enforcement of immigration laws. "On a daily basis, when I try to encourage people to report acts of discrimination against them to law enforcement agencies, I'm confronted with fear. But with this Executive Order, I can't tell them that it's safe to step forward and report crimes against them without worry that their immigration status will be reported. We desperately need legislation like this bill being introduced by Hiram Monserrate to protect confidentiality."

Muhammad Rafi from the Council of Pakistan Organizations said that in their community they've already lost 20,000 people. "This is going to cause more people to leave this 'land of the free.' It is so ironic that they came to this country for freedom and now they're fleeing to Canada or going back home."

Deputy Majority Leader Bill Perkins noted that Bloomberg's Executive Order appears to have been designed to accommodate Washington and its efforts to fight terrorism. "The implication is, therefore, that New York City's immigrant community is a hotbed of terrorism," he stated. "We're very concerned about any legislation that would suggest such a thing about any community, especially the immigrant community. We cannot live in fear of terrorism and tailor legislation to emphasize that fear and take away the civil liberties and civil rights of New Yorkers no matter who they are."